View source for Eamonn Deacy Park

{{Short description|Football stadium in Galway, Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox venue
| name                = Eamonn Deacy Park
| native_name= Páirc Éamonn Uí Dhéisigh
| image               = Terryland park.jpg
| caption             = 
| fullname            =
| location            = Dyke Road<br>[[Galway]]<br>[[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| coordinates         = {{coord|53|17|05|N|09|03|23|W|display=it}}
| broke_ground        =
| built               =
| opened              = [[1935 in Ireland|1935]]
| renovated           = [[1993 in Ireland|1993]]
| expanded            = [[2007 in Ireland|2007]]
| closed              =
| demolished          =
| owner               = [[Galway Football Association]]
| tenant              = 
| surface             = Grass
| construction_cost   =
| architect           =
| structural engineer =
| services engineer   =
| general_contractor  =
| project_manager     =
| main_contractors    =
| former_names        = Terryland Park
| tenants             = [[Galway United F.C.|Galway United]] (1977–   )<br/>[[Galway United W.F.C.|Galway United Women’s]] (2023–) <br> <small>[[Galway W.F.C.]] ([[2013–14 Women's National League (Ireland)|2013]]–2022) <br>[[Mervue United A.F.C.|Mervue United]] ([[2009 League of Ireland First Division|2009]]–[[2010 League of Ireland First Division|10]])<br/>[[Salthill Devon F.C.|SD Galway]] ([[2012 League of Ireland First Division|2012]])</small> 
| capacity            = 5,000 (3,300 seated)<ref name="Eamonn Deacy Park capacity">{{cite web |title=History of Eamonn Deacy Park |url=https://galwayunitedfc.ie/eamonn-deacy-park/ |website=Galway United FC |access-date=29 April 2021}}</ref> 
| dimensions          = {{convert|102|x|66|m||}} 
| scoreboard          = 
|publictransit = [[Galway railway station]]
}}

'''Eamonn Deacy Park''', formerly known as '''Terryland Park''', is an [[List of association football venues in the Republic of Ireland|association football stadium in the Republic of Ireland]] based in the Terryland district of [[Galway]]. It is owned by the [[Galway Football Association]] and is the home ground of both [[Galway United F.C.|Galway United men’s]] and [[Galway United W.F.C.|women’s]] teams. It was the home of [[Galway W.F.C.]] before they dissolved in 2022 and were replaced by Galway United WFC.It is named after [[Eamonn Deacy]], a former Galway United and [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] player and [[List of Republic of Ireland international footballers|Republic of Ireland international]]. In both [[2007 League of Ireland|2007]] and [[2008 League of Ireland|2008]], the ground was voted the best surface by the [[Football Association of Ireland|FAI]]. It won the same award again in [[2015 League of Ireland|2015]].<ref name="galwayfa">{{cite web|url=http://www.galwayfa.ie/contentPage/311229/eamonn_deacy_park|title=Eamonn Deacy Park|publisher=www.galwayfa.ie|access-date=8 April 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420110729/http://galwayfa.ie/contentPage/311229/eamonn_deacy_park|archive-date=20 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="extratime">{{cite web|url=http://www.extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/1044/|title=Terryland Park voted best surface|publisher=www.extratime.ie|access-date=8 April 2016|date=10 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171435/http://www.extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/1044/|archive-date=3 March 2016}}</ref>

==History==
===Early years===
One of the earliest games played at Terryland Park was on 3 February 1935. It was a 1934–35 [[FAI Junior Cup]] game between [[Athlone Town A.F.C.|Athlone Town]] and a team referred to as the Galway Macks. Athlone Town won 8–2 and went on to win the cup. In 1950 the [[Galway Football Association]] purchased the grounds for £250 from [[Eamonn Deacy]]'s grandfather. <ref group="note">Different sources name [[Eamonn Deacy]]'s grandfather as either Martin Joseph Morris or Dean Flynn</ref> When [[Galway Rovers F.C.|Galway Rovers]] made their [[League of Ireland]] debut in [[1977–78 League of Ireland|1977–78]], Terryland Park became their home ground. They played their first League of Ireland game at the venue on 28 August 1977 against [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]].<ref>{{Cite book| title=A History of Athlone Town F.C: The First 101 Years | first=Frank | last=Lynch | year=1991| location=Athlone | publisher=Arcadia }}</ref><ref name="galwayfa"/><ref name="galwayunitedfc2">{{cite web|url=http://galwayunitedfc.ie/eamonn-deacy-park/|title=History of Eamonn Deacy Park|publisher=galwayunitedfc.ie|access-date=25 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="advertiser">{{cite web|url=http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/79636/terryland-park|title=Terryland Park|publisher=[[Galway Advertiser]]|access-date=8 April 2016|date=17 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="galwayunitedfc">{{cite web|url=http://galwayunitedfc.ie/club-history/|title=Galway United FC – Club History |publisher=galwayunitedfc.ie|access-date=25 March 2016}}</ref>

===Redevelopment===
The stadium underwent redevelopment in 1993. This saw the introduction of floodlights and saw evening matches at the ground. In 2007 a €500,000 [[Government of Ireland|Irish Government]] grant went towards developing a new 1,500-seater stand. The new stand was opened in July 2007 and raised the seating capacity to 3,300 and the overall capacity to 5,000. Development of the interior of the Main Stand continued as new dressing rooms, medical rooms, showers, officials' dressing rooms, media facilities and other amenities were all upgraded and installed.<ref name="galwayfa"/><ref name="galwayunitedfc2"/><ref name="advertiser"/><ref name="galwayunitedfc"/>

===Tenants===
Although perhaps best known as the home of [[Galway United F.C.|Galway United]], the stadium also serves as the headquarters of both the [[Galway Football Association]] and [[Galway & District League]]. It regularly hosts an average of one hundred games per year.<ref name="extratime"/> 

====Mervue United====
Terryland has also served as a home for [[Mervue United A.F.C.|Mervue United]]. During the [[2009 League of Ireland|2009]] and [[2010 League of Ireland|2010]] seasons when they were playing in the [[League of Ireland First Division]], Mervue played at Terryland Park as their regular ground, Fahy's Field, did not meet [[League of Ireland]] standards.<ref name="mervueunited3">{{cite web|url=http://www.mervueunited.com/contentPage/51094/c_l_u_b_d_e_v_e_l_o_p_m_e_n_t|title=Mervue Club Development Plans for 2013|publisher=www.mervueunited.com|access-date=26 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="goalcom">{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/ireland/2013/10/18/4341689/mervue-united-swansong-shines-a-light-on-fai-mismanagement|title=Mervue United swansong shines a light on FAI mismanagement|publisher=www.goal.com|access-date=22 March 2015|date=18 October 2013}}</ref> 

====Salthill Devon====
Following the withdrawal of Galway United from the League of Ireland after the [[2011 League of Ireland|2011]] season, fellow Galway based side [[Salthill Devon F.C.|Salthill Devon]] re-branded themselves as SD Galway for the [[2012 League of Ireland|2012]] season. They adopted the maroon and white worn by Galway United and switched their home matches from [[Drom Soccer Park]] to Terryland Park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thescore.thejournal.ie/salthill-devon-set-to-rebrand-and-play-at-terryland-337743-Jan2012/ |title=Salthill Devon set to rebrand and play at Terryland · The Score |publisher=Thescore.thejournal.ie |date=26 January 2012}}</ref> 

====Galway/Galway United WFC====
In June 2013 the [[Football Association of Ireland|FAI]] announced [[Galway W.F.C.]] as an [[expansion team]] for the upcoming [[2013–14 Women's National League (Ireland)|2013–14 Women's National League]] season and they also began to play at the now renamed Eamonn Deacy Park.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kelly|first1=Keith|title=Galway women come together to form new National League side|url=http://connachttribune.ie/galway-women-come-together-to-form-new-national-league-side/|access-date=3 January 2016|publisher=[[Connacht Tribune]]|date=13 June 2013}}</ref> Galway WFC played in the stadium until they withdrew from the [[League of Ireland Women's Premier Division|Women’s National League]] in 2022<ref> https://www.the42.ie/galway-wfc-5863437-Sep2022/</ref>. Following this Galway United announce the formation of their own women’s team to fill the spot left by Galway WFC. [[Galway United W.F.C.]] have played in the stadium ever since. 

====Other uses====
In addition the stadium has also hosted various [[Republic of Ireland national under-17 football team|Republic of Ireland under-17]], [[Republic of Ireland national under-19 football team|under-19]] and [[Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team|under-21]] internationals.

===Cup finals===
Eamonn Deacy Park has hosted finals of the [[League of Ireland First Division Shield]], the [[FAI Intermediate Cup]], the [[Connacht Junior Cup (association football)|Connacht Junior Cup]], the [[Michael Byrne Cup]] and the [[Collingwood Cup]]. The stadium has also hosted two [[League of Ireland Cup]] finals. In 1996–97, it hosted the first leg of the final as [[Galway United F.C.|Galway United]] defeated [[Cork City F.C.|Cork City]] 3–1, en route to a 4–2 aggregate win overall. More recently it hosted the [[2015 League of Ireland Cup Final|2015 final]] between Galway United and [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]]. This time Galway United would lose out on penalties.<ref name="galwayfa"/>

===Renamed===
In 2012, following the death of [[Eamonn Deacy]], the [[Galway Football Association]] renamed Terryland Park in his honour. The renaming ceremony took place in August 2012 and featured a testimonial match between [[Galway United F.C.|Galway United]] and [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] legends teams. The stadium was formally renamed by [[Michael Ring]], the [[Minister of State at the Department of Transport|Minister of State for Tourism and Sport]]. Other special guests included three former [[List of Republic of Ireland international footballers|Republic of Ireland]] internationals – [[Packie Bonner]], [[Paul McGrath (footballer)|Paul McGrath]] and [[Gareth Farrelly]].<ref name="irishtimes">{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/galway-pays-tribute-to-former-villan-1.731668|title=Galway pays tribute to former Villan|publisher=www.irishtimes.com|access-date=8 April 2016|date=20 August 2012}}</ref><ref name="galwayfa"/><ref name="galwayunitedfc2"/><ref name="advertiser"/><ref name="galwayunitedfc"/>

==Notes==
<references group="note" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Galway United F.C.}}
{{Association football in Connacht}}
{{Galway & District League}}
{{League of Ireland venues}}
{{Women's National League (Ireland) venues}}
{{Galway}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Galway (city)]]
[[Category:Association football venues in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Galway & District League]]
[[Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Sports venues in County Galway]]
[[Category:Galway United F.C.]]
[[Category:Galway W.F.C.]]
[[Category:Association football in Galway (city)]]