Páirc Esler facts for kids
Páirc an Iúir
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The Marshes
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Address | Newry, County Armagh, BT34 2QX |
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Location | Northern Ireland |
Coordinates | 54°9′47″N 6°20′5″W / 54.16306°N 6.33472°W |
Public transit | Newry railway station Newry Ulsterbus station |
Owner | Newry Shamrocks |
Capacity | 20,000 |
Field size | 138 × 81 m |
Construction | |
Renovated | 2006–07 |
Páirc Esler ( PARK-_-ESS-lər also Irish: Páirc an Iúir) is a GAA stadium in Newry, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is the home of the Down Gaelic football and hurling teams and the Newry Shamrocks GAA club. The ground has a capacity of about 20,000.
Reopening
With work now completed on the ground, with a new covered stand and floodlighting facilities, the ground hosted its first Ulster Senior Football Championship Match since 1999 when Cavan visited the stadium for a preliminary round replay on Sunday 20 May 2007, which the home side won 0–15 to 0–11. In June it held a first-round Ulster Championship clash with Monaghan and a first-round qualifier game with Meath – Down lost both games.
On 8 October 2007, the new stand was officially opened by GAA president Nickey Brennan, just before the start of the Senior Football Championship Final between Mayobridge and Longstone, which ended in a draw. Mayobridge won the replay, and their fourth title in a row. The 26 October saw the official switch-on of the floodlights, which was marked by the division one league final between Kilcoo and An Riocht. An Riocht won the game by 3 points, with AFL star Martin Clarke scoring 2–1 in the final. It has now hosted Dr. McKenna cup matches in 2008 in which Down played and beat Cavan, UUJ and beat Donegal 5–14 to 0–13. In the same year they won the final which was played in Casement Park, Belfast. Down V Derry, and later in the championship first round beat soon-to-be All Ireland SFC Champions Tyrone, the only team that year to do so in the championship.