GAA and McAleer & Rushe celebrate ‘topping out’ of new hotel at Croke Park:
The GAA and leading design and build contractor, McAleer & Rushe, have celebrated a key construction milestone with the topping out of the new €40m Maldron Hotel at Croke Park, Dublin.
Marking the structural completion of the development, the ceremony welcomed over 50 guests and brought together key project stakeholders, including GAA President Jarlath Burns and senior representatives from McAleer & Rushe and hotel operator, Dalata Hotel Group.
The 200-bedroom, four-star hotel will feature a range of high-end amenities, including a business centre with five meeting rooms, a state-of-the-art gym, and full-service bar and restaurant.
Scheduled to open in 2026, the hotel forms part of the wider Clonliffe Lands Masterplan, and is ideally located adjacent to Croke Park Stadium, offering guests immediate access to the stadium and excellent connectivity to Dublin Airport, major road networks, and public transport services in Drumcondra.
Dalata Hotel Group, Ireland’s largest hotel operator, will manage the hotel under its Maldron brand, renowned for delivering high-quality accommodation and a superior guest experience. To date, McAleer & Rushe has delivered more than 3,000 hotel bedrooms for Dalata across Ireland and Great Britain, with this latest development reinforcing their strong partnership and shared commitment to continued growth.
Designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating, the hotel will boast environmental features such as green roofs, air source heat pumps and EV charging points, and will feature a traditional hand built red brick façade to complement the surrounding built environment.
So far, McAleer & Rushe has diverted 100% of construction waste from landfill, saved 5,308 m³ of soil through reuse on site, and is on track to meet the client’s whole life carbon target of 707 kg CO₂e per m².
Uachtarán CLG Jarlath Burns said: “Congratulations to all parties concerned in reaching this significant milestone in the project.
“The views of Croke Park are spectacular and I have no doubt that the addition of this superb facility will be welcomed by visitors to the stadium and the area in general.
“Partnering with Dalata, sponsors of the GAA Football U20 Football Championship, has been a positive experience and we look forward to the completion of the project.”
McAleer & Rushe Chairman Seamus McAleer and Chief Executive Eamonn Laverty jointly commented: “It was a pleasure to bring together key stakeholders to celebrate this important milestone and reflect on the collective effort that has brought this flagship development to life.
Nearly two decades after delivering the Croke Park Hotel for the GAA, we are proud to once again contribute our expertise to a project of such significance, while strengthening our successful partnership with both the GAA and our long-standing client, Dalata.”
Dermot Crowley, CEO of Dalata Hotel Group added: “Today’s event represents a major milestone in delivering this landmark hotel, and I am delighted to be here to celebrate this moment alongside our partners and stakeholders, McAleer & Rushe and the GAA. This achievement highlights the strength of our partnership with the GAA, a relationship founded on our shared values of commitment, excellence, and community spirit. As title sponsors of the U20 All-Ireland Football Championship, we understand the importance of investing in the future, both in sport and in the communities we serve. This hotel will further strengthen our presence in Dublin creating local jobs, supporting the economy, and welcoming more visitors to the city.”