Welcome return to action at Connacht GAA's Air Dome in the west
The University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
By Cian O'Connell
John Prenty is delighted that the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome is available for use again.
During the past couple of months, there has been a staggered return to action at the impressive facility in Bekan.
Connacht GAA CEO Prenty acknowledged it was extremely difficult dealing with the damage in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn in January 2025. "It was a very tough stint, we were without it for 495 days," Prenty says.
"There was a lot of stress and planning, dealing with insurers, manufacturers, and our contractors. It was full on, almost 24/7 for a long time.
"It's great to have it back in action now for the last two months. Every weekend it's wedged. We'd more than 1,000 kids there the last three weekends, we'd more than 1,000 each weekend."
A general view of the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome, in Bekan, Mayo, which was destroyed during Storm Éowyn. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
The fact that the venue is used by young juvenile players to top inter-county talent encourages Prenty. "People didn't realise what we had until it was gone," he says. "It's great to get it back.
"We boast about the GAA 'Where We All Belong', but you've kids where the first time they ever put a pair of boots on was in the Dome.
"Then you've inter-county players training or playing there on a regular basis. It covers all aspects football, hurling, camogie, and ladies football."
Tweaks have been made inside the dome, with seats for spectators to be re-installed shortly. "The big difference is that the lights in the old dome were hanging off the roof," Prenty explains.
"The lights in the new dome are on the ground and it can take maybe an hour and a half to get them down. If you were promised a red alert, you'd take them down today, and you can take the dome down itself then before the alert.
Connacht GAA CEO John Prenty speaking at Annual GAA Congress earlier this year. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
"The dome, itself, can come down in about 11 minutes. You couldn't let the old dome down because of the fact that the lights were high."
Connacht GAA officials will meet this weekend to discuss the format and arrangements for the 2027 FBD League. "We will be able to take all those types of games in the dome," Prenty says.
"We had the FBD before, we played the games there. We'd a hurling element (Connacht Hurling League) and we will be looking at that next weekend, too.
"We will look at the Mayo situation, to see who they will be playing in it. Everyone in Mayo is excited at the minute, and they will still be excited when the FBD comes around, I'm sure.
"We will look at where we can host that, it mightn't be possible to hold that in the dome. You could nearly have a Connacht final type gate at the first Mayo match in the FBD."