Trinity’s planned acquisition of the 19-acre Iveagh Grounds sports facility in Crumlin, owned by the Guinness Athletic Union, is nearing its end, after two years of negotiations.
Despite an Irish Times article in June 2016 reporting that talks had “reached an impasse”, Ian Mathews, Chief Financial Officer of Trinity, confirmed to The University Times by email that progress is indeed ongoing and that negotiations will reach a conclusion in the coming weeks.
The site currently plays host to St James Gaels GAA club, as well as the local football club and Guinness’s rugby and hockey clubs. Bought 88 years ago by Edward Guinness before being turned over to the Guinness Athletic Union, Trinity’s sports teams will gain partial access to the site once the matter is finalised. Mathews promises more information on the arrangement “once the process is complete and we are in a position to provide full details of it”.
Talks have been hindered by contentious matters such as the shared usage of facilities and annual rent necessary to keeping the on-site clubhouse and bar open. Despite the fact that these facilities generated financial deficits throughout the last decade due to falling bar receipts, Diageo’s offer to cancel a €2 million loan directed towards the bar and clubhouse was rejected by the Guinness Athletic Union’s nearly 300 members, according to the article by the Irish Times.
This is one example of the company’s commitment to providing “significant financial assistance to support the costs of transition over the next few years”. Though neither Diageo or the Guinness Athletic Union were willing to disclose specific details relating to the monetary value of this promised commitment, it is reported that the former are willing to invest several million into the redevelopment of the sports grounds.
The Guinness Athletic Union were traditionally awarded access to the Iveagh Grounds facilities, but their membership ceased to be subsidised due to financial constraints in 1994. This is when the clubhouse was first built, and Diageo have since withdrawn their association with the resource.
Exact figures on the amount Trinity are offering for the site have not yet been disclosed, but the facilities will add to Trinity’s growing list of sports grounds, which currently include sports grounds in Santry, the Sports Centre on campus and sports facilities in Trinity Hall, with new sports facilities included in the plans of Oisín House.
