Greenlight for work at Wexford Park

February 1997

The Model County Development committee got the good news they had been waiting for on Firiday, when planning permission for the long-awaited revamp of Wexford Park was granted.

Renovations of county’s main GAA ground will commence in the near future, after it first plays host to the National Hurling League opener between All-Ireland champions Wexford and visitors Galway on Sunday March 9 next.

The good news came less than 24 hours after the launch of the fifth Model County Development Draw by Liam Griffin in the Talbot Hotel on Thursday night.

Griffin spoke about the importance of having a county ground to be proud of and to serve as a base for all major inter-county matches to be played at home. He said that in the past, ‘people played too much politics’ when it came to allocating venues for League matches in particular. ‘If Gorey got one, then Enniscorthy got one, and New Ross had to get one too,’ he said. ‘ Those grounds may have been fine at the time, but going forward, we must have a recognised county ground of the highest standard for both players and spectators alike.’

County Chairman Paddy Wickham said Wexford is lagging behind many other Leinster counties at the moment, as development is already complete in Kilkenny, Navan, Carlow, Mullingar, and Parnell Park.

The work at Wexford Park is expected to take some two years to complete.