Finn Harps to install artificial pitch in Finn Park makeover

Finn Harps are set to install a new astro pitch at Finn Park later this year.

While Harps are still pursuing plans to move into a long-awaited new stadium in Stranorlar, Finn Park will now also be given a makeover.

Last year, Harps were awarded €394,140 under phase two of the Community Sports Facilities Fund for the development of an artificial pitch to aid girls’ football.

The club had explored options of selling Finn Park to help fund the development of the new stadium, but they now plan to keep the Navenny Street venue as a home for its female teams.

A members meeting on Sunday night heard details of the aim now of tearing up the grass pitch at Finn Park with the club hoping to have a new artificial pitch laid in time for the 2026 League of Ireland season.

Harps Chairman Ian Harkin told the meeting - which was held online and attended by 60 members - that the club has obtained three quotes.

“We were awarded funding for an astro pitch and we have been in talks with the (Donegal County) Council for a while now looking at different locations,” he said.

“The challenge with astro pitches was coming two fold: European legislation to ban them seems to have been put out; and there are a lot of challenges in the Twin Towns with flooding.

“So, it makes the most sense to develop it in Finn Park itself.”

Building an astro facility on a green field site would have brought huge additional costs and Harps believe the installation of Finn Park will significantly reduce their outlay on renting other facilities to train in.

Paddy McDaid, the Head of Women’s Football at the club, outlined how hiring one facility alone for women’s teams to train on in 2024 cost the club €8,000.

Harkin said he was hopeful that Harps would get the work started and finished in time for the start of the 2026 season, but suggested that the club could explore reversing some home fixtures towards the end of the current season. Harkin told members that first team manager Kevin McHugh - who gave a presentation to members on the call - would be “flexible” with the plans.

“The timetable is very important and getting it done before the season starts,” Harkin said.

Last December, Harps submitted a fresh planning application for the new stadium with the new design, including a capacity of 5,580, featuring additional ancillary accommodation and incorporating a modular building system on three sides.

Work on the new stadium ceased in 2014 and has been beset by a series of delays over the years.

Sunday’s meeting heard that the club hopes to be given planning permission “this side of Christmas” and will then move to agreeing and signing contracts with a developer.

Harkin told members that the club plans to use debt finance, in the form of a 10-15-year loan, to fund its own share of the development.

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Harps have had a total funding from Large Scale Infrastructure Grant of €4.7m, €0.5m from the FAI and €0.5m from the Donegal County Council. Earlier this year, Harps confirmed that they planned to get a community finance loan of €1.1m and a subcontract loan of €0.5m to fund their share.

The meeting heard that the aim is to construct the stadium and ancillary works in three phases with a total cost now said to be €15.4 million. 

The first phase, which would see the stadium operational and have around 1500 seats, will cost something in the region of €7.8 million.

Harps officials have indicated that a major fundraiser will be launched in the not-too-distant future in an attempt to further bridge the funding gap.