TUS and Cycling Ireland confirm plans to develop €15m indoor velodrome in Limerick

TECHNOLOGICAL University of the Shannon (TUS) and Cycling Ireland (CI) have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop an indoor velodrome on the northside of Limerick City.

The velodrome will be central to the proposed new multipurpose sports arena on the site of the Technological University’s Coonagh Campus.

TUS applied for planning permission in July from Limerick City and County Council for an indoor arena that will be constructed from a twin-skin pressurised system, similar to the design of the Raymond Poulidor Velodrome in France. It will feature a 200-metre cycling track, changing facilities, 476 permanent seated spectator viewing, storage and WC facilities.

The proposed 8,000 sqm arena is also designed to provide facilities for various sports including gymnastics, badminton, volleyball and tennis, as well as uses such as exams, lectures and events.

The provision of three new BusConnect routes to service the area, which are expected to become operational in early 2025, also add to the wider plan for the campus, which includes campus car parking and 48 new covered bicycle spaces.

Welcoming the partnership with the national governing body for cycling on the island of Ireland, President of TUS Professor Vincent Cunnane said:

“TUS is committed to building and enhancing relationships and partnerships to drive the sustainable development of our regions and to positively impact our communities.

“The shared values of the university and Cycling Ireland provide the foundations for a strong relationship to meet these goals, working together to provide much needed sport facilities for athletes, while also opening up opportunities and state-of-the-art facilities on the north side of Limerick city and the wider region.

“With our new campus at Coonagh, we have capacity for sports developments and the ideally positioned, multi-use arena incorporating a velodrome will help the development of the north side of the city, while offering wider benefits to Limerick and to the Midwest.”

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Chief Executive Officer of Cycling Ireland James Quilligan said: “Cycling Ireland operates across all cycling disciplines and is dedicated to promoting and developing new state-of-the-art facilities on the island of Ireland.

“We are excited that the development of such a facility in Limerick will help develop the sport and allow international athletes to train here.

“By providing a community-based facility with a 200m velodrome track, it will encourage participation in the sport and can act as a satellite feeder to the Sport Ireland Campus velodrome for events, competitions, and the development of future representative cyclists.”

Vice President of Campus Services and Capital Development at TUS, Jimmy Browne,  said: “We want to continue providing high quality facilities to help increase participation in sport, as well as providing quality facilities for the region in line with our Campus Masterplan. This facility will form part of our broader City North Sports Park at Coonagh.

“Limerick has transport infrastructure that makes it easily accessible to most of the country, together with the proximity to Shannon Airport, which makes Limerick an ideal location to also support plans for the national centre in Abbotstown.”

TUS and Cycling Ireland have agreed to pursue the €15.4 million velodrome project as a joint application through the Large-Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund. It is hoped the arena will be completed in 2027.

The Limerick arena is set to become the first indoor velodrome outside Dublin, where plans are also in motion for Ireland’s first indoor cycling track at National Velodrome and Badminton Centre in Abbotstown, which is also scheduled for completion by 2027.