General Description

In October 2018 Connacht Rugby announced historic plans to redevelop Dexcom Stadium into a modern, fit-for-purpose rugby stadium, including a state-of-the-art new Clan Stand with capacity for over 6,500 fans and a High Performance Centre. This new era began in January 2026.

Introduction / Background

Connacht Rugby is one of four professional rugby teams in Ireland. Connacht Rugby is also responsible for administrating the game of rugby at grassroots level throughout the counties of Galway, Mayo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligo. The proposed development works to be undertaken by Connacht Rugby aimed to modernise the grounds and bring the stadium up to levels comparable with other professional rugby stadiums and high-performance training facilities. The proposed works set out to modernise the campus and bring the facility in line with other Irish provincial teams and provide for a state-of-the-art training campus for the development of Connacht Rugby.

Led by their Director of Development, Karl Boyle, Connacht Rugby established a design development roadmap that commenced with visits to many stadia across Ireland, the UK, France, Spain and the USA. Connacht Rugby then commissioned Deloitte Sports Business Group to conduct a Stadium Composition Study that assessed both the sporting and commercial opportunities and needs that would enable the most favourable performance and commercial outcomes for Connacht Rugby.

Planning permission was granted in 2019. In 2020, Connacht Rugby was granted €20m via the Department of Culture, Communications & Sport’s Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund. In January 2024, Connacht Rugby announced that they had agreed a 12 year naming rights partnership that renamed the venue Dexcom Stadium.

Brief

The design, execution and completion of the Works comprised of the redevelopment works to Dexcom Stadium as described in the Works Requirements, including without limitation the provision of all of the following:

1) The demolition and removal of the existing Clan Terrace, Connacht Rugby offices, maintenance buildings and training pitches, ancillary temporary cabins and storage facilities, section of boundary wall along College Road and ESB Substation and Switch room.

2) The provision of a new High-Performance Centre comprising of a new indoor synthetic training pitch and office accommodation which incorporate offices and player welfare facilities (analysis suite; medical rehab and physio treatment rooms, player and staff canteens, Board Room; meeting rooms; changing facilities for players and staff; etc) to replace the demolished clubhouse.

3) The provision of a new Spectator Stand with terracing and seated areas over 4 levels and which also incorporate player and match day facilities, Tunnel Club; premium hospitality lounges; a café and sports merchandise shop, TV broadcast facilities, extensive fibre backbone for broadcast, AV & IPTV; various hospitality areas, full conference AV fitout; supporter facilities; sensory room; tunnel club; Control Room; and plant areas.

4) The relocation of the existing main vehicular and pedestrian access off College Road and the construction of a new fan plaza area adjacent to the new Clan Stand.

5) The provision of a new ESB Substation and Switch room.

6) Mechanical and Electrical building services for all buildings

7) Power supply and utilities, including diversions of existing utilities

8) The provision of a new storage building and maintenance yard for Connacht Rugby.

9) All necessary service diversions below ground.

10) Drainage works for the buildings and site

11) The provision of hard and soft landscaping and boundary treatments including semimature trees and paving as indicated.

12) All other works necessary for the design, execution and completion of the Works whether explicit or implied by the provisions of the Contract.

Health and Safety

This project was one to which the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction ) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 291 of 2013) apply, which are referred to in this document as “the Construction Regulations 2013. Monthly health & safety audits carried out & facial recognition on site to ensure only staff that have been fully inducted access the site

Sustainability

Strict compliance with the new Part L of the Building Regulations; Conservation of Fuel and Energy. The revised Part L is based on NZEB; Near Zero Energy Buildings, requiring the building to have a very high energy performance. The nearly zero or very low amount of energy required has been covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources. It has achieved an A2 Building Energy Rating for the High-Performance Centre and a A3 Building Energy Rating for the North Grandstand. Rainwater harvesting has been adopted for use on Dexcom toilet facilities and significant future proofing carried out to allow for further renewables down the line such as PV panels to the roof of the indoor pitch.

Commencement

Conack was awarded the contract in January 2024 and works had commenced by March 2024. The High-Performance Centre was handed over in April 2025 and the Clan Stand was handed over on time in January 2026.

Project Team

Karl Boyle, Director of Development, Connacht Rugby

Brian Carroll, Project Director, TOBIN

Enda Fenton, Project Manager, TOBIN

Margaret Flannery, Edward Cotter Partners (ECP) Quantity Surveyors

Technical advisors and Project Managers - TOBIN

Architect North Stand – AFL Architects

Architects High Performance Centre – VHA Architects

Civil and Structural Engineers - TOBIN

Fire and DAC Consultants – Jenson Hughes Engineers

Mechanical & Electrical Engineers- Don O’Malley Consulting engineers

Part L and NZEB compliance - Don O’Malley Consulting engineers

Landscape Architects – Cunnane Stratton Reynolds

Construction Team

Main Contractor – CONACK

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