Latest news with #PeterSherrard
The Journal
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Olympic Federation of Ireland backs plans for €190m winter sports arena in Dublin
THE OLYMPIC FEDERATION of Ireland (OFI) has declared its full support for the construction of the country's first winter sports arena in Dublin. Projected to cost €190 million to build, plans were unveiled last month by Prime Arena Holdings, the company behind the idea, which is expected to submit official planning documents in September. Named the Dublin Arena, it will be located at an eight-acre site in Cherrywood, south Dublin. OFI chief Peter Sherrard says the arena will raise the ambition of Irish winter athletes. 'This project represents a step-change for winter sports in Ireland,' he said. 'Ireland has immense untapped potential in winter disciplines, and this development offers the facilities, vision and scale to turn that potential into performance.' Advertisement Prime Arena Holdings promises the arena will bring 'significant social, economic, and cultural benefits' to the surrounding area, including the generation of €230 million in net new economic activity each year. It will feature two Olympic-sized ice rinks, a 5,000-seat and 8,000-standing capacity for events, along with a high-performance training centre for elite athletes. Federation President Lochlann Walsh says the arena has been a long time coming. 'Dublin is the only EU capital without a permanent ice facility, a gap that has held back both grassroots participation and elite progress in winter sports. 'There's clear, unmet demand across Ireland', he said, adding: 'It's about opening pathways, expanding access, and creating a lasting legacy that reflects the full ambition of Irish sport, introducing the public to disciplines like figure skating, speed skating, curling, and sliding sports such as luge and bobsleigh.' CEO of Prime Arena Holdings, Dermot Rigley, shared the scope of his company's vision for Irish winter sports when announcing the arena last month, describing it as 'a national landmark that will open up winter sports to every corner of Irish society'. It is not only sports that will be accommodated under the plans. The arena is projected to host up to 70 events on an annual basis, including concerts, international exhibitions, and corporate events. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
OFI backs multi-million euro winter sports and entertainment facility for Dublin
The OFI is endorsing a proposed €190m project to develop Ireland's first Olympic standard winter sports and entertainment Arena Holdings is to lead the construction of the facility at Cherrywood in South Dublin that the OFI claims has "the potential to unlock new opportunities for athletes and communities across the country", adding that it represents a major advance in delivering on the goals of the federation's Winter Sports Strategy 2022–2026. A permanent ice facility was identified as a key objective of the strategy as none currently exist in the Republic of Ireland, as opposed to 62 in the United Kingdom alone. The Cherrywood facility plans to feature two Olympic-sized rinks and a flexible multi-purpose arena that will support public access as well as elite training. 'This project represents a step-change for winter sports in Ireland," said OFI chief executive Peter Sherrard. "It aligns directly with our strategic goals to increase participation, enhance elite performance, and address the long-standing lack of national infrastructure in this area. "Ireland has immense untapped potential in winter disciplines, and this development offers the facilities, vision and scale to turn that potential into performance.'OFI president Lochlann Walsh added: 'Dublin is the only EU capital without a permanent ice facility, a gap that has held back both grassroots participation and elite progress in winter sports."There's clear, unmet demand across Ireland, evident from the 300,000+ visits to seasonal pop-up rinks over just 10 winter weeks. This new arena changes that. "It's about opening pathways, expanding access, and creating a lasting legacy that reflects the full ambition of Irish sport, introducing the public to disciplines like figure skating, speed skating, curling, and sliding sports such as luge and bobsleigh.'The OFI is working with the Winter Sport National Federations to explore long-term opportunities for athletes, communities, and sport development programmes around the facility also plans to have event space for concerts and exhibitions and is expected to attract over 1m visitors annually. It is projected to generate €230 million in annual economic activity, contribute over 200,000 hotel bed nights to the region, and create significant employment during both construction and operation phases. "The Olympic Federation of Ireland looks forward to supporting this landmark project as it moves into its next phase of development," the OFI stressed.
Irish Independent
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘Ireland can be a 14 or 15-medal nation' – Olympics chief Peter Sherrard on the joys of Paris 2024 and his ambitions for Los Angeles 2028
The head of the Olympic Federation of Ireland is in upbeat mood as he talks sustainability in sport, geopolitics and catching up with our competitors Fearghal O'Connor For eight years Peter Sherrard has led the Olympic movement here through a transformation that has played out quietly since the dismal days in Rio when Ireland's administrators made more headlines than its athletes. Tokyo 2021 brought chinks of light and the glitter of gold. But last summer's sometimes triumphant and often joyful Paris Olympics saw the Irish team perform strongly and captivate the country through the exploits of swimmers, sprinters, rowers and more – in a way that the world's biggest sporting extravaganza had increasingly failed to do.
