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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Donnybrook Stadium

Donnybrook Stadium, known for sponsorship reasons as Energia Park, is a rugby union stadium in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland. The stadium has a capacity of 6,000, including a 2,500 seat covered grandstand which was completed in early 2008.

History

The stadium, also sometimes known as Donnybrook Rugby Ground, is located on the former fair green used for the Donnybrook Fair until the mid-1850s. Used for games by Bective Rangers and Old Wesley since at least the early 20th century, the ground was also the home stadium of Leinster Rugby - until they moved competitive games to the nearby RDS Arena in 2007.

In March 2018 Energia began a sponsorship deal, to rename the stadium as Energia Park for 10 years.

Rugby union

Primarily used for rugby union, Old Wesley and Bective Rangers are two local clubs who play their home games in Donnybrook.

Leinster Rugby also still play some friendly games in Donnybrook, with Ireland A, Ireland Women's Team and Leinster underage sides playing home games in the stadium. Between 2015 and 2018, it hosted the Ireland under-20s home matches in the Six Nations Under 20s Championship. Since 2016, it has hosted the Ireland women's team's home matches in the Women's Six Nations Championship.

The stadium is also the principal venue for competitions organised by the Leinster Branch and competitions at all levels from under 13 to junior and senior adult level are played at the ground. This includes games in the Leinster Schools Senior and Junior Cups, and it hosts several games in each competition each year.

Ireland Uncapped International Matches
Date Home Score Opponent Competition Attendance
19 March 1993  Ireland A 18–22  England A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
4 February 1994  Ireland A 10–20  Wales A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
20 January 1995  Ireland A 20–21  England A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
19 January 1996  Ireland A 26–19  Scotland A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
1 March 1996  Ireland A 25–11  Wales A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
13 November 1996  Ireland A 28–25  South Africa A South Africa A tour of Great Britain and Ireland
17 January 1997  Ireland A 23–44  France A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
14 February 1997  Ireland A 30–44  England A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
6 February 1998  Ireland A 9–11  Scotland A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
5 February 1999  Ireland A 26–25  France A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
5 March 1999  Ireland A 21–28  England A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
9 April 1999  Ireland A 73–17  Italy A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
18 February 2000  Ireland A 23–21  Scotland A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
3 March 2000  Ireland A 31–3  Italy A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
31 March 2000  Ireland A 28–26  Wales A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
8 November 2001  Ireland A 23–18  Samoa 2001 Samoa tour of Europe
22 March 2002  Ireland A 59–5  Italy A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
28 March 2003  Ireland A 24–21  England A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship 6,000
11 March 2005  Ireland A 15–9  France A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
Up to date as of 19 November 2022.
Leinster Results versus Representative Sides
Date Home Score Opponent Competition Attendance
30 December 1979 Leinster Leinster 26–10  Italy
8 October 1980 Leinster Leinster 24–10  Romania
12 November 1994 Leinster Leinster 26–15  United States
24 August 1999 Leinster Leinster 22–51  Argentina
18 November 2022 Leinster Leinster 40–3  Chile 2022 end-of-year internationals
Up to date as of 19 November 2022.

Other uses

In August 2012 the stadium played host to two US high school American football teams, Jesuit Dallas and Loyola Academy of Wilmette, Illinois. Jesuit defeated Loyola 30–29 with a last minute game-winning field goal.

The stadium has also hosted music events. For example, it hosted a Michael Bublé concert in July 2008, and gigs headlined by The National and Future Islands in June 2018.

Gallery