Breffni Park, known for sponsorship reasons as Kingspan Group, Kingspan Breffni, is a Gaelic Athletic Association, GAA stadium in Cavan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the home of Cavan GAA. The ground has an overall capacity of about 25,030 with a 5,030 seated capacity. Kingdom of Breifne, Breffni is the historic name for area of County Cavan, Cavan/County Leitrim, Leitrim. Cavan is often referred to as the Breffni County. Kingspan Breffni is located on Park Lane to the south of Cavan town. Breffni Park hosted the first test in the 2006 Ladies' International Rules Series between Ireland women's international rules football team, Ireland and Australia women's international rules football team, Australia. It also hosted the first test during the 2013 International Rules Series.

History

Breffni Park was opened in 1923. The opening was attended by Eoin O'Duffy who gave a speech calling on the GAA to "bring together all sections of the Irish people" to "save the youth of Ireland from the sea of moral degradation into which they were travelling". During the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland, COVID-19 pandemic, Breffni Park was used as a drive-through test centre.

Athletics

In June 2009, the world record for the twelve-hour continuous relay race was broken by 1,868 participants.

Camogie

The 2009 Cavan Camogie Development Fun Day to promote the development of camogie at underage levels was held at Breffni Park on 7 June 2009.

Gaelic football

Breffni Park regularly hosts matches in the Ulster Senior Football Championship. In the Ulster Senior Football Championship 2009, it hosted Cavan GAA, Cavan's unexpected 0–13 to 1–09 quarter-final defeat of Fermanagh GAA, Fermanagh. Critics had beforehand doubted Cavan's ability to win the match. ''The Belfast Telegraph'' described it as Fermanagh's "most inept championship performance for some time", saying Fermanagh were "gunned down". Breffni Park has also hosted several matches at national level.

All-Ireland qualifying matches

Breffni Park has hosted a number of qualifiers for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. The stadium hosted one game involving Cavan GAA, Cavan when they progressed to round four of the qualifiers for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2005. The team entered the qualifiers in the second round where they beat Donegal GAA, Donegal by a score of 1–11 to 1–10 at the ground. Breffni Park also hosted the third round qualifying game between Monaghan GAA, Monaghan and Louth GAA, Louth which Monaghan won by 1–12 to 0–14. The round three qualifier for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2007 between Derry GAA, Derry and Laois GAA, Laois was played at Kingspan Breffni Park. Derry won by 1–18 to 2–11 to go through to the quarter finals. In the 2011 Football Championship it hosted 25 June round 1 qualifier between Louth and Meath, and Cavan versus Longford.

Allianz National League

In 2004, Breffni Park hosted a Division 1B match between Cavan GAA, Cavan and Armagh GAA, Armagh which Cavan won convincingly by a scoreline of 3–12 to 0–8. Armagh were winners of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2002 and runners-up in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2003. Breffni Park was chosen to host the 2006 Division Two Final of the Allianz National League between Donegal GAA, Donegal and Louth GAA, Louth. There was controversy when Donegal's manager Brian McIver was upset as he thought the game should have been played at Croke Park in Dublin. McIver said: "It defies logic and I think the sponsors might have something to say about it as well. It's very strange that the finals can suddenly be moved from Croke Park. [...] The National League is the second biggest competition in the GAA and the finals should be staged at Croke Park". The GAA claimed it was due to "the geographic considerations in respect of the four Division One semi-finalists". Donegal's semi-final defeat of Westmeath GAA, Westmeath had also taken place at Breffni Park.

Hurling

National Hurling League

Two of the National Hurling League Finals were played at Kingspan Breffni Park on 2 May 2009. These were the Division Three A Final between Meath GAA, Meath versus Kildare GAA, Kildare and the Division Four Final between Monaghan GAA, Monaghan versus Sligo GAA, Sligo.

International rules football

Breffni Park hosted the first test in the 2006 Ladies' International Rules Series between Ireland women's international rules football team, Ireland and Australia women's international rules football team, Australia. This was the first test between the two teams. Ireland beat Australia by 134–15. It also hosted the first test during the 2013 International Rules Series.

References

{{Cavan GAA 1923 establishments in Ireland Cavan GAA Cavan (town) Gaelic games grounds in the Republic of Ireland Sports venues in County Cavan Tourist attractions in County Cavan