Malahide - International Cricket Ground

Ireland is to get an international cricket ground under a joint venture between Malahide Cricket Club and Fingal County Council.

The council has agreed to hand over land near Malahide Castle in North County Dublin for the ground, which will have capacity for 10,000 spectators and be capable of hosting international matches. It shall be built in line with International Cricket Council specifications.

Malahide Cricket Club, which is financing much of the project, is on target to have the ground ready for use by the middle of next year, according to club official Ian Talbot. He recently stated that the club hoped that a number of 1-day matches would be played there,‘‘We hope to have games involving England and Australia," said Talbot.‘‘England have agreed to come to Ireland for a match every two years. This year, they will play at Stormont. We are confident they will come here in future."

In addition to the main pitch, the club is also pushing plans to build a smaller second pitch at its current home at Malahide Castle.

In the coming years, Talbot said it was possible it would seek to build a larger clubhouse, pavilion and media centre.

At the moment, the major cricket ground in the Republic is based on Castle Avenue in Clontarf, and can hold a capacity of 3,500 people.

Cricket has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years, with the Irish team reaching the second group stages of the 2007 World Cup. In recent weeks, Irish cricketer Eoin Morgan made his test debut for England, and was also part of the English side that won the recent limited overs World Cup event.

Sarah Ann McGrath