FitzGerald Stadium
| Staid a' Ghearaltaigh | |
 |
|
| Location | Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 52°3′59″N 9°30′29″W / 52.06639°N 9.50806°W |
| Public transit | Killarney railway station |
| Owner | Kerry GAA |
| Capacity | 43,180 (9,000 seated) |
| Field size | 144 x 82 m |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1930 |
| Opened | 1936 |
| Renovated | 2009 |
| Construction cost |
£3,000 (original construction) €4.8 Million (2009 renovation) |
The Fitzgerald Stadium (Staid a' Ghearaltaigh in Irish) is the principal GAA stadium in Killarney, Ireland, and is the home championship venue for the Kerry senior football team.
Named in honour of one of the first great players of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Dick Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Stadium was officially opened on May 31, 1936 by Dr O'Brien, the then Bishop of Kerry, and J. M. Harty, Archbishop of Cashel.
The attendance at its first match was at least 20,000, reputed to have been 28,000. Within one year, the new Killarney stadium was to host the All-Ireland Hurling Final between Tipperary and Kilkenny due to the unavailability of Croke Park because of the construction of the first Cusack Stand. The capacity of the ground was severely tested in 1950 when the stadium, unusually, hosted the Munster hurling final between Cork and Tipperary, when an estimated crowd of 50,000 turned up and in the closing stages large numbers of Cork supporters encroached on the pitch, making life difficult for Tipperary goalkeeper, Tony Reddan. The claustrophobic atmosphere prompted ace Tipperary defender, John Doyle to remark that it was the first time he hurled in the midst of about 5,000.
Further developments took place at the stadium in the 1970s with the erection of the Dr. O’Sullivan stand and a pavilion. All of this raised the capacity to 39,120. This stadium is regarded as one of the finest outside of Croke Park, situated under the gaze of the picturesque Kerry mountains.
The Stadium Committee has plans to redevelop both ends of the ground to the standard of the Michael O’Connor Terrace incorporating new dressing rooms and covered areas, to eventually increase the capacity of the ground to 50,000.
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