Thomond Park

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The stadium holds a special place in rugby due to its own unique history and atmosphere. The stadium is famed for its noise during play and the complete silence while home and away players are kicking for goal and other significant moments, such as the All Blacks Haka. Munster also retained an intimidating 12-year unbeaten run at Thomond in the Heineken Cup—running from the competition's start in 1995 until 2007 when the Leicester Tigers broke the streak with a 13–6 win. On 31 October 1978 Munster celebrated their historic 12–0 victory over the All Blacks in front 12,000 fans at Thomond Park. Thomond Park (named after the medieval kingdom of Thomond) originally consisted of two pitches, the main pitch and a training pitch. The main pitch was bounded on all sides by terracing with a stand above the west terrace. The training pitch was behind the west stand with the Shannon R.F.C. pavilion in the southwest corner of the ground. The UL Bohemian R.F.C. pavilion was within the west stand. Traditionally, the former terracing and four sides of the pitch had local nicknames, however they have since fallen out of local parlance. The most famous of these was the east terrace, which was known among fans as the "Popular side", this sat opposite the "Stand side", joining the "City End" (South Terrace) with the "Ballynanty End" (North Terrace). The "Popular side" gained notoriety in local rugby folklore for the colourful comments that can be heard emanating from local wags and alickadoos in the direction of the pitch, occasionally drawing reaction from players and officials, to the amusement of other attendants. Prior to redevelopment, the official capacity of Thomond Park was 13,000. The highest pre-redevelopment official attendance in Thomond Park was 18,000 people and occurred in 1992 in a local derby in the All-Ireland League between clubs Shannon RFC and Garryowen FC. In 1998 and 1999, following the introduction of the professional era, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) spent several million pounds on floodlighting, terracing, toilets, medical facilities and a new pitch for the ground. In January 2006, the Munster Branch of the IRFU made offers to buy some adjacent houses to expand the stadium. In March 2006 the IRFU and Munster Rugby announced that Thomond Park was unanimously selected for the site of the branch's new stadium, and in May 2006 the design for the

In Their Own Story

The rain fell in sheets on the Limerick pitch, blurring the floodlights into glowing halos above the stands. As the referee blew the whistle for kick-off, a low rumble began to build from the Southern Stand, quickly swelling into a roar that shook the very foundations of the ground. The visiting team huddled tightly, eyes wide, trying to hear their captain's instructions over the wall of sound. In this arena, the grass felt less like turf and more like a living entity, demanding respect from anyone foolish enough to tread upon it.

Reader's Guide

Thomond Park is located in Limerick, Ireland. The stadium has a capacity of 25,600 after redevelopment, expanded to 26,500 on 12 November 2022 for a Heineken Cup match, and reduced to 25,100 in October 2025. It is owned by Munster Rugby, with Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. The stadium hosted Limerick FC from 2013 to 2015 and has hosted concerts, rugby league, football friendlies, and the Special Olympics. The atmosphere is famous for silence during kicks and songs like 'The Fields of Athenry' and 'Stand Up and Fight'.

Did You Know?

• The highest pre-redevelopment official attendance was 18,000 in 1992 for a local derby between Shannon RFC and Garryowen FC.
• Munster's unbeaten Heineken Cup run at Thomond Park lasted from 1995 until 2007, when Leicester Tigers won 13–6.
• The Republic of Ireland defeated South Africa 1–0 at Thomond Park on 8 September 2009.
• Thomond Park was named 'Best Rugby Stadium in the World' in August 2013 by rugby supporters.