View source for Croke Park

{{Short description|Stadium in Dublin, Ireland}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Croke Park
| native_name = {{lang|ga|Páirc an Chrócaigh}}
| nickname = Croker
| logo_image = Croke_Park_Logo.png
| image = Croke Park from the Hill - 2004 All-Ireland Football Championship Final.jpg
| image_alt = View from the Hill in Croke Park
| location = [[Dublin]], Ireland
| coordinates = {{Coord|53.3609|N|6.2519|W}}
| broke_ground = 1880
| opened = {{start date and age|1884}}
| renovated = 2004
| surface = Soil pitch<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/no-grounds-for-concern-at-croke-park-as-hurling-s-big-day-looms-1.1916823 |title=No grounds for concern at Croke Park as hurling's big day looms |date=4 September 2014 |access-date=12 January 2018 |first=Malachy |last=Clerkin |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref>
| owner = [[Gaelic Athletic Association|GAA]]
| cost = €266 million (2004 renovation)
| architect = Gilroy McMahon
| project_manager = Seamus Monahan & Partners
| structural engineer = Horgan Lynch & Partners
| capacity = {{Unbulleted list
| 82,300 (total)
| 69,100 (seated)
| 13,200 (terraced)
| record_attendance = {{formatnum:  90556}} ([[Down county football team|Down]]–[[Offaly county football team|Offaly]], [[1961 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final|24 September 1961]])
| dimensions = 145m x 88m
| tenants = [[Gaelic Athletic Association]]<br /> [[Ireland national rugby union team]] (2007–2010) <br /> [[Republic of Ireland national football team]] (2007–2010)
| publictransit = [[Drumcondra railway station]]
| website = {{URL|http://www.crokepark.ie}}
}}}}

'''Croke Park''' ({{langx|ga|Páirc an Chrócaigh}}, {{IPA|ga|ˈpˠaːɾʲc ə ˈxɾˠoːkəj|IPA}}) is a [[Gaelic games]] stadium in [[Dublin]], Ireland. Named after Archbishop [[Thomas Croke]], it is referred to as '''Croker''' by GAA fans and locals.<ref name="slipups"/> It serves as both the principal national stadium of Ireland and headquarters of the [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] (GAA). Since 1891<ref>{{cite web|url=https://crokepark.ie/stadium/stadium-history-development/1885-1903|title=Athletics to the first All-Ireland Final –Croke Park|website=crokepark.ie}}</ref> the site has been used by the GAA to host Gaelic sports, including the [[List of All-Ireland Senior Football Championship finals|annual All-Ireland finals in Gaelic football]] and [[List of All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship finals|hurling]].

A major expansion and redevelopment of the stadium ran from 1991 to 2005, raising capacity to its current 82,300 spectators.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crokepark.ie/About/Facts---Figures |title=Croke Park Stadium Facts and Figures |work=crokepark.ie |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206215559/http://www.crokepark.ie/about/facts---figures |archive-date=6 February 2010 }}</ref> This makes Croke Park the [[List of European stadiums by capacity|fourth-largest stadium in Europe]], and the largest not usually used for [[association football]] in Europe.

Other events held at the stadium include the opening and closing ceremonies of the [[2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games|2003 Special Olympics]], and numerous musical concerts. In 2012, Irish pop group [[Westlife]] sold out the stadium in a record-breaking time: less than 5 minutes.<ref name="music-news.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.music-news.com/shownews.asp?nItemID=45780 |title=Westlife sell out show in record breaking time and add date |work=Music-News.com |date=22 June 2012 |access-date=15 August 2012}}</ref> From 2007 to 2010, Croke Park hosted home matches of the [[Ireland national rugby union team]] and the [[Republic of Ireland national football team]], while their new [[Aviva Stadium]] was constructed. This use of Croke Park for non-Gaelic sports [[#Non-Gaelic games|was controversial]] and required temporary changes to GAA rules. In June 2012, the stadium hosted the closing ceremony of the [[Eucharistic Congress|50th International Eucharistic Congress]] during which [[Pope Benedict XVI]] gave an address over a video link.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iec2012.ie/cat_news.jsp?p=101&n=116&i=1362|title=50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012|work=iec2012.ie|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224113421/http://www.iec2012.ie/cat_news.jsp?p=101&n=116&i=1362|archive-date=24 December 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/eucharistic-congress-80000-pilgrims-gather-in-croke-park-for-closing-mass-490669-Jun2012/|title=Eucharistic Congress: 80,000 pilgrims gather in Croke Park for closing Mass|author=Sinead O'Carroll|work=TheJournal.ie|date=17 June 2012 }}</ref>

==City and Suburban Racecourse==
[[File:Croke Park - Dublin vs Tyrone 125.jpg|250px|thumb|A fireworks and light display was held in Croke Park in front of 79,161 fans on Saturday 31 January 2009 to mark the GAA's 125th anniversary]]

The area now known as Croke Park was owned in the 1880s by Maurice Butterly and known as the City and Suburban Racecourse, or Jones' Road sports ground. From 1893 it was also used by the [[Bohemian F.C.|Bohemian Football Club]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Priestley |first=Ciarán |title=The Enduring Legacy of an Idle Youth |url=https://bohemianfc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/The-Enduring-Legacy-of-an-Idle-Youth-2nd-Ed-2020.pdf |website=bohemianfc.com}}</ref> In 1891 ''Butterly's field'' hosted Athletics meetings organised by the GAA.

==History==
Recognising the potential of the Jones' Road sports ground, a journalist and GAA member, Frank Dineen, borrowed much of the £3,250 asking price and bought the ground in 1908. In 1913 the GAA came into exclusive ownership of the plot when they purchased it from Dineen for £3,500. The ground was then renamed Croke Park in honour of Archbishop [[Thomas Croke]], one of the GAA's first patrons.

In 1913, Croke Park only had one stand on what is now known as the Hogan Stand side and grassy banks all round. In 1917, a grassy hill was constructed on the railway end of Croke Park to afford patrons a better view of the pitch. This terrace was known originally as Hill 60, after a battle in the [[Gallipoli campaign|Gallipoli Campaign]], in which [[The Royal Dublin Fusiliers]], [[Munster Fusiliers]] and [[Connaught Rangers]] fought. It was later renamed Hill 16 in memory of the 1916 [[Easter Rising]]. It is erroneously said to have been built from the ruins of the GPO but was constructed the previous year in 1915.

In 1918, the GAA set out to create a high-capacity stadium at Croke Park. Following the Hogan Stand, the Cusack Stand, named after [[Michael Cusack (Gaelic Athletic Association)|Michael Cusack]] from Clare (who founded the GAA and served as its first secretary), was built in 1927. 1936 saw the first double-deck Cusack Stand open with 5,000 seats, and concrete terracing being constructed on Hill 16. In 1952 the Nally Stand was built in memorial of [[Pat Nally]], another of the GAA founders. Seven years later, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the GAA, the first cantilevered "New Hogan Stand" was opened.

The highest attendance ever recorded at an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final was 90,556 for [[Offaly county football team|Offaly]] v [[Down county football team|Down]] in [[1961 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final|1961]]. Since the introduction of seating to the Cusack Stand in 1966, the largest crowd recorded has been 84,516.

===Bloody Sunday===
[[File:Bloody Sunday Croke Park.jpg|thumb|Bloody Sunday remembrance plaque]]
{{Main|Bloody Sunday (1920)}}
On 21 November 1920, during the [[Irish War of Independence]], Croke Park was the scene of a massacre perpetrated by the [[Auxiliary Division]] of the [[Royal Irish Constabulary]] (RIC). The RIC entered the ground and began shooting into the crowd, killing or fatally wounding 14 civilians during a [[Dublin county football team|Dublin]]-[[Tipperary county football team|Tipperary]] Gaelic football match. The dead included 13 spectators and Tipperary player [[Michael Hogan (sportsman)|Michael Hogan]]. Posthumously, the Hogan Stand, built in 1924, was named in his honour. Those shootings, on the day which became known as [[Bloody Sunday (1920)|Bloody Sunday]], were a reprisal for the killing of 15 people associated with the [[Cairo Gang]], a group of [[British intelligence agencies|British intelligence]] officers, by [[Michael Collins (Irish leader)|Michael Collins]]' "[[The Squad (Irish Republican Army unit)|Squad]]" earlier that day.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bloody Sunday 90th anniversary commemorated |url=http://www.southtipptoday.ie/news/local/bloody-sunday-90th-anniversary-commemorated-1-2369085 |access-date=4 July 2012 |newspaper=South Tipp Today |date=1 December 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217191227/http://www.nationalist.ie/news/local/bloody-sunday-90th-anniversary-commemorated-1-2369085 |archive-date=17 February 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Dublin Rodeo===
In 1924, American [[rodeo]] promoter, [[Tex Austin]], staged the Dublin Rodeo,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://crokepark.ie/stadium/stadium-history-development/1924-1933 |title=The Hogan Stand to Sam Maguire Cup – Croke Park |work=Crokepark.ie }}</ref> Ireland's first professional rodeo at Croke Park Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/wild-west-dublin-croke-park-rodeo|title=When the Wild West came to Dublin, the Croke Park Rodeo|date=19 December 2019|website=IrishCentral.com|access-date=31 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/croke-park-s-affluent-second-century-gets-underway-1.1679472 |title=Croke Park's affluent second century gets underway |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=2014-02-05}}</ref>  For seven days, with two shows each day from August 18 to August 24, sell-out crowds saw cowboys and cowgirls from Canada, the United States, Mexico, Argentina and Australia compete for rodeo championship titles.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.scoopernews.com/kenya/000/2019/12/19/when-the-wild-west-came-to-dublin-the-croke-park-rodeo/6492642 |title=Scooper |work=Scoopernews.com |access-date=27 December 2019 |archive-date=15 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115195352/https://www.scoopernews.com/kenya/000/2019/12/19/when-the-wild-west-came-to-dublin-the-croke-park-rodeo/6492642 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Canadian bronc riders such as Andy Lund and his brother Art Lund, trick riders such as Ted Elder<ref>{{cite web|last=Mason |first=Terri |url=https://www.cowboycountrymagazine.com/2013/10/suicide-ted-elder/ |title="Suicide" Ted Elder |work=Canadian Cowboy Country Magazine |date=October 2013 }}</ref> and Vera McGinnis were among the contestants.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.playingpasts.co.uk/articles/general/american-exceptionalism-at-the-heart-of-gaelic-ireland-dublins-1924-rodeo/ |title=American Exceptionalism at the Heart of Gaelic Ireland |work=Playing Pasts }}</ref>  British Pathe filmed some of the rodeo events.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/irelands-rodeo-aka-island-rodeo/query/Eire |title=Ireland's Rodeo AKA Island Rodeo |work=British Pathé }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/ride-him-cowboy/query/cowboys |title=Ride Him Cowboy |work=British Pathé }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/rodeo-in-dublin/query/dublin+rodeo |title=Rodeo In Dublin |work=British Pathé }}</ref>

==Stadium redesign==
In  1984 the organisation decided to investigate ways to increase the capacity of the old stadium. The design for an 80,000-capacity stadium was completed in 1991. Gaelic sports have special requirements as they take place on a large field. A specific requirement was to ensure the spectators were not too far from the field of play. This resulted in the three-tier design from which viewing games is possible: the main concourse, a premium level incorporating hospitality facilities and an upper concourse. The premium level contains restaurants, bars and conference areas. The project was split into four phases over a 14-year period. Such was the importance of Croke Park to the GAA for hosting big games, that the stadium did not close during redevelopment. During each phase, different parts of the ground were redeveloped, while leaving the rest of the stadium open. Big games, including the annual All-Ireland Hurling and Football finals, were played in the stadium throughout the development.
{{wide image|Croke-summerhill.jpg|900px|align-cap=center|The outside of the Cusack Stand}}

===Phase one – New Cusack Stand===
[[File:Croke Park stadium, viewed from Phibsborough.jpg|thumb|The stadium viewed from [[Phibsborough]]]]
The first phase of construction was to build a replacement for Croke Park's Cusack Stand. A lower deck opened for use in 1994. The upper deck opened in 1995. Completed at a cost of £35&nbsp;million, the new stand is 180 metres long, 35 metres high, has a capacity for 27,000 people and contains 46 hospitality suites. The new Cusack Stand contains three tiers from which viewing games is possible: the main concourse, a premium level incorporating hospitality facilities and finally an upper concourse. One end of the pitch was closer to the stand after this phase, as the process of slightly re-aligning the pitch during the redevelopment of the stadium began. The works were carried out by [[Sisk Group]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/archive/05aug93-eire-sisk-stadium-john-sisk-has-just-started-work-on-the-20-million-first-phase-redevelopment-of-croke-park-stadium-in-dublin-this-phase-is-set-for-completion-by-spring-1995-construc-05-08-1993/|title=Sisk Stadium. John Sisk has just started work on the £20 million first phase redevelopment of Croke Park stadium in Dublin. This phase is set for completion by spring 1995.|date=5 August 1993|publisher=Construction News|access-date=3 July 2020}}</ref>

===Phase two – Davin Stand===
Phase Two of the development started in late 1998 and involved extending the new Cusack Stand to replace the existing Canal End terrace. It involved reacquiring a rugby pitch that had been sold to [[Belvedere College]] in 1910 by Frank Dineen. In payment and part exchange, the college was given the nearby Distillery Road sports grounds.<ref>{{cite book
 |last=Hopkins
 |first=Frank
 |date= 2020
 |title=Hidden Dublin: Deadbeats, Dossers and Decent Skins
 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pgWPrxwoI2cC&q=belvedere+college+jones+road&pg=PA186
 |location=Cork
 |publisher=Mercier Press
 |page=186
 |isbn=9781856355681
}}</ref>
 
It is now known as The Davin Stand (Irish: ''Ardán Dáimhím''), after [[Maurice Davin]], the first president of the GAA. This phase also saw the creation of a tunnel which was later named the Ali tunnel in honour of [[Muhammad Ali]] and [[List of non-Gaelic games played in Croke Park#Boxing|his fight]] against Al Lewis in July 1972 in Croke Park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsoutdoor.ie/upload/124178_672_1199817564120-FAI__Rate_Card_2008_2009.pdf |title=Rate Card |access-date=17 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318175610/http://www.cbsoutdoor.ie/upload/124178_672_1199817564120-FAI__Rate_Card_2008_2009.pdf |archive-date=18 March 2009 }}</ref>

===Phase three – Hogan Stand===
Phase Three saw the building of the new Hogan Stand. This required a greater variety of spectator categories to be accommodated including general spectators, corporate patrons, VIPs, broadcast and media services and operation staff. Extras included a fitted-out mezzanine level for VIP and Ard Comhairle (Where the dignitaries sit) along with a top-level press media facility. The end of Phase Three took the total spectator capacity of Croke Park to 82,000.

The [[1999 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final]] was the last to be held with the old Hogan Stand in place.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/historic-final-will-be-hogan-s-last-stand-1.231185|title=Historic final will be Hogan's last stand|newspaper=The Irish Times|first=Ian|last=O'Riordan|date=25 September 1999}}</ref>

===Phase four – Nally Stand & Nally End/Dineen Hill 16 terrace===
After the 2003 Special Olympics, construction began in September 2003 on the final phase, Phase Four. This involved the redevelopment of the Nally Stand, named after the athlete [[Pat Nally]], and Hill 16 into a new Nally End/Dineen Hill 16 terrace. While the name Nally had been used for the stand it replaced, the use of the name Dineen was new, and was in honour of [[Frank Dineen]], who bought the original stadium for the GAA in 1908, giving it to them in 1913. The old Nally Stand was taken away and reassembled in Pairc Colmcille, home of Carrickmore GAA in [[County Tyrone]].<ref>[http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/old-stand-new-venue-croke-parks-famous-nally-stand-takes-up-new-residence-in-tyrone-26322002.html "Old Stand, New Venue"].  ''[[Irish Independent]]''. 1 October 2007.</ref>

The phase four development was officially opened by the then GAA President [[Seán Kelly (politician)|Seán Kelly]] on 14 March 2005. For logistical reasons (and, to a degree, historical reasons), and also to provide cheaper high-capacity space, the area is a terrace rather than a seated stand, the only remaining standing room in Croke Park. Unlike the previous Hill, the new terrace was divided into separate sections – Hill A (Cusack Stand side), Hill B (behind the goals) and the Nally terrace (on the site of the old Nally Stand). The fully redeveloped Hill has a capacity of around 13,200, bringing the overall capacity of the stadium to 82,300. This made the stadium the second biggest in Europe at the time after the [[Camp Nou]], Barcelona. The presence of terracing meant that for the brief period when Croke Park hosted international [[association football]] during 2007–2009, the capacity was reduced to approximately 73,500, due to FIFA's statutes stating that competitive games must be played in all-seater stadiums.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

==Pitch==
{{scalable image|Croke Park 2018.jpg|1000px|align-cap=center|Panorama of Croke Park.}}
The pitch in Croke Park is a soil pitch that replaced the [[Desso GrassMaster]] pitch laid in 2002.<ref name="slipups"/> This replacement was made after several complaints by players and managers that the pitch was excessively hard and far too slippery.<ref name="slipups">{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/gaa-promises-no-further-slipups-on-croker-surface-25894358.html |date=23 October 2004 |access-date=12 January 2018 |work=[[Irish Independent]] |title=GAA promises no further slip-ups on Croker surface}}</ref>

Since January 2006, a special growth and lighting system called the SGL Concept has been used to assist grass growing conditions, even in the winter months. The system, created by Dutch company SGL (Stadium Grow Lighting), helps in controlling and managing all pitch growth factors, such as light, temperature, CO<sub>2</sub>, water, air and nutrients.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sglconcept.com|title=Stadium Grow Lighting – Homepage|author=SGL|work=sglconcept.com}}</ref>

===Floodlighting===
[[File:Croke park 2.jpg|thumb|Croke Park floodlights in use during Six Nations Championship match]]
With the [[2007 Six Nations Championship|2007 Six Nations]] clash with [[France national rugby union team|France]] and possibly other matches in subsequent years requiring lighting the GAA installed [[Floodlights (sport)|floodlights]] in the stadium (after planning permission was granted). Indeed, many other GAA grounds around the country have started to erect floodlights as the organisation starts to hold games in the evenings, whereas traditionally major matches were played almost exclusively on Sunday afternoons. The first game to be played under these lights at Croke Park was a [[National Football League (Ireland)|National Football League]] [[National Football League (Ireland)#Performance by County|Division One]] match between [[Dublin county football team|Dublin]] and [[Tyrone county football team|Tyrone]] on 3 February 2007 with Tyrone winning in front of a capacity crowd of over 81,000 – which remains a record attendance for a National League game, with Ireland's Six Nations match with France following on 11 February.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/1128/crokepark.html|title=Dublin and Tyrone look set to play under lights|access-date=12 January 2007 | work=RTÉ News|date=28 November 2006}}</ref> Temporary floodlights were installed for the [[American Bowl]] game between [[Chicago Bears]] and [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] on the pitch in 1997, and again for the [[2003 Special Olympics]].

==Concerts==
[[File:U2crokepark.jpg|thumb|U2's Vertigo Tour at Croke Park in 2005]]
[[File:U2 360° Tour at Croke Park.jpg|thumb|U2's 360° Tour at Croke Park in 2009]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Date
! Performer(s)
! Opening act(s)
! Tour/Event
! Attendance
! Revenue
! Notes
|-
|29 June 1985
|[[U2]]
|[[In Tua Nua]], [[R.E.M.]], [[The Alarm]], [[Squeeze (band)|Squeeze]]
|[[The Unforgettable Fire Tour]]
|57,000 
|
|First Irish act to have a headline concert. <small>Part of the concert was filmed for the group's documentary ''Wide Awake in Dublin''.</small>
|-
|28 June 1986
|[[Simple Minds]]
|
|[[Simple Minds concert tours#1980's tours|Once Upon A Time Tour]]
|
|
| Guest appearance by [[Bono]]
|-
|27 June 1987
| rowspan="2"|U2
|Light A Big Fire, [[The Dubliners]], [[The Pogues]], [[Lou Reed]]
| rowspan="2"|[[The Joshua Tree Tour]]
| rowspan="2"|114,000
| rowspan="2"|
|
|-
|28 June 1987
|[[Christy Moore]], [[The Pretenders]], Lou Reed, [[Hothouse Flowers]]
|
|-
|28 June 1996
|[[Tina Turner]]
|[[Brian Kennedy (singer)|Brian Kennedy]]
|[[Wildest Dreams Tour]]
|40,000
|$1,510,000
|
|-
|16 May 1997
| rowspan="2"|[[Garth Brooks]]
| rowspan="2"| 
| rowspan="2"| World Tour II
| rowspan="2"| 
| rowspan="2"| 
| rowspan="2"| 
|-
|18 May 1997
|-
|29 May 1998
| rowspan="2"|[[Elton John]] & [[Billy Joel]]
|
| rowspan="2"|[[Face to Face 1998]]
|
|
|
|-
|30 May 1998
|
|
|
|
|-
|24 June 2005
| rowspan="3"|U2
| rowspan="3"|[[The Radiators from Space]], [[The Thrills]], [[The Bravery]], [[Snow Patrol]], [[Paddy Casey]], [[Ash (band)|Ash]]
| rowspan="3"|[[Vertigo Tour]]
| rowspan="3"|246,743
| rowspan="3"|$21,163,695
|rowspan="3"|
|-
|25 June 2005
|-
|27 June 2005
|-
|20 May 2006
|[[Bon Jovi]]
|[[Nickelback]]
|[[Have a Nice Day Tour]]
| 81,327
| $6,414,434
|
|-
|9 June 2006
|[[Robbie Williams]]
|[[Basement Jaxx]]
|[[Close Encounters Tour]]
| 
|
|
|-
|6 October 2007
|[[The Police]]
|[[Fiction Plane]]
|[[The Police Reunion Tour]]
| 81,640
| $11,837,425
|Largest attendance of the tour. Guest appearance by Bono.
|-
|31 May 2008
|[[Celine Dion]]
|[[Il Divo]]
|[[Taking Chances World Tour]]
|61,746
|$8,650,493
|Largest attendance for a solo female act
|-
|1 June 2008
|[[Westlife]]
|[[Shayne Ward]]
|[[Back Home Tour]]
|82,300
|
|Second Irish act to have a headline concert. Largest attendance of the tour. <small>Part of the concert was filmed for the group's documentary and concert DVD ''10 Years of Westlife - Live at Croke Park Stadium''.</small>
|-
|14 June 2008
|[[Neil Diamond]]
|
|
|
| 
|
|-
|13 June 2009
|[[Take That]]
|[[The Script]]
|[[Take That Present: The Circus Live]]
| 
|
|
|-
|24 July 2009
| rowspan="3"|U2
|[[Glasvegas]], [[Damien Dempsey]]
| rowspan="3"|[[U2 360° Tour]]
| rowspan="3"|243,198
| rowspan="3"|$28,815,352
|
|-
|25 July 2009
|[[Kaiser Chiefs]], [[Republic of Loose]]
|
|-
|27 July 2009
|[[Bell X1 (band)|Bell X1]], The Script
|<small>The performances of "[[New Year's Day (U2 song)|New Year's Day]]" and "[[I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight]]" were recorded for the group's live album ''[[U22 (album)|U22]]'' and for the band's remix album ''[[Artificial Horizon (album)|Artificial Horizon]]'' and the live EP ''[[Wide Awake in Europe]]'', respectively.</small>
|- 
|5 June 2010
|Westlife
|[[Wonderland (band)|Wonderland]], WOW, [[JLS]], [[Jedward]]
|[[Where We Are Tour (Westlife)|Where We Are Tour]]
|86,500
|$5,914,820
|Largest attendance of the tour.
|-
|18 June 2011
| rowspan="2"|Take That
| rowspan="2"|[[Pet Shop Boys]]
| rowspan="2"|[[Progress Live]]
| rowspan="2"|154,828
| rowspan="2"|$18,217,500
| rowspan="2"|
|-
|19 June 2011
|-
|22 June 2012
| rowspan="2"|Westlife
| rowspan="2"|[[Jedward]], [[The Wanted]], [[Lawson (band)|Lawson]]
| rowspan="2"|[[Greatest Hits Tour (Westlife)|Greatest Hits Tour]]
| rowspan="2"|187,808<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/mcd-records-strong-profits-221396.html|title=MCD records 'strong' profits|date=1 February 2013|website=Irishexaminer.com}}</ref>
| rowspan="2"| 
| rowspan="2"|The 23 June 2012 date broke the stadium record for selling out its tickets in four minutes. Eleventh largest attendance at an outdoor stadium worldwide. Largest attendance of the tour and Westlife's history. <small>Part of the concert was filmed for the group's documentary and concert DVD ''The Farewell Tour - Live in Croke Park''.</small>
|- 
|23 June 2012
|-
|26 June 2012
|[[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]
|[[Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds]], [[The Vaccines]]
|[[I'm with You World Tour]]
|
| 
|
|-
|23 May 2014
| rowspan="3"|[[One Direction]]
| rowspan="3"|[[5 Seconds of Summer]]
| rowspan="3"|[[Where We Are Tour (One Direction)|Where We Are Tour]]
| rowspan="3"|235,008
| rowspan="3"|$20,115,900
| rowspan="3"|
|-
|24 May 2014
|-
|25 May 2014
|-
|20 June 2015
|[[The Script]]
|
|[[No Sound Without Silence Tour]]
| 74,635
|
|
|-
|24 July 2015
| rowspan="2"|[[Ed Sheeran]]
|
| rowspan="2"|[[x Tour (Ed Sheeran tour)|x Tour]]
| rowspan="2"|162,308
| rowspan="2"|$11,713,029
| rowspan="2"|
|-
|25 July 2015
|
|-
|27 May 2016
| rowspan="2"|[[Bruce Springsteen]]
|
| rowspan="2"|[[The River Tour 2016]]
| rowspan="2"|160,188
| rowspan="2"|$19,228,100
| rowspan="2"|
|-
|29 May 2016 
|
|-
|9 July 2016
|[[Beyoncé]]
|[[Chloe x Halle]], [[Ingrid Burley]]
|[[The Formation World Tour]]
| 68,575<ref>{{cite magazine |date=August 9, 2016 |title=Beyoncé's Formation World Tour Boxscores|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/current-boxscore |magazine=Billboard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809185044/http://www.billboard.com/biz/current-boxscore |archive-date=August 9, 2016 |access-date=August 9, 2016}}</ref>
| $7,449,942
|
|-
|8 July 2017
|[[Coldplay]]
|[[AlunaGeorge]], [[Tove Lo]]
|[[A Head Full of Dreams Tour]]<ref name = "Coldplay Dublin">{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/music-news/coldplay-set-to-wow-the-crowds-at-croke-park-next-year-35096943.html|title=Coldplay set to wow the crowds at Croke Park next year|date=2 October 2016 |publisher=Amy Mulvaney, Irish Independent|access-date=3 October 2016}}</ref>
|80,398
|$8,970,100
|
|-
|22 July 2017
|U2
|Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
|[[The Joshua Tree Tour 2017]]
|80,901
|$9,963,957
|
|-
|17 May 2018
|[[The Rolling Stones]]
|[[The Academic]]
|[[No Filter Tour (The Rolling Stones tour)|No Filter Tour]]
|64,823
|$8,771,102
|
|-
|15 June 2018
| rowspan="2"|[[Taylor Swift]]
| rowspan="2"|[[Camila Cabello]]<br />[[Charli XCX]]
| rowspan="2"|[[Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour]]
| rowspan="2"| 133,034
| rowspan="2"| $8,567,769
| rowspan="2"|First woman to headline two shows on a single tour.
|-
|16 June 2018
|-
|7 July 2018
|[[Michael Bublé]]
|[[Emeli Sandé]]
|
|
|
|
|-
|24 May 2019
|[[Spice Girls]]
|[[Jess Glynne]]
|[[Spice World - 2019 UK Tour]]
| 74,186
| $8,070,740
|
|-
|5 July 2019
| rowspan="2"|Westlife
| rowspan="2"|[[James Arthur]]<br />Wild Youth
| rowspan="2"|[[The Twenty Tour]]
| rowspan="2"|148,470
| rowspan="2"|$11,577,344
| rowspan="2"|The 5 July date sold out in six minutes. The 6 July date was sold out in under forty-eight hours, and recorded for a concert film.
|-
|6 July 2019
|-
|23 April 2022
|rowspan="2"| Ed Sheeran
|rowspan="2"| [[Maisie Peters]]<br />[[Denise Chaila]]
|rowspan="2"| [[+–=÷x Tour]]
|rowspan="2"| 140,487 / 151,054
|rowspan="2"| $12,765,829
|rowspan="2"|
|-
|24 April 2022
|-
|9 September 2022
|rowspan="5" |Garth Brooks
|
|rowspan="5"| [[The Garth Brooks Stadium Tour]]
|rowspan="5"| 401,000
|rowspan="5"| $28,621,080
|rowspan="5" |Replaced the five 2014 shows that were cancelled due to a disagreement between management and local residents who did not want five concerts to occur.<ref>{{cite web |title=Garth Brooks: Five Croke Park concerts are unacceptable, say residents |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59420704 |website=BBC News |access-date=24 May 2022 |date=25 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
|10 September 2022
|
|-
|11 September 2022
|
|-
|16 September 2022
|
|-
|17 September 2022
|
|-
|19 May 2024
|Bruce Springsteen and [[E Street Band|The E Street Band]]
|
|[[Springsteen and E Street Band 2023 Tour|2024 World Tour]]
|
|
|
|-
|17 August 2024<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Byrne |first1=Ruairi Scott |last2=O'Kane |first2=Karl |date=2023-11-12 |title=Croke Park to host sixth concert next summer and AC/DC tipped as favourites |url=https://www.buzz.ie/culture/croke-park-gig-summer-2024-31416034 |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=Buzz.ie |language=en}}</ref>
|[[AC/DC]]
|[[The Pretty Reckless]]
|[[Power Up Tour]]
|
|
|
|-
|29 August 2024
|rowspan="4"|Coldplay
|rowspan="4"|[[Maggie Rogers]]<br />Aby Coulibaly
|rowspan="4"| [[Music of the Spheres World Tour]]
|rowspan="4"|329,200 / 329,200
|rowspan="4"|$49,520,804
|rowspan="4"|First group to perform four shows on a single tour
|-
|30 August 2024
|-
|1 September 2024
|-
|2 September 2024
|-
|16-17 August 2025
|[[Oasis (band)|Oasis]]
|Cast, Richard Ashcroft 
|[[Oasis Live '25 Tour]]
|
|
|
|-
|23 August 2025
|Robbie Williams
|[[The Lottery Winners]]
|[[Britpop Tour]]
|
|
|
|-
|22-23 August 2026
|[[The Weeknd]]
|[[Playboi Carti]]
|[[After Hours til Dawn Tour]]
|
|
|
|-
|30 August 2026
|Bon Jovi
|
|Forever Tour
|
|
|
|}

==Non-Gaelic games==
{{Further|List of non-Gaelic games played in Croke Park}}
There was great debate in Ireland regarding the use of Croke Park for sports other than those of the GAA. As the GAA was founded as a [[Irish nationalist|nationalist]] organisation to maintain and promote indigenous Irish sport, it has felt honour-bound throughout its history to oppose other, foreign (in practice, British) sports. In turn, nationalist groups supported the GAA as the prime example of purely Irish sporting culture.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dublinheritage.ie/media/gaa_and_irish_revolution_text.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412100138/http://www.dublinheritage.ie/media/gaa_and_irish_revolution_text.html|url-status=dead|title=Dr W. Murphy lecture, September 2010|archive-date=12 April 2015|access-date=31 October 2021}}</ref>

Until its abolition in 1971, rule 27 of the GAA constitution stated that a member of the GAA could be banned from playing its games if found to be also playing association football, rugby or [[cricket]]. That rule was abolished but [[rule 42]] still prohibited the use of GAA property for games with interests in conflict with the interests of the GAA. The belief was that rugby and association football were in competition with Gaelic football and hurling, and that if the GAA allowed these sports to use their ground it might be harmful to Gaelic games, while other sports, not seen as direct competitors with Gaelic football and hurling, were permitted, such as the two games of [[American football]], the [[Croke Park Classic]] [[college football]] game between the [[University of Central Florida]] and [[Pennsylvania State University|Penn State]] and an [[American Bowl]] [[National Football League|NFL]] preseason game between the [[Chicago Bears]] and the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], on the Croke Park pitch during the 1990s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cummiskey |first=Gavin |title=Croke Park bid to host lucrative NFL game |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/1201/1224308419308.html |publisher=Irish Times |access-date=29 August 2012 |date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=4 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204081713/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/1201/1224308419308.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In June 2003, Croke Park served as the main venue for the [[2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games]] with a noted highlight of the Special Olympics being [[Muhammad Ali]] attending the opening ceremony.<ref name="O'Connor6Jun2016">O'Connor, Wayne (6 June 2016). [https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/he-made-the-special-olympics-a-success-34775014.html "He made the Special Olympics a success"]. ''[[Irish Independent]]''. Retrieved 23 November 2021.</ref> They were the first edition of the [[Special Olympics World Games|Special Olympics World Summer Games]] not to be held in the [[United States]].<ref name="Watterson1Apr1999">Watterson, Johnny (1 April 1999). [https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/games-expected-to-attract-30-000-1.169254 "Games expected to attract 30,000"]. ''[[The Irish Times]]''. Retrieved 23 November 2021.</ref>

On 16 April 2005, a motion to temporarily relax rule No. 42 was passed at the GAA Annual Congress. The motion gives the GAA Central Council the power to authorise the renting or leasing of Croke Park for events other than those controlled by the Association, during a period when [[Lansdowne Road]] – the venue for international football and rugby matches – was closed for redevelopment. The final result was 227 in favour of the motion to 97 against, 11 votes more than the required two-thirds majority.

In January 2006, it was announced that the GAA had reached an agreement with the [[Football Association of Ireland]] (FAI) and [[Irish Rugby Football Union]] (IRFU) to stage two Six Nations games and four football internationals at Croke Park in 2007 and in February 2007, use of the pitch by the FAI and the IRFU in 2008 was also agreed.<ref name=RTE>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0217/crokepark.html |title=Croker to host rugby and soccer in 2008 |access-date=19 February 2007 |work=RTÉ News |date=17 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070219204120/http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0217/crokepark.html |archive-date=19 February 2007 |df=dmy }}</ref> These agreements were within the temporary relaxation terms, as Lansdowne Road was still under redevelopment until 2010. Although the GAA had said that hosted use of Croke Park would not extend beyond 2008, irrespective of the redevelopment progress,<ref name=RTE /> fixtures<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/matchcentre/match-centre_fixtures-results.php|title=official fixture list|access-date=8 May 2008}}</ref> for the [[2009 Six Nations Championship|2009 Six Nations rugby tournament]] saw the Irish rugby team using Croke park for a third season. 11 February 2007 saw the first rugby union international to be played there. Ireland were leading France in a Six Nations clash, but lost 17–20 after conceding a last minute (converted) try. [[Raphaël Ibañez]] scored the first try in that match; [[Ronan O'Gara]] scored Ireland's first-ever try at Croke Park.

A second match between Ireland and [[England national rugby union team|England]] on 24 February 2007 was politically symbolic because of the events of [[Bloody Sunday (1920)|Bloody Sunday]] in 1920.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0223/p06s01-woeu.html|title=Symbolic step of peace at Irish stadium |access-date=25 February 2007}}</ref> There was considerable concern as to what reaction there would be to the singing of the British [[national anthem]] "[[God Save the Queen]]". Ultimately the anthem was sung without interruption or incident, and applauded by both sets of supporters at the match, which Ireland won by 43–13 (their largest-ever win over England in rugby).{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

On 2 March 2010, Ireland played their final international rugby match against a Scotland team that was playing to avoid the wooden spoon and hadn't won a championship match against Ireland since 2001. Outside half, Dan Parks inspired the Scots to a 3-point victory and ended Irish Hopes of a triple crown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/matchcentre/1892.php|title=Parks' penalty denies Ireland Triple Crown : Match Centre|work=rbs6nations.com}}</ref>

On 24 March 2007, the first association football match took place at Croke Park. The [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] took on [[Wales national football team|Wales]] in [[UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying Group D]], with a [[Stephen Ireland]] goal securing a [[UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying Group D#Republic of Ireland v Wales|1–0 victory]] for the Irish in front of a crowd of 72,500. Prior to this, the [[Football Association of Ireland#History|IFA Cup]] had been played at the then Jones' Road in 1901, but this was 12 years before the GAA took ownership.

Croke Park was included as one of the stadiums in the [[Euro 2028]] bid shortlist by England, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but did not make the final list.<ref name="BBC">{{Cite news |date=12 April 2023 |title=Euro 2028: Casement Park and Everton's Bramley-Moore Dock among 10 stadiums for UK & Ireland bid |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65245224/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812203516/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65245224 |archive-date=2025-08-12 |access-date=2025-09-22 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref name="TA">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4404128/2023/04/12/euro-2028-stadiums-uk-ireland//|title=UK and Ireland announce final list of stadiums for Euro 2028 bid|website=The Athletic |last1=Bosher |first1=Luke |date=13 April 2023 }}</ref>

=== NFL Ireland Game ===
Negotiations took place for the [[NFL International Series]]'s 2011 game to be held at Croke Park but the game was awarded to [[Wembley Stadium]].<ref>{{cite news |date=27 January 2011 |title=Croke Park is linked to hosting NFL |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0127/nfl_crokepark_pittsburgh.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110129223726/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0127/nfl_crokepark_pittsburgh.html |archive-date=29 January 2011 |access-date=6 February 2011 |work=RTÉ Sport |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Battista |first=Judy |date=18 April 2011 |title=Lockout Could Jeopardize Game Set for London |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/sports/football/19sportsbriefs-LOCKOUTCOULD_BRF.html?_r=1 |access-date=17 May 2011 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> In July 2013, it was announced that [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State]] would open their [[2014 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|2014]] [[college football]] season against [[UCF Knights football|Central Florida]] at Croke Park.<ref>{{cite news |date=9 July 2013 |title=Report: Penn State, Central Florida will play 2014 game in Dublin |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/report-penn-state-central-florida-play-2014-game-194208459.html}}</ref> Croke Park held its first regular season NFL game 28 September 2025 with the [[2025 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] as the designated home team defeating the [[2025 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]] 24–21 in front of 74,512 fans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historic first regular-season NFL game in Ireland to be played in Dublin in 2025; Steelers designated team |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/historic-first-regular-season-nfl-game-ireland-dublin-2025-steelers-designated-team |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/american-football/articles/cvg0jqqyq2xo|title=Steelers hold on to win NFL's first game in Dublin|date=28 September 2025|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=2 October 2025}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Date
!Designated
visitor
!Score
!Designated
home team
!Score
!Stadium
!City
!Attendance
|-
|{{nfly|2025}}
|September 28
|[[2025 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]]
|21
|'''[[2025 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]]'''
|24
|Croke Park
|[[Dublin]]
|74,512
|}

===World record attendance===
On 2 May 2009, Croke Park was the venue for a [[Heineken Cup]] rugby [[2008–09 Heineken Cup#Semi-finals|semi-final]], in which [[Leinster Rugby|Leinster]] defeated [[Munster Rugby|Munster]] 25–6. The attendance of 82,208 set a new world record attendance for a club rugby union game.<ref name="bbc Leinster 25–6 Munster">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8030912.stm Leinster 25–6 Munster]. BBC Sport (2 May 2009)</ref> This record stood until 31 March 2012 when it was surpassed by an [[2011–12 Premiership Rugby|English Premiership]] game between [[Harlequin F.C.|Harlequins]] and [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]] at [[Wembley Stadium]] which hosted a crowd of 83,761.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/world-record-crowd-watches-harlequins-sink-saracens-20120401-1w60r.html|title=World record crowd watches Harlequins sink Saracens|access-date=27 April 2012 | work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=1 April 2012}}</ref> This was beaten again in 2016 in the [[2015–16 Top 14 season|Top 14]] final at the [[Nou Camp]] which hosted a crowd of 99,124

==Skyline tour==
A walkway,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://skylinecrokepark.ie/|title=Etihad Skyline Croke Park|date=18 June 2012|work=Skyline Croke Park|access-date=18 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615140639/http://www.skylinecrokepark.ie/|archive-date=15 June 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> known under a sponsorship deal as [[Kellogg's]] Skyline Tour Croke Park, opened on 1 June 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/euro-2020-vision-at-hq-194967.html|title=Euro 2020 vision at HQ|date= 24 May 2012|work=Irish Examiner|access-date=24 May 2012 }}</ref> From 44 metres above the ground, it offers views of Dublin city and the surrounding area.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/skys-the-limit-for-new-croke-park-walkway-3117684.html|title=Sky's the limit for new Croke Park walkway|date= 24 May 2012|work=Irish Independent|access-date=24 May 2012|first=Louise|last=Hogan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/ever-wanted-to-see-dublin-from-17-storeys-up-a-new-skyline-tour-at-croke-park-will-wow-thrillseekers-and-fans/28008941.html|title=Ever wanted to see Dublin from 17 storeys up? A new skyline tour at Croke Park will wow thrillseekers, and fans|date= 24 May 2012|work=Evening Herald|access-date=24 May 2012 }}</ref> The [[Olympic Torch]] was brought to the stadium and along the walkway on 6 June 2012.

==GAA Hall of Fame==
[[File:Statue Michael Cusack.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Statue of [[Michael Cusack (Gaelic Athletic Association)|Michael Cusack]] outside the Croke Park GAA Museum]]
On 11 February 2013, the GAA opened the Hall of Fame section in the Croke Park Museum. The foundation of the award scheme is the Teams of the Millennium [[GAA Football Team of the Millennium|the football team]] which was announced in 1999 and [[GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium|the hurling team]] in 2000 and all 30 players were inducted into the hall of fame along with [[Limerick GAA|Limerick]] hurler [[Éamonn Cregan]] and [[Offaly GAA|Offaly]] footballer [[Tony McTague]] who were chosen by a GAA sub-committee from the years 1970–74.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.joe.ie/gaa/gaa-news/gaa-open-hall-of-fame-in-croke-park-0033979-1|title= GAA open Hall of Fame in Croke Park|date=12 February 2013|work= Joe.ie|access-date=12 February 2013 }}</ref>
New inductees will be chosen on an annual basis from the succeeding five-year intervals as well as from the years preceding 1970.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2013/0212/1224329948348.html|title= Cregan and McTague join Hall of Fame inductees|date= 12 February 2013|work= Irish Times|access-date= 12 February 2013|archive-date= 12 February 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130212062858/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2013/0212/1224329948348.html|url-status= dead}}</ref>
In April 2014, Kerry legend Mick O'Dwyer, Sligo footballer Micheál Kerins, along with hurlers Noel Skehan of Kilkenny and Pat McGrath of Waterford became the second group of former players to receive Hall of Fame awards.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.independent.ie/sport/kerry-legend-mick-odwyer-among-four-inductees-to-the-gaa-museum-hall-of-fame-30149134.html|title=Kerry legend Mick O'Dwyer among four inductees to the GAA Museum Hall of Fame|date=2 April 2014|work=Irish Independent|access-date=2 April 2014}}</ref>

==National Handball Centre==
{{Main|National Handball Centre}}
The new National Handball Centre, located at the southeast corner of the stadium on Sackville Avenue,<ref name="irishtimes.com">{{cite news |last1=D'Arcy |first1=Ciarán |title=Croke Park handball centre gets go-ahead after 28-year battle |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/croke-park-handball-centre-gets-go-ahead-after-28-year-battle-1.3263588 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref> is close to completion,<ref>{{cite web |title=GAA Handball Official Twitter Account |url=https://twitter.com/GAA_Handball/status/1344370572273348609?s=20 |website=Twitter |access-date=22 January 2021}}</ref> with the final minor stages of building delayed slightly due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The new centre contains three 4-Wall [[Gaelic handball|handball]] courts – including a three-sided glass wall show court with amphitheatre style seating for a capacity of 500 spectators, a Softball show court with seating capacity for 200 spectators and three [[International fronton|1-Wall]] courts<ref>{{cite web |title=National Handball Centre - Update |url=https://www.gaahandball.ie/news/national-handball-centre-update |website=GAA Handball |language=en}}</ref> as well as offices for GAA Handball staff, a bar and cafe as well as a community centre.<ref name="irishtimes.com"/> The centre was used by Ireland's national health service, the [[Health Service Executive]] for [[COVID-19 testing in the Republic of Ireland|COVID-19 testing]] during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=O'Sullivan |first1=Jennie |title=Covid-19 testing under way at four Cork, Kerry centres |website=[[RTÉ.ie]] |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0330/1127266-coronavirus-covid19/ |language=en |date=30 March 2020}}</ref>

While the centre's official opening was delayed due to both the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the final completion of remaining building works, the centre had a 'soft' opening in December 2021, allowing registered players to book the courts through Croke Park.<ref>{{cite web |title=Phased opening of National Handball and Croke Park Community Centre – Croke Park |url=https://crokepark.ie/news-and-events/phased-opening-of-national-handball-and-croke-park |website=crokepark.ie |access-date=29 March 2023}}</ref> The first competitive [[One-wall handball]] match took place in the centre in December 2022 during the [[European 1-Wall Tour]] "EliteStop" held in the Centre on Saturday and Sunday, 10–11 December 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=European 1-Wall Elite Event: McElduff and Daskalakis Take the Euro Elite |url=https://wphlive.tv/european-1-wall-elite-event-mcelduff-and-daskalakis-take-the-euro-elite/ |website=WPHLiveTV |access-date=29 March 2023 |date=13 December 2022}}</ref> The first competitive Four-wall handball matches to be played in the new Centre took place on Sunday, 2 April 2023 from 10{{nbsp}}am with the [[GAA Handball]] [[O'Neills]]-sponsored All-Ireland 4-Wall Senior Doubles semi-finals taking place in both Men's and Ladies codes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top seeds advance in Senior Doubles quarter-finals |url=https://www.gaahandball.ie/news/top-seeds-advance-in-senior-doubles-quarter-finals |website=GAA Handball |access-date=29 March 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Hill 16]]
* [[List of Gaelic Athletic Association stadiums]]
* [[List of stadiums in Ireland by capacity]]
* [[Sport in Ireland]]
** [[Camogie]]
** [[Gaelic football]]
** [[Hurling]]
** [[Gaelic handball]]
** [[International rules football]]
* [[Garth Brooks#2014–2015: Man Against Machine, GhostTunes, and world tour|Garth Brooks concerts controversy 2014]]
* [[Lists of stadiums]]

==References==
{{Reflist|33em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}

{{Gaelic games venues}}
{{Gaelic Athletic Association}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Navigational boxes of events held at Croke Park
|list1=
{{Football All-Irelands}}
{{Hurling All-Irelands}}
{{Irish Cup final venues}}
}}
{{Ireland national rugby union team}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Croke Park| ]]
[[Category:1913 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Gaelic games grounds in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Ireland national rugby union team]]
[[Category:National stadiums|Ireland, Republic of]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland national football team home stadiums]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Dublin (city)]]
[[Category:American Bowl venues]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1913]]
[[Category:American football venues in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Museums in Dublin (city)]]
[[Category:Sports museums]]
[[Category:Drumcondra, Dublin]]
[[Category:Venues of the United Rugby Championships]]