Inside Track: Much more positivity around Oriel than this time last year

As said elsewhere on these pages, Louth football teams went into 2025 with hope. For Dundalk FC, it was with apprehension. For Kate O’Connor, however, it was with anticipation and confidence.

Twelve months on, and it couldn’t have been much better for O’Connor, Louth are basking in glory, and Dundalk find themselves in a much better place.

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Pentathlete O’Connor had had a brilliant 2024, one of the highlights being her participation at the Paris Olympics. There had also been wins and record-breaking performances on the boards and grass. Why should she not be confident of the year ahead?

Well, she has delivered in spades, her many fine achievements winning her awards, with perhaps more to come.

There was also that memorable night at the Louth County Council offices, when she and Eve McCrystal were given fully deserved recognition by the county fathers. The Dundalk girl has delivered on all she promised.

There had been no shortage of turbulence in Dundalk’s 2024 season. Rows, a change of ownership, and relegation from the Premier Division. But even worse than that, the danger of the club going out of business.

Who would have wanted to take over the team? Who would have wanted to take control of the club?

Step up Ciarán Kilduff and John Temple, the latter coming from nowhere, so to speak, to head the boardroom team.

Kilduff would have charge of the team, his brief – and his aim, no doubt – to make the stay in the First Division as short as possible. He’d have to do it with a panel of some tried but mostly unproven players.

Not only did Kilduff win the league, he progressed some of his players to underage International standard, while at the same time, getting the very best from the team’s most seasoned player, Daryl Horgan.

The season ended with yet another change of ownership, but maybe more important than that, Oriel Park getting a much-needed makeover. Work on laying a new surface is at an advanced stage, and it could happen there’ll be even more improvements on the ground surroundings before the new season takes off.

Louth GAA’s achievements on the field are dealt with elsewhere. No mention, however, of the new county stadium. It’s worthy of it. The site, off Dundalk Inner Relief Road, was purchased in 2019, with the first sod turned in January of the following year.

However, it wasn’t plain sailing after that. There was difficulty in getting Croke Park approval, along with the release of money from one source, and financial backing from others.

All was got in order, and during the summer work began on the erection of the main stand. All going to plan, the first matches will be played at the beginning of 2027.

Racing at the North-East’s finest sports facility, Dundalk Stadium, continued during the year, with the usual break in the summer. Forty-one meetings have been held this year, with much the same number pencilled in for 2026.

What will happen after that is not known. The authority, Horse Racing Ireland, is to open a new track in Tipperary, and whether this will mean a reduction in the number of meetings staged in Dowdallshill is open to question.