Croke Park-sized all-weather GAA pitch to open shortly in Laois at Portlaoise GAA
Construction of the new Portlaoise GAA clubhouse is also well underway
A big milestone is close to being reached in Laois in the major multi-million euro redevelopment of the Portlaoise GAA club grounds.
Work got underway on the project in early 2026, and the club has revealed the imminent delivery of a key element of the project in a mid-year update on the development works at Rathleague.
“Construction of our new clubhouse is now well underway, and the building is beginning to come out of the ground. It is fantastic to see the progress being made, with works continuing on schedule and everything progressing to plan.
“We are also pleased to confirm that our new all-weather Gaelic games pitch is on course to open from 15th August. Covering 15,500 square metres and built to full Croke Park playing dimensions, the new facility will provide our members with a first-class training and playing surface all year round,” said the update.
The Club reminds members that the Rathleague grounds are a construction site, so they are urged to take extra care when moving between the car park, pitches and gym, and follow any signs or directions that are in place.
“Thank you to all our members for your patience, cooperation and understanding while these exciting developments are taking shape. The temporary disruption will be well worth it, and we look forward to sharing more updates with you over the coming weeks,” said the statement.
One of these upcoming updates will be details of how club members can book and use the new synthetic surface pitch.
The Club has previously said the grounds will serve as a lasting commemoration of Eoin and Dylan Fitzpatrick. Travis and Maryse Knight (née Fitzpatrick), are supporting the project in commemoration of Maryse’s beloved brother and nephew, Eoin and Dylan, who tragically lost their lives in a road traffic accident in Turkey in July 2023.
Apart from the all-weather pitch and clubhouse, the development will include a new indoor training facility, a viewing stand, site landscaping, pitch and floodlight enhancements as well as car parking changes.
The statement announcing the start of the project in March 2026 said the redevelopment is being guided by "a world-class project team", led by Olson Kundig as Lead Architect. The statement added that they are internationally recognised as one of the most influential architecture and design practices, with projects spanning sports and cultural and civic centres, workplaces and more.
The overall redevelopment remains on track for completion in summer 2027.
It is nearly 20 years since Portlaoise GAA club’s first set of ambitious plans for Rathleague collapsed after their sale of the club grounds to a developer for collapsed during the Celtic Tiger crash. A more modest development of Rathleague eventually took place while Laois GAA developed a Centre of Exclellance at the former Portlaoise Grounds in Portlaoise.