World City Guide

Sport

Both hurling (the Irish national game, similar to hockey and one of the fastest field games in the world) and Gaelic football (a cross between soccer, rugby and a street brawl) are played at Croke Park Stadium, Croke Park, Dublin 3 (tel: (01) 819 2300; website: www.crokepark.ie). The Gaelic Athletic Association (website: www.gaa.ie) can provide information on both sports.

Rugby is played at Lansdowne Road Stadium, Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (tel: (01) 647 3800; website: www.irishrugby.ie), with Lansdowne FC (website: www.lansdownerugby.com) and St Mary’s College (website: www.stmaryscollegerfc.com) both consistently doing well in the AIB All Ireland League Division One tables. Soccer takes place at Tolka Park, Richmond Road, Dublin 3 (tel: (01) 837 5536) or Lansdowne Road. Dublin has many teams in the National League Premier Division, including Bohemians FC (website: www.bohemians.ie), Shamrock Rovers FC (website: www.shamrockrovers.ie), Shelbourne FC (website: www.shelbournefc.ie), St Patrick’s Athletic FC (website: www.stpatsfc.com) and UCD FC Dublin (website: www.ucd.ie/soccer).

Race meetings are held at Fairyhouse, Ratoath, off the R155 (tel: (01) 825 6167; website: www.fairyhouseracecourse.ie), and Leopardstown Racecourse, Leopardstown, Dublin 18 (tel: (01) 289 0500; website: www.leopardstown.com). Phoenix Park, Parkgate Street, Conyngham Road, Dublin 8 (tel: (01) 677 0095), contains a racecourse, a motor-racing circuit and is also a popular venue for Gaelic football, cricket, soccer and water polo. Greyhound racing at Shelbourne Park, Pearse Street, Dublin 4 (tel: (01) 668 3502; e-mail: racing@shelbournepark.ie; website: www.shelbournepark.com) is a local passion.

The main events in the sporting calendar are the Dublin Horse Show (Aug) and the national hurling and Gaelic football finals (Sep), during which the whole city goes a little crazy. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster (tel: (0818) 71 93 00; website: www.ticketmaster.ie).

Fitness Centres: Crunch Fitness, at UCD, Belfield (tel: (01) 260 3155), is open to the public Mon-Fri 0700-2200 and Sat-Sun 1000-1730 and charges ¬12 per visit. Olympus Health and Leisure Club is open to the public Mon-Fri 1000-2100, Sat 1000-2000, Sun 0930-1230, and charges ¬8 for women and ¬10 for men per visit.

Golf: Within 30 miles of Dublin, there are over 100 golf courses. Most are private but some are pay-and-play courses. Sillogue Park Public Golf Course, Ballymun (tel: (01) 842 9956), is one of the best value, with green fees starting from ¬8 for nine holes (¬16 at the weekend, ¬18 in summer) and ¬11 for 18 holes (¬21 at the weekend, ¬25 in summer). Prices vary depending on the time of day. Pre-booking is advisable. The 18-hole course at Luttrellstown Castle Golf Club, Clonsilla (tel: (01) 808 9988; fax: (01) 808 9989; e-mail: golf@luttrellstown.ie; website: www.luttrellstown.ie), is also open to the public. Green fees are greatly reduced at present, at just ¬20 for 11 holes, while essential maintenance work is completed on the rest of the course.

Squash: Most squash clubs are open to members only. Total Fitness, Blackglen Road, Sandyford (tel: (01) 206 9600; website: www.totalfitness.org), charges ¬5 per 40 minutes for non-members, together with a ¬17 day-membership fee which enables use of the pools, gym and other facilities. Irish Squash (tel: (01) 625 1145; website: www.irishsquash.com) can provide more information.

Swimming: Most pools are situated in Dublin’s suburbs. St Paul’s College Swimming Pool, Rahen (tel: (01) 831 6283), is located north of the centre and costs ¬5.30. A full list of swimming pools is supplied in the Golden Pages telephone directory (website: www.goldenpages.ie).

Tennis: Apart from various parks with tennis courts, Spawell, Wellington Road, Templeogue (tel: (01) 490 4401), is one of the few venues with courts that are open to the public. Play costs ¬10 an hour. Tennis Ireland (tel: (01) 884 4010; website: www.tennisireland.ie) can provide further information.