National Basketball Arena

National Basketball Arena
Tallaght Arena
Irish national team playing against Luxembourg in 2009
National Basketball Arena is located in Dublin
National Basketball Arena
National Basketball Arena
Location within Dublin
LocationTymon Park
Tallaght
South Dublin
Coordinates53°17′32″N 6°20′4″W / 53.29222°N 6.33444°W / 53.29222; -6.33444
OwnerBasketball Ireland
OperatorBasketball Ireland
Capacity2,500 (1993–2026)
3,300 (2026–)
Construction
OpenedJanuary 1993
Expanded2025–2026
ArchitectSaniel Tully Ass (US)
Kenney & Ass.[1]
Structural engineerDermot O'Keefe Associates[1]
Tenants
Ireland national basketball team (1993–present)
Ireland women's national basketball team (1993–present)
Hibernia Basketball (2015–2016)
Republic of Ireland national futsal team (2009–2012)
Shamrock Rovers (futsal) (2007–2013)
Shamrock Rovers Hoops (1995–2010)
Website
https://ireland.basketball/find-us

National Basketball Arena, also known as Tallaght Arena, is an indoor sporting arena located in Tymon Park, Tallaght, South Dublin, adjacent to the M50 motorway. The capacity of the arena is 2,500 people and it opened in January 1993.[2] It is used mainly for basketball events, but has also hosted other indoor sports, most notably futsal, as well as exhibitions, concerts and cultural events.[1][3][4][5][6]

Basketball

The National Basketball Arena serves as the headquarters of Basketball Ireland.[7] It serves as the home court of the Ireland national basketball team and the Ireland women's national basketball team[8] and regularly hosts Super League games.[9] It has previously served as the home court of Hibernia Basketball and Shamrock Rovers Hoops. The arena hosted the 1994 European Promotion Cup for Men and the 2022 Dublin Basketball Challenge, with teams from the MAAC and ASUN competing.[10]

In December 2023, Basketball Ireland announced plans for a €35 million redevelopment of the National Basketball Arena to double its capacity to 3,300.[11]

Futsal

The National Basketball Arena has hosted finals of both the FAI Futsal Cup[12][13][14][15] and the Emerald Futsal League.[16][17][18] It has also served as the home court of both the Republic of Ireland national futsal team and Shamrock Rovers.[19] The arena has also hosted international futsal tournaments. In February 2009 the Republic of Ireland played against Cyprus, England and Kazakhstan in a 2010 UEFA Futsal Championship preliminary group qualifying tournament. The Republic of Ireland acted as hosts and all six group games were played at the National Basketball Arena. The Republic lost to both Cyprus and Kazakhstan, either side of a 2–0 win against England.[20][21] In January 2011 the Republic of Ireland played against Andorra, Norway and Israel in a UEFA Futsal Euro 2012 preliminary group qualifying tournament. Once again the Republic of Ireland acted as hosts and all six group games were again played at the National Basketball Arena.[22][23][24] In August 2014 when Eden Futsal Club hosted their 2014–15 UEFA Futsal Cup preliminary group, all six games were played at the National Basketball Arena.[25][26]

Boxing

The arena has hosted many boxing fights, featuring, among others, Wayne McCullough, Eddie Hyland, Naseem Hamed, Oisin Fagan, Michael Carruth, Scott Dixon and Patrick Hyland.[27]

Other sports

The arena hosted an American Wrestling Rampage show in 2008 which featured wrestlers such as Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Chris Masters, Rene Dupree and Scotty 2 Hotty.[28] It has also hosted wrestling events presented by Irish Whip Wrestling and Over the Top Wrestling.[citation needed]

The National Basketball Arena has also hosted karate,[29] gymnastics,[30] taekwondo,[31] and MMA events.[32]

References

  1. ^ a b c "National Basketball Arena". bamireland.ie. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  2. ^ "National Basketball Arena To Undergo €35m Redevelopment". Business Plus. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Federation Focus: Ireland". fibaeurope.com. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Irish Basketball – A Brief History". basketballireland.ie. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  5. ^ "National Basketball Arena". iftn.ie. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  6. ^ "National Basketball Arena". discoverireland.ie. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Ireland:Profile". FIBA.COM. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Basketball Ireland to enter new FIBA Europe Competition". sportsnewsireland.com. 22 July 2015. Archived from the original on 26 July 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  9. ^ "Much anticipation as UCD Marian take on Templeogue". The Irish Times. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  10. ^ "MAAC ASUN Dublin Basketball Challenge". Inspirus Sports. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Basketball Ireland announce plans for €35m redevelopment of National Basketball Arena". Basketball Ireland. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  12. ^ "IRL Eircom U21 Futsal League 2007 – Play-off". futsalplanet.com. 29 April 2007. Archived from the original on 30 December 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  13. ^ "Ireland Eircom Futsal League 2008 – Play-off". futsalplanet.com. 16 March 2008. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  14. ^ "St. Patrick's Athletic v Cork City – Futsal League of Ireland Final Photos". sportsfile.com. 8 March 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  15. ^ "Eden College continue to dominate FAI Futsal Cup". fai.ie. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  16. ^ "Emerald Futsal League (Leinster) Final". futsalplanet.com. 3 December 2011. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  17. ^ "Transylvania Futsal qualified for the Final in their first season of Emerald Futsal League". transylvaniafc.com. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  18. ^ "We are in the EFL Final". transylvaniafc.com. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  19. ^ "Futsal starts Monday". shamrockrovers.ie. 26 June 2011. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  20. ^ "Ireland Futsal Squad Announced". shamrockrovers.ie. 5 February 2009. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  21. ^ "6th UEFA Futsal Championship – Hungary 2010". futsalplanet.com. 10 September 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  22. ^ "O'Neill names Futsal squad for UEFA qualifiers". fai.ie. 12 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  23. ^ "Fingal futsal inspires Ireland". UEFA. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  24. ^ "UEFA Futsal Championship – Croatia 2012 Qualifiers". futsalplanet.com. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  25. ^ "Eden Futsal". futsalplanet.com. 2 August 2014. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  26. ^ "Eden Futsal". UEFA. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  27. ^ "National Basketball Arena". boxrec.com. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  28. ^ "American Wrestling Rampage". rampageamericanwrestling.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  29. ^ "First AMA Ireland Invitational Karate Championships 2015". wukf-karate.org. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  30. ^ "Gymnastic joy as 4,000 people pack into National Basketball Arena for Cirque Olympia". echo.ie. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  31. ^ "Dublin Open International". taekwondo.ie. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  32. ^ "Cage Kings coming to the Basketball Arena August 8th". whoatv.com. Retrieved 22 January 2017.