Fitzgerald Stadium

The Fitzgerald Stadium is the principal GAA stadium in Killarney, Ireland, and is the home championship venue for the Kerry senior football team.Named in honour of one of the first great players of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Dick Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Stadium was officially opened on May 31, 1936 by Dr O'Brien, the then Bishop of Kerry, and J. M. Harty, Archbishop of Cashel.HistoryThe attendance at its first match was at least 20,000, reputed to have been 28,000. Within one year, the new Killarney stadium was to host the All-Ireland Hurling Final between Tipperary and Kilkenny due to the unavailability of Croke Park because of the construction of the first Cusack Stand. The capacity of the ground was severely tested in 1950 when the stadium, unusually, hosted the Munster hurling final between Cork and Tipperary, when an estimated crowd of 50,000 turned up and in the closing stages large numbers of Cork supporters encroached on the pitch, making life difficult for Tipperary goalkeeper, Tony Reddan. The claustrophobic atmosphere prompted ace Tipperary defender, John Doyle to remark that it was the first time he hurled in the midst of about 5,000.