The Department of Local Government has awarded €7.5 million to begin developing community and sports infrastructure in Knocknacarra, barely a week after final designs received planning permission.
Galway City Council officials told councillors on Tuesday that this swift funding will accelerate an €11.5 million first phase of the northern half of Kingston lands, sharpening ambition for completion in the third quarter of 2029.
The combined Kingston Park and Millers Lane projects received approval from An Coimisiún Pleanála last Wednesday, 24 years after plans were first drafted to build parks on a combined 12 acres of former agricultural lands the city council has strategically acquired over decades.
Current designs took nine years to navigate local consultations and the planning system. The twin parks will ultimately provide three floodlit pitches for soccer, rugby and hockey, two sports halls with community facilities, changing rooms, viewing stands, public toilets, gardens, ball courts, parkland, playgrounds, seating, cycle tracks and other features across two nearby sites within Galway city’s largest suburb.
The entire, double-site project is estimated to cost €70 million over several years, including multiple construction phases, according to sources close to the project.
The northern end of Kingston Park is earmarked for the first, €11.5 million phase of development. It is centred on a 4G rugby pitch-sized greenspace which includes a cricket practice area.
City Hall’s development director, Patrick Greene, said he hopes to also build changing rooms, toilets, car parking and a cycle way to new housing developments in Clybaun during Phase One, if assistance from the National Transport Agency (NTA ) is forthcoming.
In a presentation to West ward councillors, City Parks Superintendent Stephen Walsh said that if all costings, procurement and statutory requirements are completed quickly, a contractor could be appointed in the third quarter of 2027, with works expected to last 24 months.
It is understood the €4 million shortfall to pay for this first phase will be bridged from three sources: from the €60 million loan Galway city council borrowed in 2025 to fit out its new Crown Square headquarters and fund neighbourhood masterplans; the €90 per sqm development levies applied to city planning permissions granted between 2021 and 2026; around €400,000 allocated under sports capital grants from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.
Works may not begin until environmental, ecological and archaeological monitoring is complete, and the parks’ planning permission also includes strict conditions on lighting.
Galway West TD, John Connolly, welcomed the €7.5m funding announced under the Government’s new Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund as a “game changer” kicking off the Knocknacarra project after years of slow progress. He wants “active playing spaces” (pitches ) to be prioritised above all other aspects of the two parks, effectively separated by the Western Distributor Road.
“I am extremely pleased to see this level of funding for... sports and community facilities in the city. This is a game changer for these projects, which have been long-heralded, and have gone through extensive design and planning work,” he said.
The Fianna Fáil TD said he was grateful to Minister for Local Government, James Browne, for delivering funding quickly, as he expects the investment to have significant impact on Galway’s most populous residential area.
“Local sports clubs in the wider community have been advocating for [progress] of this nature for a long time, and there is now no longer any impediment towards their development,” he added.
Councillor Donal Lyons (Ind ), who has represented Knocknacarra for 30 years, suggested the rugby and multi-use hockey pitches included as part of the twin site plan should be developed first, as clubs playing these sports in the locality – especially women’s teams - have been waiting decades for proper facilities.
“Hockey and rugby in Knocknacarra has been waiting a long time for this news, so it does seem fair to highlight their needs,” he said, adding that new bus bays, new car parking spaces and plans for some of St John the Apostle National School’s facilities to be available for parents collecting children from the new Kingston Park should also be fast-tracked.
Multi club usage
Councillor Clodagh Higgins (FG ), a long-time champion of Galway Hockey Club, welcomed the planning decision last week, as did Connacht Hockey.
In a statement, Galway Bay Rugby said it warmly welcomed permission for a 4G synthetic pitch at Kingston Park, together with floodlighting, changing facilities and a substantial building which may become its permanent home.
“The proposed rugby-sized 4G pitch, and associated facilities, have the potential to be transformative for our club and its growing membership. We’re also delighted to see the proposed facilities at Millers Lane progressing, which will provide a major boost for Connacht Hockey, Galway Hockey and Bohemians Football Club,” it said, adding that Galway City Rapparees GAA Rounders Club should also be catered for.
Councillor Peter Keane (FF ) urged a note of caution at the West ward meeting this week. Although praising council officials for piloting Millers Lane and Kingston lands plans through years of turbulence, he suggested they copper-fasten all governance issues before construction begins “so no proprietary interests emerge”.
“We should learn from the Cappagh Park experience, and manage expectations,” he said.
This is a reference to community disputes and planning issues since 2019 regarding facility management, floodlighting, access costs for clubs, and infrastructure development at the 33 acre park on the western edge of Knocknacarra.
