Council is committed to keeping Corkagh Park gate open beyond 8pm

The council committed to keeping the Corkagh Park gate open beyond 8pm after they were asked to be “inventive” to accommodate local sports teams in Clondalkin.

Alternate gate closing times have been requested so local clubs that train and play in Corkagh Park can finish full sessions or matches as the summer months draw near.

The gate for the Grange Castle car park will be closed “at a reasonable time in the evening” so that club and team members who train midweek can leave prior to the gate closure.

South Dublin County Council Park Superintendent David Fennell noted that the local authority plans to work alongside clubs to ensure that they can train and play sports at the location.

Mr Fennell said: “We’ll take a very practical approach and if clubs come to us and say ‘leave it open another 15 minutes’ or ‘close it a little bit earlier’, we’ll work with that . . . it will be open until 8pm and possibly even longer if required.”

The Park Superintendent noted that the topic was a matter that came to the attention of the local council in the last few years.

The R136 car-park entrance to the park has been included in the 2026 Public Realm Improvement Works Programme for upgrading, which will see the installation of the automatic gate.

It is noted that this will provide more flexibility to the opening and closing times of the car park and allow it to close later in the evenings.

Construction work has commenced on site with the automation of the gate to follow later in the year.

Cllr Trevor Gilligan brought forward the issue and had asked whether the gate would be open beyond the park closing time.

Cllr William Carey noted the issue that the summer poses if clubs have difficulty getting out of the park after its official closure.

Cllr Carey said: “There is an issue as we come into the summer months – football clubs get midweek matches scheduled, usually early in the evening but those games tend to go on after 8pm.

“Now, generally that is available to the clubs, the problem is really around parking etc., where those who attended the games will park up in the parking area.

“Unfortunately, what happens is park rangers come along, they’re looking to close up at 7pm or whatever time is scheduled by the local authority and they’re asking people to conclude a game and leave, and that’s not always possible.

“Coming into the summer months, this is a major problem, and we need to be a bit inventive in our approach to this.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.