Galway Sportsgrounds

Connacht's participation in European rugby's most prestigious club competition, the Heineken Cup, for the first time in the 2011–12 season spurred a new phase of development at the Sportsground to extend formal capacity to 7,500 supporters.[2] The existing Clubhouse terrace was knocked down to be replaced by the new covered "Clan Terrace". This terrace primarily houses season ticket holders. Ancillary work was also undertaken behind the terrace which saw the construction of a new bar (The Clan Bar), food outlets and restroom facilities on the Clubhouse side of the ground. A temporary covered and seated "West Stand", adjacent to the existing main stand was also erected for the season.[2] This raft of improvements came on the back of a series of development which the IRFU had helped to fund in the preceding years, such as a new playing surface, a new Clubhouse and floodlighting, while a new gymnasium had been built in 2008.[3]

In 2011, planning permission was granted to redevelop the Clan Terrace by building a seated tier above the terrace. This was ultimately not completed.[4]

In the summer of 2016, work was completed on an additional seated and covered stand which can hold 300 people. The stand, situated next to the Main Stand, increased the ground's regular capacity to 8,100.[5] Following a naming rights deal, it was christened as the Grant Thornton Stand.[6]

In October 2018, Connacht unveiled plans for a €30m redevelopment of the Sportsground to turn it into a 12,000 seater stadium with the redevelment to also include a high-performance training centre.[7][8]

The Galway Greyhound Company was established in 1932 but it took a further three years for the first greyhound racing to take place at the west coast venue on the west side of the Lough Atalia. The opening night was during 1935.

By 1978 the stadium required a facelift and the management decided that improvements could only be completed with the closure of the greyhound track. Therefore, in 1978 a new stand with bars and tote facilities was built and the circuit itself was re-laid with increased cambers. The grand re-opening was on 25 May 1979 with the modernisation costing over £500,000.[12] In 2003 the track was subject to a major renovation project that cost the Bord na gCon €6m.

In recent years Connacht Rugby have expressed a desire to redevelop the ground and have been in negotiation with the Irish Greyhound Board who hold a 99-year lease.[13]

Current [14] [15]

Former