O'Neills Healy Park
Páirc Uí hEilí[1]
O'Neills Healy Park is located in Northern Ireland
O'Neills Healy Park
O'Neills Healy Park
Location within Northern Ireland
AddressOmagh, County Tyrone BT79 7HX
LocationNorthern Ireland
Coordinates54°36′50″N 7°17′46″W / 54.61389°N 7.29611°W / 54.61389; -7.29611
Public transitOmagh Ulsterbus depot
OwnerOmagh St. Enda's
Capacity17,636[2]
Field size142 m × 86 m (466 ft × 282 ft)
Construction
Opened1972
Renovated2001
Construction cost€2 million (2001 renovation)
Tenants
Tyrone county football team

Healy Park (known as O'Neills Healy Park for sponsorship reasons[3]) is a GAA stadium in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland and is named after a GAA clubman from Omagh, Michael Healy. [4]

Healy Park is the home ground of Omagh St. Enda's and the Tyrone county football team.[5]

The stadium is located on the Gortin Road and approximately a 10-minute walk from the town centre,[6] it is one of the largest stadiums in Northern Ireland with a ticketed capacity of approximately 17,636.[2]

According to Hogan Stand, the stadium "is now recognised as one of the premier GAA venues in the country".[7]

History

In early 1962, Omagh St. Enda's club purchased 13 acres (5.3 ha) of land at Lisnelly located near the Gortin Road. By 1968 the club had raised enough money to start construction of the new stadium. The park was eventually opened on 17 September 1972, by former GAA president Alf Murray and on 19 October 1980, the new park was dedicated to Michael Healy. The two years between 1980 and 1982 saw the fruition of the new clubrooms and social centre at Healy Park, which added further to the infrastructure of Healy Park. 1994 saw the terracing added to three sides of the pitch.[8]

Work began in September 2001 to build a new all-seated covered stand with a capacity of 5,000. The stand was opened in 2004.[9]

In April 2006, Healy Park became the first Gaelic football stadium in Ulster to have floodlighting installed.[7]

A modern Press Box and Control Tower was made available at Healy Park for the Tyrone Senior Football Championship final on Sunday 14 October 2007 between Dromore St. Dympna's and Coalisland Na Fianna. New changing rooms and disabled facilities have also been installed.[10]

In 2006, Tyrone GAA unveiled plans for a second covered stand at Healy Park as the board felt it was time for additional covered and seated accommodation. They also planned to expand the ends behind both goals. Work started on the second phase of the £5m redevelopment scheme.[9]

Healy Park seen from the Rylagh Road
Healy Park club house
Healy Park Entrance

See also

References

  1. ↑ "No changing of the guard as football returns". RTÉ. 17 May 2021. See third photograph.
  2. 1 2 "Rated and slated: All 32 GAA county grounds assessed - but how does yours measure up?". Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  3. ↑ Devlin, Michael (18 May 2021). "O'Neill's in major renaming deal for Tyrone GAA stadium". We Are Tyrone. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  4. ↑ "Omagh St. Enda's | Naomh Éanna an Ómaigh CLG".
  5. ↑ "Healy Park". Stadium Database. Archived from the original on 7 July 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  6. ↑ "Locational Map -". Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  7. 1 2 "Tyrone unveil stand plans". Hogan Stand. 21 December 2006.
  8. ↑ Omagh St. Endas Club History (published 1982)
  9. 1 2 "Healy Park to get a second stand". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 December 2006.
  10. ↑ "Healy Park Tour -". Archived from the original on 16 March 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
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