Huge body of work involved in resurfacing of Hastings Insurance MacHale Park

Over the past 16 years, Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo, has undergone significant investment.

That investment saw the completion of a new 10,000 seater stand, the installation of floodlighting and the building of a television tower.

The stand also incorporates dressing rooms, medical rooms, referees rooms, toilets, gymnasium, meeting rooms, kitchen and dining rooms, offices, press facilities, and shops. Toilet facilities and electronic turnstiles have also been installed.

Approximately 20 years ago, Hastings Insurance MacHale Park underwent a significant main drainage programme with the installation of a perimeter drain and a series of lateral drains (across the pitch) at approximately 10m centres. Collections tanks were installed, with the water being pumped into the Castlebar town storm drainage system.

Subsequent to the completion of this drainage work, the pitch has received 100-200 tonnes of sport sand each year since. Cumulatively, this drainage and sanding made a major improvement to the pitch.

Nevertheless, the playing surface of Hastings Insurance MacHale Park was in a poor state, being very uneven, particularly along the centre, and still poorly drained at the south-east quadrant of the pitch. The playing area needed to be lengthened and ideally widened too.

In mid-2020, the Mayo GAA executive (Coiste Bainistí) sought the approval of the Mayo GAA County Board to commence work on the resurfacing of Hastings Insurance MacHale Park. This initially involved completion of a topographical survey of the pitch, an examination of the soil profiles throughout the pitch and the existing drainage network, as well as the feasibility of lengthening and widening it.

It became clear that it was possible to lengthen the playing area as there was ample space behind each goal and particularly at the Davitt House end. Widening, however, would require the removal of at least four rows of seating on the MacHale Road side as well as the installation of steps in front of each aisle and leading onto the pitch. This would create a significant health and safety hazard and would actually minimise the widening impact. The capacity of the stadium would also be reduced from the current 28,000. For these reasons this option was dropped.

Examination

From an examination of the test holes dug, the soil profile of the pitch was very good, with no evidence of an impermeable pan, and was conducive to relatively rapid water removal. There was clear evidence of the extensive sanding over the previous 15-20 years. The lateral drains, over which the grass burned in summer and the positioning of the drains became clearly visible, were largely filled to the surface with fine sand, with very little clay and consequently minimal water holding capacity.

This initial examination indicated that there was no need to remove the existing playing surface and, in fact, that Mayo GAA should capitalise on the previous investments in sanding and perimeter drainage. The topographical survey provided information on the extent of the levelling required.

From the above a specification was developed and tenders were invited, with Killeen Sport Grounds appointed as contractors in February 2021 to complete the work.

Preparatory work commenced in mid-August 2021 with the spraying-off of the grass and the removal of goal posts and ball nets. Ground work on the pitch commenced on August 21, with the grass seed sown and pitch fertilised on September 20.

The initial work involved the cultivation of the existing pitch followed by levelling of the surface using laser-guided technology. This was followed by the application of 1,000 tonnes of sports field sand and its incorporation into the top 250 mm of soil. Lateral drains (depth 450 mm, width 150 mm) were installed at six-metre centres, with an 80 mm land drainage pipe at a depth of 450 mm in each drain, filled with pea gravel to the surface and capped with a clay-sand blend. Each pipe was connected into the perimeter drain along the McHale Road side of the pitch. Slit drains (depth 250 mm, width 60 mm) were installed at one-metre centres running lengthwise on the pitch and transecting the lateral drains at right angles. The slit drains were also filled with pea gravel and capped with a clay-sand blend.

The lateral drains were dug out, pipes were inserted, and then they were refilled using a one-pass machine. To aid drainage, the pitch was given a fall of 500 mm from the stand to the McHale Road side. A total of 375 cubic metres of pea gravel was used, with 11.8 km of drains installed.

Favourable

The favourable autumn weather encouraged rapid grass seed germination, and the mild winter weather promoted tillering of the grass.

The pitch received two top dressings of fertiliser in the autumn of 2021. Since mid-January the pitch has received a further three applications of fertiliser.

A series of physical measurements (surface traction, volumetric soil water content, surface penetration, surface hardness, grass colour, root length and root mass) have been carried out on the pitch by Stuart Wilson, lead groundsman in Croke Park, in February, March and April of this year, and all have confirmed that the pitch has development as expected and is now ready for matches. Currently, the pitch is being mowed every second day, with the grass cuttings being removed.

The playing areas has been lengthened by a total of 6.3 metres – 4.8 metres at the Davitt House end and 1.5 metres at the Bacon Factory end. The playing area will now measure 140 metres x 82.5 metres, excluding the side and end lines.

The re-surfacing, work, installation of new goals posts and ball nets has been funded from the money raised through the Laochra Mhaigh Eo – Heroes' Wall project.

Because of the high sand content (estimated now at ~60%), a pitch irrigation system (phase two) is required. The on-pitch pipe network was installed as part the resurfacing work. Further work is required particularly in relation to the sourcing of water.

Currently, work is ongoing on sourcing and pricing of suitable grass cutting equipment (phase three). Money is in place for both of these phases from the Laochra Mhaigh Eo – Heroes' Wall project and from Sports Capital funding.

Resplendent

With a resplendent new playing surface, Hastings Insurance MacHale Park is perfectly ready to host Mayo and Galway in the Connacht GAA senior football championship this afternoon.

The counties meet for a 10th successive year in the championship. Eight of the previous nine were in the Connacht championship and one (2019) in the qualifiers. Mayo have won the last three after Galway won the previous three (2016-18). Mayo won the four games prior to that, in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

This will be the 92nd championship game between the counties, with overall results as follows: Mayo 44 wins; Galway 41 wins; draws six. It’s their 25th clash in Castlebar, with Galway having won 13 times to Mayo’s 11 of the previous 24.

Mayo manager James Horan has led Mayo to six victories in his six championship games against Galway. The wins were in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2021. As a player, he lined out against Galway four times, winning three and losing one.

Other than last year, when Mayo won by six points, their recent clashes with Galway have been very close. In the previous five games only one score separated them each time.

Now in his third season as Galway manager, Padraic Joyce has yet to enjoy a championship win over their great rivals, having lost in the 2020 and 2021.

*Thanks to Michael Diskin, assistant treasurer of Mayo GAA, for all the information with regard to the Hastings Insurance MacHale Park pitch resurfacing facts and figures