‘People power’ has been pivotal in securing a 250-year lease for Shelbourne FC’s home grounds, according to the Save Tolka Park campaign. 

Their spokesperson Lee Daly said the stadium is now "protected" after its future use had been left up in the air for almost a decade.

Dublin City Council, who own Tolka Park, had previously planned to demolish the grounds and let Shelbourne FC share facilities with Bohemians FC at a redeveloped Dalymount Park.

Yesterday, councillors voted to reverse the decision and grant the club a 250-year lease on conditions that include the club must carry out refurbishment works at the ground.

On Moncrieff today, Mr Daly said the main thing was “the ground can’t be sold on and it’s now protected for 250 years”.

“It was people power that got us here,” he said.

“We mobilised and made the case for retaining the stadium.

“The majority of us are football fans and Shelbourne FC fans but we were joined by lots of people in the area with no connection to football.

“They were concerned about the threat to public land for public use.”

Tolka Park, 04/01/2019. Image:  RollingNews.ie

Mr Daly said the campaign was backed by many people in the public eye.

“We had people like Eamon Dunphy speaking about the campaign and David Balfe the artist – we had great support across the political spectrum,” he said.

“We understood this was a political issue so we made it a political issue and made the case for Tolka inarguable really.

“Our overall case was that we didn’t feel like one ground should be sacrificed so the other could live.”

Conditions

The campaign spokesperson said the lease comes with “a lot of conditions”.

“There are refurbishments that need to be carried out by the club under the terms of the lease,” he said.

“I’m sure [the club] do have plans around that and they have stated their intentions to do that.

“It’s going to cost money and some of that will come from the club, maybe from fans too and other sources – but it will also have to come from the State.”

The away fan entrance to Tolka Park, 04/01/2019. Image:  RollingNews.ie

Mr Daly said that the redevelopment of Dalymount Park will still go ahead without any involvement from Shelbourne FC.

“My understanding of Dalymount is that the council is going to find the funds for elsewhere and that they’re proceeding with planning,” he said.

“We wish them the best in that respect, this was never an anti-Dalymount campaign – it was all about saving Tolka Park.

“I think the league can only benefit from having competition and good facilities for everyone.”

Shelbourne FC have other cause for celebration too; they remain in first place in the League of Ireland after 16 games played, under the stewardship of former Republic of Ireland international Damien Duff.

You can listen back here:

Main image: Tolka Park, the home ground of Shelbourne FC, pictured in 2022. Image: Sipa USA / Alamy Stock Photo