World Rugby-certified pitch for Clontarf Rugby Club
In 1014, the Battle of Clontarf marked the decisive end of Viking and Norseman rule in Ireland. Today, the Clontarf FC Bulls carry on their ancestors' fighting spirit on the rugby pitch. Sole Sports and Leisure recently installed a brand-new pitch near the Bulls' home stadium. They combined the existing infill with our #Fusion turf system to create a resilient, World Rugby-certified playing surface.
Founded in 1876, Clontarf FC is one of the oldest rugby clubs in Ireland. The official club title is Football Club rather than Rugby Football Club, which sets them apart as one of few remaining clubs in the country with this entitlement. This is because Clontarf FC was formed before the establishment of the Irish Rugby Football Union in 1879. Currently competing in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League, the Bulls have achieved notable success, securing the title twice – in 2014 and 2016.
The club's emblem and nickname are derived from the meaning of Clontarf, or 'Cluain Tarbh' in Irish, which translates to 'meadow of the bull'. The Bulls got their blue and red colors from the Yacht and Boat Club, the oldest sporting club in the area, many of whose members had a part in founding the Rugby Club. Today, Clontarf FC presents itself as a community-oriented association, with a vibrant social scene and a strong focus on developing rugby at grassroots level.
An unusual construction challenge
The Bulls play their home matches at Castle Avenue - a stadium with a capacity of 5,000 spectators. To complement its main pitch, Dublin City Council issued a tender for the construction of a new, high-performance rugby turf field near Castle Avenue.
In the end, professional installer Sole Sports and Leisure came out on top. "It wasn't a straightforward pitch changeover, as the client wanted to reuse the existing TPE infill," says Managing Director Peadar Murphy. "During phase one of the project, we removed, cleaned, and retested the infill, stripped the existing turf, and carried out minor repairs to the shock pads."
#Fusion: resilience meets player comfort and safety
Next, Sole Sports and Leisure installed the new turf with the pre-used infill. "The original tender was primarily based on monofilament carpet. We proposed Act Sports' #Fusion, a high-end rugby turf system that combines a bicolor diamond monofilament with a fibrillated tape yarn. This combination yarn should benefit player safety and comfort as well as enhancing field longevity."
World Rugby-certified field for top-level play
After meticulous lab and field tests, the new pitch was granted the World Rugby certification. "This endorsement underlines our long-lasting commitment to the development of Irish rugby," says .... "We field teams at AIL, Junior, Women's, Additional Needs, Youths & Minis, and have produced many players who have gone on to represent Ireland at international level. With our World Rugby-certified pitch, we're all set to bring forth the next generation of Irish rugby talent."
Act Sports was the perfect partner for this project. They had the best value for money and could deliver the turf within the client's tight deadline.
Peadar Murphy
Managing Director at Sole Sports and Leisure
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