Rainwater harvest keeps Croke Park pitch perfect
A general view of the Croke Park pitch. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
By Cian Murphy
Croke Park will be pitch perfect on Sunday – helped in no small part by the new rainwater storage tanks which ensure that the hallowed turf will be in pristine condition for the Limerick and Galway players.
A major infrastructural project at the stadium last year saw the installation of tanks under the Cusack Stand concourse. They allow the stadium to use the span of the monumental Croke Park roof to harvest rainwater.
The tanks can hold up to 1.5 million litres and has proved a strategic investment during the current prolonged dry spell, and means the stadium is self sufficient when it comes to watering the pitch and assisting in supplying water for the toilets on big match days.
Stadium Director, Peter McKenna, said: “Croke Park is the most iconic playing surface in Irish sport, has been a site of All-Ireland finals since 1896 and something we take enormous pride in having right for the players. The rainwater harvesting system forms part of Croke Park’s broader commitment to sustainable resource management and climate resilience.
“As climate change continues to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, investments in resilient infrastructure such as rainwater harvesting will play an increasingly important role in ensuring major venues can operate sustainably while protecting valuable local resources.”
Colin O’Brien, Sustainability Manager at Croke Park, added:
“The current spell of dry weather highlights exactly why projects like this are so important. Our rainwater harvesting system allows us to maintain the quality of the pitch using water that has been collected and stored on-site, rather than relying on the mains supply. At a time when water resources are under pressure, having a full 1.5 million-litre tank demonstrates the value of investing in long-term sustainable infrastructure. It not only reduces our environmental impact but also strengthens our resilience and helps ensure we can continue to host world-class events while using resources responsibly.”