Páirc na nGael Gaelic Grounds, home of Limerick Gaelic football and hurling, has been an iconic feature of Limerick life since 1926 – and this is a city often described as ‘sports mad’. In 2018, Pairc na nGael was ready to celebrate its sporting and cultural importance with a new identity and story.

I worked with Limerick branding agency The Pudding on this one, who went straight to the fans, collecting insights from 400 supporters. What emerged were deeply personal and passionate stories; the excitement of passing through the turnstiles, holding Daddy’s hand in the crowd, running onto the pitch for a Junior game, the hush before the decisive goal, the ‘best final ever’ in 1973 or 1996.

We created these wall panels for the Pairc na nGael entrance hall. They honour this very special heritage and passion – they honour the fans.

And here is a very special brand narrative:

It is not just a sports ground. It is where heroes walk. It is where Donal O’Grady lifted a cup and thousands ran. It is where Ciaran Carey seized a moment and shot that sliotar all the way; where Limerick proved three times a legend one endless summer; where a knife can cut through air and where fame hangs on the spin of a ball. It is not just a sports ground. It is Pairc na nGael and it is hallowed ground.

 

Pairc na NGael is the home of Limerick GAA. Ash first struck sliotar here in 1928 and since then, the story of Pairc na NGael and the lives and dreams of the people of Limerick have been intertwined. Anticipation at the turn styles, the smell of fresh cut grass, the awe of the empty pitch, the roar of the crowd, the heft and power of the trophy – these form the childhood memories of thousands upon thousands. Sons and daughters now walk in the footsteps of their fathers and grandfathers.

 

At Pairc na nGael we honour the passion, the commitment and the energy which generations have brought. We celebrate the heroes who have played here, the heroes made here, the unsung heroes of the stands, of the wet and wind-stung afternoons, of the winning days and especially the loosing days. We celebrate the all the incredible moments that happen here – the epic, the awesome and most of all those personal moments of small triumphs and shared joys; feelings passed unspoken from father to son.

 

Pairc na nGael is the home of pride and love, and at the heart of this home is the family, stretching back through the generations and our shared history and forward into a thrilling future. Pairc na nGael is now ready for this future. We are ready to make new memories. Let’s make mighty memories together.