Game-changer for Tipperary GAA with plans for new Centre of Excellence

3 new pitches and fully equipped training centre at Coolmore Morris Park made possible by land gift from John Magnier.

By Shane Brophy

Tipperary GAA announced what they see as a “transformative milestone in the development of Gaelic games in the county” with plans revealed for an extension of facilities at the training grounds in Thurles to turn it into a Centre of Excellence.

The announcement finally got the go ahead last Wednesday morning when Mr, John Magnier of Coolmore Stud formally gifted 14 acres of land adjacent to Coolmore Morris Park to enable the expansion of the facility and create a new, state-of-the-art Tipperary GAA Centre of Excellence.

The development, which is targeted to be done over next four years at a projected cost of €12 million will be done in two phases, 1 - converting the 14 acres into three sand-based pitches. 2 – the development of a Centre of Excellence, a 2-floored building with four dressing rooms that can cater for 40 players each; a state of the art gymnasium that can cater for 40-plus players; a referee’s room, 3 physiotherapy rooms and a manager’s room. Up-stairs will have a state of the art dining facility, two briefing rooms and office space for the potential move of staff from Lar na bPairce to Coolmore Morris Park.

There will also be a local community aspect to it with a walkway around the perimetre of the complex which will be up to two kilmometres in length.

This investment represents a watershed moment for Gaelic games in Tipperary and underscores the long-term commitment of the County Board to nurturing athletic excellence and supporting the next generation of hurlers and footballers.

This expansion will serve not only the elite teams but the thousands of young boys and girls who represent the future of Tipperary GAA. It will provide a safe, modern, and inclusive environment for youth development, physical wellbeing, and personal growth. The wider Tipperary community will also benefit, with this facility acting as a hub for participation, pride and connection across our county for its 71 clubs, 23 secondary schools and 137 primary schools, 347 members on hurling and football academies, as well as its six inter-county teams at minor, under 20 and senior, hurling and football.

Tipperary GAA CEO Murtagh Brennan said the whole project wouldn’t be possible without the extra land and thanked the Magnier family, as well as key stakeholders who made the gift possible.

“I want to really acknowledge and appreciate the generosity of the Magner family in doing this,” he said.

“To maximise our potential, and in terms of progression we needed additional land to expand our Centre of Excellence. So, with that in mind we asked for help for the community, we asked Michael Lowry and Dr Peter Murchan to explore possibilities.

“In recent years we were faced with a challenge like most counties which is a shortage of space. The first step in mitigating this is our fantastic partnership with Fethard Town Park which is working really well, is serving Tipperary and will serve us well into the future.”

Brennan added it will be “a game-changer” in terms of allowing Tipperary GAA to deliver on its high level of ambition and explains the benefits of an expanded Centre of Excellence.

“At the moment there are 347 in our academies, this can rise to 462. We can allow for more blitzes, increase the number of special needs camps from one to three.

“Most importantly, it is a move towards the One-Club model. We have to be in a position to future-proof Tipperary GAA to allow for the coming together of the Camogie Association, the LGFA and the GAA under the one umbrella. This will allow us to have the facilities in place and have a Centre of Excellence in place to absorb those two associations.”

Financing the Project

PJ Flanagan, CEO of H&MV Engineering, and a native of Moycarkey, spoke as chairperson of the county board’s new Financial Advisory Committee, which has been established over the last twelve months to generate sources of finance from the business community around the world to help finance a project as big as this and he says there have already been commitments to ensure the project goes ahead. “There have been sizeable donations put forward to get this up and running and make it possible. That is committed,” he revealed.

“Our job, as a committee, that I am chair of is to facilitate the management of the finances to get this complete within the four-year period.

“The rest (of the funding) will hopefully be sponsored by Munster Council and Croke Park.”

He revealed that all going well, they will be going for planning permission for phase 1 in the first quarter of next year with a target of starting construction of the three new pitches at the end of 2026 with completion within twelve months. The aim is to commence phase 2 in the middle of 2027 with completion of late 2028, early 2029.

Also referring to funding the project, Tipperary County Board chairperson Jimmy Minogue said while plans were already being made to get their plans off the ground, the timing couldn’t be better off the back of the county’s senior and under 20 All-Ireland hurling successes this year.

“This is a great time to start, there is momentum behind us,” said the Nenagh Eire Og clubman.

“We have had a tremendous 2025 but until this week we were really dreaming of this. We could do nothing without the gifting of the land, which is the foundation of our dreams.

“It is coming at a great time having won two All-Ireland’s this year. There is momentum behind us and we have to capitalise on that and harness the good will out there. We will be competitive again in 2026 and 2027, Tipperary is a proud county. We want to be in Croke Park, we want to keep up with everyone else who is also developing and furthering their facilities around us, and this is part of it.”

He added: “We are a proud county, and we owe it to our players and those who wear the blue and gold jersey to provide the best for them; to put them on the field representing Tipperary in the best physical condition we can, and this is all part of this.

“To take this down to a younger level, the group of young men coming behind our present senior team, here is something in the years ahead they will come into a centre of excellence to show them what is needed, what we can provide and hopefully where it will take us. It is exciting times and I believe we have the appetite to go and do this now.

“I would like to thank Michael Lowry and Peter Murchan, who were instrumental in getting us to this moment. Negotiating with John Magnier, talking with him, asking him, cajoling him, and without their help we would not be here.

“I’d like to record my thanks to John Magnier and his family in Coolmore because we were going nowhere without the land, and that was the most important thing. To think that the man has gifted us 14 acres on the boundary of Coolmore Morris Park gives us the go ahead to realise what we need to keep pace with the modern world.”

Long Term

One of those set to benefit from the announcement is Tipperary senior hurling manager Liam Cahill, who welcomed the news of an expanded Centre of Excellence at Coolmore Morris Park.

“This is a huge, transformative day for Tipperary GAA and one for the history books,” he said to Fran Curry on Tipp FM’s Tipp Today show.

“It’s not just for my level at the top of our flagship team but right down through the grades to underage Go Games, the whole new facility will allow us to be better at what we do. It is an incredible milestone for us in Tipperary GAA.

“It is a number of years away but it is something to be really proud of with a lot of people working tirelessly behind the scenes to make this happen. It’s a huge day.”

Also commenting on the announcement, former county board chairperson from and Tipperary North/West Kilkenny TD Michael Lowry who helped broker the gift from Mr John Magnier.

“This development represents a transformative milestone for Gaelic games in Tipperary,” he said.

The expanded facilities will include additional sand-based pitches and cutting-edge training infrastructure, ensuring that our players — from grassroots to elite level — have access to a world-class environment in which to train, compete, and thrive.

“This investment is about far more than buildings and pitches. It is about people — our players, coaches, volunteers, and the thousands of young boys and girls who embody the future of Tipperary GAA. The new Centre of Excellence will serve as a hub of activity, pride, and community, promoting participation, wellbeing, and personal development for generations to come.

“I wish to pay particular tribute to Mr John Magnier and his family for his extraordinary generosity, vision, and unwavering commitment to the betterment of Tipperary. His contribution will leave a lasting legacy for our county and our sporting community.

“This development is not just an enhancement of facilities; it is a bold investment in the future of Tipperary sport. It reflects our shared commitment to excellence, inclusivity, and community spirit. I look forward to seeing the lasting benefits this project will deliver for every corner of our county.”