Donnybrook Stadium

Energia Park
The new grandstand, shortly after completion, in February 2008
Donnybrook Stadium Location within Dublin
Location	Donnybrook, Dublin
Coordinates	53°19′15.00″N 6°14′00.00″W / 53.3208333°N 6.2333333°W / 53.3208333; -6.2333333
Owner	Irish Rugby Football Union
Capacity	6,000[1]
Surface	Synthetic grass[2]
Construction
Opened	1964
Renovated	2008
Tenants
Bective Rangers RFC, Old Wesley RFC, Ireland Women (2016–present)[2][3] Ireland national U20 rugby (2015–2018) Ireland A rugby (1993–2005) Leinster A Leinster (1964–2007)

Donnybrook Stadium, known for sponsorship reasons as Energia Park, is a rugby union stadium in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland. The stadium has a capacity of 6,000,^[3] including a 2,500 seat covered grandstand which was completed in early 2008.^[1][4]

History

The stadium, also sometimes known as Donnybrook Rugby Ground,^[5] is located on the former fair green used for the Donnybrook Fair until the mid-1850s.^[6] Used for games by Bective Rangers and Old Wesley since at least the early 20th century,^[7][8] the ground was also the home stadium of Leinster Rugby - until they moved competitive games to the nearby RDS Arena in 2007.^[9]

In March 2018 Energia began a sponsorship deal, to rename the stadium as Energia Park for 10 years.^[10][11]

Rugby union

Primarily used for rugby union, Old Wesley and Bective Rangers are two local clubs who play their home games in Donnybrook.^[3]

Leinster Rugby also still play some friendly games in Donnybrook, with Ireland A, Ireland Women's Team and Leinster underage sides playing home games in the stadium.^[12][13] Between 2015 and 2018, it hosted the Ireland under-20s home matches in the Six Nations Under 20s Championship.^[9] Since 2016, it has hosted the Ireland women's team's home matches in the Women's Six Nations Championship.^[9][14]

The stadium is also the principal venue for competitions organised by the Leinster Branch and competitions at all levels from under 13 to junior and senior adult level are played at the ground. This includes games in the Leinster Schools Senior and Junior Cups, and it hosts several games in each competition each year.^[15]

Ireland Uncapped International Matches
Date	Home	Score	Opponent	Competition	Attendance
19 March 1993	Ireland A	18–22	England A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
4 February 1994	Ireland A	10–20	Wales A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
20 January 1995	Ireland A	20–21	England A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
19 January 1996	Ireland A	26–19	Scotland A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
1 March 1996	Ireland A	25–11	Wales A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
13 November 1996	Ireland A	28–25	South Africa A	South Africa A tour of Great Britain and Ireland
17 January 1997	Ireland A	23–44	France A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
14 February 1997	Ireland A	30–44	England A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
6 February 1998	Ireland A	9–11	Scotland A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
5 February 1999	Ireland A	26–25	France A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
5 March 1999	Ireland A	21–28	England A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
9 April 1999	Ireland A	73–17	Italy A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship	[16]
18 February 2000	Ireland A	23–21	Scotland A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship	[17]
3 March 2000	Ireland A	31–3	Italy A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship	[18]
31 March 2000	Ireland A	28–26	Wales A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship	[19][20]
8 November 2001	Ireland A	23–18	Samoa	2001 Samoa tour of Europe	[21]
22 March 2002	Ireland A	59–5	Italy A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship	[22]
28 March 2003	Ireland A	24–21	England A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship	6,000[23][24]
11 March 2005	Ireland A	15–9	France A	Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship	[25]
Up to date as of 19 November 2022.[26]

Leinster Results versus Representative Sides
Date	Home	Score	Opponent	Competition	Attendance
30 December 1979	Leinster	26–10	Italy		[27]
8 October 1980	Leinster	24–10	Romania		[28]
12 November 1994	Leinster	26–15	United States		[29]
24 August 1999	Leinster	22–51	Argentina		[30]
18 November 2022	Leinster	40–3	Chile	2022 end-of-year internationals	[31]
Up to date as of 19 November 2022.

Other uses

In August 2012 the stadium played host to two US high school American football teams, Jesuit Dallas and Loyola Academy of Wilmette, Illinois. Jesuit defeated Loyola 30–29 with a last minute game-winning field goal.^[32]

The stadium has also hosted music events. For example, it hosted a Michael Bublé concert in July 2008,^[33] and gigs headlined by The National and Future Islands in June 2018.^[34][11]

Gallery

• 
  Grandstand prior to renovation
• 
  View from behind the posts
• 
  Aerial view post renovation

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Donnybrook Stadium.