#4. Thomond Park, Limerick
Thomond Park, located in Limerick, Ireland, is the iconic home of Munster Rugby. Renowned for its passionate atmosphere and the famous “Munster roar,” the stadium has a capacity of around 25,000. It hosts major rugby fixtures, concerts, and community events, blending modern facilities with deep sporting tradition.
Owens wrote: “For me, few things beat Thomond Park on a European Cup weekend. That is an experience that should be on every rugby fan’s bucket list. When there are 28,000 in there for games against the likes of Toulouse, Leicester or Clermont – all of which I’ve refereed there – then it doesn’t half take some beating.”
He added: “Refereeing Leinster v Munster in Dublin was one thing, but refereeing the same fixture at Thomond Park is something else entirely. It was a very difficult game to referee because of the intensity of the crowd and the players responding to that.
“When you are in that stadium and all those thousands of supporters are singing Fields of Athenry, it really is breathtaking.”
#3. Croke Park, Dublin
Croke Park, situated in Dublin, is Ireland’s largest stadium and the headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). With a capacity of over 82,000, it’s one of Europe’s biggest venues and a symbol of Irish sport and culture. Primarily used for Gaelic football and hurling, it also hosts concerts, ceremonies, and international events.
Owens wrote: “I refereed Leinster v Munster here in the Heineken Cup semi-final in 2009. It was like an international day, there was a sea of blue and red descending on the stadium. The attendance of over 82,000 set a record at the time and the atmosphere was remarkable.
“That game was a bit of a turning point for Irish rugby because Munster were favourites that day and Leinster turned them over. Johnny Sexton came of age, Brian O’Driscoll was in his pomp and they ran Munster ragged that day. It was a brilliant game of rugby.
“I remember Derek Bevan telling me he’d never been involved in a game like it at club level because the atmosphere was electric. You knew you were part of something special.”
Like this:
Like Loading…