Semple Stadium facts for kids
|
Tom Semple's Field
The Home of Hurling Field of Legends Thurles Sportsfield |
|
 |
|
| Location | Thurles, County Tipperary, E41 C956, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 52°40′56″N 7°49′30″W / 52.68222°N 7.82500°W |
| Public transit | Thurles railway station |
| Owner | Tipperary GAA |
| Capacity | 45,690 (24,000 seated) |
| Field size | 145 x 90 m |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1910 |
| Opened | 1910 |
| Renovated | 1934 1968 1981 2007–2009 |
Semple Stadium is a very famous sports ground in Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland. It is known as the home of hurling and Gaelic football for the Tipperary GAA teams and for the whole Munster region. It is the second biggest stadium in Ireland for Gaelic games, right after Croke Park.
This stadium can hold 45,690 people, with 24,000 seats. Since 1926, it has been a top spot for hurling fans in Munster. Many exciting Munster Hurling Finals have taken place here.
Contents
What Can You Find at Semple Stadium?
Semple Stadium has different areas for fans to watch games. The main stand is called the Old Stand (or 'Ardán Ó Coinneáin' / 'Dr Kinane Stand'). Across from it is the New Stand (or 'Ardán Ó Riáin'). Both of these stands have roofs to keep people dry.
Behind the goals, there are two open areas called terraces. One is the Town End (also known as the 'Davin Terrace'). The other is the Killinan End (also known as the 'Maher Terrace').
The Dome: A Place for Sports and Events
The stadium also has a special building called The Dome. This is a large sports hall. It has a full-sized basketball court, good enough for national games. You can also play badminton, volleyball, and indoor soccer here.
Tipperary hurling and football teams use The Dome for training. On match days, it hosts special lunches and events for guests. Sometimes, it is even used as a place for music concerts!
Music Festivals at the Stadium
Semple Stadium has also been a popular place for music. The Féile Festival was held here from 1990 to 1994. It came back for one day in 1997. This festival was so popular that it was called "The Trip to Tipp." About 150,000 people came to watch.
Many famous Irish and international music acts played at Féile. These included The Prodigy, The Cranberries, Blur, Bryan Adams, Van Morrison, Rage Against the Machine, The Saw Doctors and Christy Moore.
More recently, the Féile Classical Concerts happened here in September 2018. This event, called Tipp Classical, featured Irish musicians from the 1990s. It was so popular that it returned in September 2019.
How to Get to Semple Stadium
Getting There by Train
It is very easy to get to Semple Stadium by train. The stadium is only a five-minute walk from Thurles railway station. This station is on the main train line that connects Dublin to Cork. You can also connect to lines going to Limerick and Tralee.
On big match days, Irish Rail often runs special "GAA Specials" trains. These trains take fans right to Thurles station for the games.
Images for kids
-
Semple Stadium, exterior south side
-
Semple Stadium, north-east corner
