Work has commenced this week on a new four-star Dalata hotel situated just 140 metres from Croke Park in the grounds of the former Clonliffe College.
Set to open in 2026, the 200-bedroom property will be operated by Dalata under its Maldron hotel brand under the terms of an agreement with the GAA.
The hotel, part of the Clonliffe Lands Masterplan, is situated at the junction of Clonliffe Road and Jones’s Road, catering to match and event attendees and is served by Drumcondra train station and various bus routes.
The project is being delivered in conjunction with Northern Ireland builder McAleer and Rushe.
“This is a positive development for the GAA and Croke Park representing an additional offering that will be welcomed by our members and supporters when planning journeys to the stadium,” said Jarlath Burns, president of the GAA. “The new hotel will support local employment and will be a positive addition to the locality. Practically, the hotel will also support the growth of our conference activity in the newly repurposed Cusack Stand.”
Dalata chief executive Dermot Crowley said the development marks an important milestone for the area. “Upon completion, the Maldron Hotel Croke Park will offer high-quality guest experience, providing exceptional facilities for visitors. This new hotel in the heart of Dublin will help meet the growing demand for guest accommodation in the city, while also supporting the local economy and community.”
Martin Magee, managing director of McAleer and Rushe, said the firm is “honoured” to have been selected as construction partner for the project and to expand its relationship with the GAA, having delivered the Croke Park Hotel on Jones’s Road some 20 years ago. That hotel is operated by the Doyle Collection.
Submitted in 2020, plans for the Clonliffe scheme met with opposition from locals. An Bord Pleanála ultimately rejected an appeal against the decision of Dublin City Council to grant planning permission for the development of a seven-storey hotel on the site, which the GAA acquired from the Archdiocese of Dublin for an estimated €95 million.
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