Ground-by-ground Guides - Tolka Park

Ground: Tolka Park is the home of Shelbourne FC. It is located on the Richmond Road in Drumcondra, on the northern bank of the Tolka River. The ground is fully seated and previously had the capacity to hold 9,680 people but that has now been reduced to a “safe capacity” of 4,300 due to the Ballybough End being closed completely on safety grounds.

The New Stand, at the Drumcondra End as well as the Main Stand, which runs along the Richmond Road, are where the home fans are housed. The dressing rooms are located within the New Stand while the Main Stand is home to the club bar and the press box. The Riverside Stand is located opposite the Main Stand and is where the away fans are located.

Tolka Park opened in 1953 and was originally home to Drumcondra. The first floodlit game was held on the 30^th March 1953. However in 1972 Drums merged with Home Farm but failed to attract large crowds and Tolka fell into disrepair. That was until Shelbourne acquired Home Farm’s lease in 1989 and made the ground their home. Shamrock Rovers also used the ground for home matches for a period of time before Tallaght Stadium was built.

How to get there: When coming from the north of the city follow the Swords Road from the airport towards the city centre. This becomes the Drumcondra Road at the Whitehall Junction. Continue straight on, passing the Skylon Hotel on your right. You will pass through a few sets of pedestrian lights before you see the Millmount House pub on your right hand side. Turn left at the set of lights opposite the pub and you will come onto the Richmond Road. Tolka Park is located a little way down the road on the right hand side.

When coming from the city centre follow the signs for the airport. This will bring you out along Dorset Street which becomes the Drumcondra Road. Cross over the canal and go under the railway bridge.  As you continue driving you will see houses all along the left-hand side. These houses will stop to be replaced by Fagan’s and Kennedy’s pubs. Once you pass them you go through a set of pedestrian lights and then over a bridge. Richmond Road is located on the right-hand side, just over the bridge.

The following bus routes will bring you to Tolka Park (just ask to get off at Kennedy’s Pub): 3, 11, 11A, 16 and the 16A (all from O’Connell Street) and the 41, 41A, 41B, 41C (all from Eden Quay).

Ticket prices: Adults are €15, students are €10 and children/OAPs are €7.

Away allocation: The away fans in Tolka Park are given the entire Riverside Stand as their allocation. This is roughly around 2,500 seats. There is a hot food stand specifically for away fans, located just beside the Ballybough End stand as you come in the gate.

Nearby time-killers: In the immediate area around Tolka Park there isn’t exactly lots to do except go to the pub or have your picture taken at the front door of St. Luke’s (constituency office of Bertie Ahern)… However, Dublin city centre is only a 20 minute bus journey away. If you do decide to go to the city centre then you will have a multitude of things to choose from in order to pass the time before kick-off. Shops, restaurants, pubs and museums are only a few of the amenities on offer. In between Tolka and the city centre you will find Croke Park where you could take a stadium tour or visit the GAA museum.

Nearby pubs: There are a few pubs located very near to Tolka. At the top of the Richmond Road you have the Millmount House, left of that and over the river there is Fagan’s (where you might spot Bertie, or other famous faces such as Bill Clinton and Roy Keane who have been there in the past) and Kennedy’s. If none of these take your fancy you could head a bit further up the Drumcondra Road, towards the city centre, where you will find many more alcohol-serving emporiums such as Quinn’s and McGrath’s.

Local food: Within the ground there are hot food stands for both home and away fans, located beside the New Stand and beside the Ballybough End respectively. At the top of the Richmond Road, and on the right-hand side there is an Abrakebabra. Apart from that there isn’t too much else within the immediate vicinity. Just over the river, opposite Fagan’s pub there is an Indian restaurant called “The Mint Leaf”. Fagan’s itself also does a wide range of carvery dinners.

Accommodation: Up the Richmond Road away from the city centre there is the Skylon Hotel which is very reasonably priced and offers good quality rooms and facilities. On the Clonliffe Road there is the Croke Park View Guesthouse and, on Iona Park, you will find Egan’s Guesthouse. All are reasonably priced and within walking distance of the ground.

Parking: Car parking definitely isn’t in abundance around Tolka Park and it can usually take a while to find some. On the Richmond Road there is a free car park for fans at Leyden’s Cash and Carry which is located past Tolka Park (when coming from the Drumcondra Road) and on the right hand side.

Did you know:  The first ever League of Ireland match to be broadcast live on TV was a fixture between Shelbourne and Derry City, staged at Tolka Park during the 1996/97 season.