- Back to Stadium History & Development
2007- 2009
2007
On February 3rd 2007 Tyrone defeated Dublin 0-10 to 0-11 in the opening match of the Allianz National Football League in Croke Park. This was the first ever floodlit match in the stadium and 81,678 GAA fans witnessed the ‘switching on’ of the floodlights ensuring that Croke Park held the honour that weekend of having the largest attendance at any sporting event in the world.
2007
On February 11th 2007 history was made when the first Rugby Union International was played in Croke Park with a Six Nations clash between Ireland and France. On March 24th 2007 the first soccer match took place at Croke Park when the Republic of Ireland took on Wales in Euro 2008. .
2008
Between May 19th and 30th 2008 the Irish Government hosted and chaired an International Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions which was staged in Croke Park. At the conference governments from up to one hundred countries discussed and negotiated the terms of a treaty to prohibit cluster munitions..
2008
In May 2008 Cúl Green, a joint initiative between Croke Park and ESB, was launched aiming to make Croke Park a carbon neutral stadium. Less than a year later Croke Park became one of the first net-carbon neutral stadiums in the world reducing its carbon footprint by 4,500 tonnes!
2009
On January 31st 2009 Croke Park hosted the launch of the GAA’s 125th Anniversary celebrations with the opening fixture of the Allianz GAA Football National League. The clash which saw Tyrone defeat Dublin under floodlights was followed by music, entertainment and a lighting and fireworks extravaganza.
2009
On April 7th 2009 architects Gilroy Mc Mahon won the gold medal of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) for the redevelopment of Croke Park. The RIAI Gold Medal is the highest honour in Irish architecture and is awarded every three years for the design of a building of exceptional merit.