A LOOK INSIDE THE UPGRADED MACKEY STAND IN LIMERICK’S GAELIC GROUNDS
 
By Jerome O’Connell Limerick Leader Sport
 
THE €250,000 upgrade of the Gaelic Grounds’ Mackey Stand has been completed ahead of the Munster Championship.
 
GAA President John Horan was in Limerick this Wednesday to unveil the stadium facelift ahead of four Munster senior championship games this May and June.
 
The quarter of a million euro spend was with money ring-fenced for physical development work – a Munster Council grant of €216,000 and it is also hoped to get a Central Council grant.
 
“There is a real sense of anticipation,” said Paul Foley, chairman of the Gaelic Grounds committee.
 
“Long hours have gone into this but it has come together really well. On the physical side all the toilets were overhauled and a meeting/committee room downstairs was upgraded, there is new seating in the central area of the stand – probably the best in any stadium in the country.
 
“We looked at the marketability of the stadium and how we could improve its image – we adopted a logo and brought on board a professional design agency called The Pudding Brand to design a visual graphics wall. We did it because we felt it would help to animate and re-imagine and bring a sense of excitement as fans come through the turnstiles,” said Foley.
 
”How they selected those moments was in general consultation with the ourselves on the board and we invited submissions from Limerick GAA supporters and over 400 people submitted their favourite moments and the agency drew from those. Those moments are celebrated with pictures and some narrative.”
 
He added: “It was also important to celebrate the club and every single club in Limerick is appointed onto the wall with their club crest and hopefully that will spark some pride”.