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Fans divided on sponsorship of Derry GAA stadium

Emmet McElhattonBBC News NI
News imageBBC Rows of raked red seats form the stand at Celtic Park. Against the rear wall of it is a sign for Find Insurance, which is dark blue and alien green. Some of the grassy pitch can be seen. BBC
Attendances at Celtic Park often reach its 18,000 capacity, especially during championship season

A new opportunity or the creeping commercialism of GAA?

Those are among the opinions of Derry GAA fans after it was announced the county's home ground would be renamed Find Insurance Celtic Park, following a sponsorship deal with a local insurance company.

The value of the agreement, which will also see a high-performance centre near Dungiven rebranded the Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre, has not been made public.

Celtic Park, in Derry city, has its origins in the early 20th century as a soccer ground, but the venue, which today has a capacity of about 18,000, has been hosting inter-county games since the 1930s.

News imageKevin has short ginger hair, shaven at the sides and brushed into a short fringe at the top. He is wearing a black puffer jacket and smiling with a closed mouth.
Derry fan Kevin Gormley believes those with reservations over the renaming of Find Insurance Celtic Park should focus on the potential afforded by the additional funding

Kevin Gormley, a Derry GAA fan who mostly watches matches on the television but occasionally attends games in person, said he was "not bothered" by the rebranding.

"It is what it is. It's still going to be the same place, at the end of day," he said.

"People are still gonna love the atmosphere, they're still going to be there."

"In my opinion, the name of the ground doesn't really matter.

"It's all about the atmosphere, the players, how everything is going, and as long as everything is going good, it doesn't really matter what the name of the place is."

News imageColm is bald on top with a mix of grey and darker hair at the sides. He is smiling. He wears black jacket, the silver zip of which is pulled three quarters of the way up to the top. Underneath he has a dark green poloshirt on.
Colm McLaughlin said he is a Derry City fan first and foremost, but has always retained an interest in his county's Gaelic football fortunes as well

Colm McLaughlin said while he had never been comfortable with the influence of money in sport, "it's part of it now".

"I don't like it. I don't like it at all. It'll always be called Celtic Park, no matter what it is changed to," he said.

I know they're probably getting big money, but it's about principles."

"I still call [Derry City's home ground ] the Brandywell, even though it's called The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium. That's not because I have a problem with it - I haven't - it's just that that's what I've always called it."

The Brandywell was renamed in honour of club captain McBride, who died suddenly in 2017.

News imagePaul Kealey Two men dressed in dark coats are shaking hands. Joe, who appears in his sixties and is wearing a Derry GAA crested all-weather coat, smiles broadly. Colin, wearing a more formal jacket with a zip-up underneath, has short ginger hair. He also smiles. Paul Kealey
John Keenan and Colin Mullan have both expressed strong hopes that their partnership with have a positive impact on the future of Derry GAA

Derry GAA chairman John Keenan hailed the move as a massive moment for Derry GAA.

The five-year contract has been called a "historic partnership" and it is the first time in Derry GAA's history that the county's home stadium will be sponsored.

Keenan told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme the corporate deal was "a collective decision by all" who are part of Derry GAA community and one he believes will be "very positive for everyone" involved.

"It is going to go a long way to help our development squads, our facilities and our clubs right across the county.

"Everybody is a winner here," he added.

Highlighting the growing trend of sporting organisations incorporating sponsors into stadium and training ground names, Keenan pointed to Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park - the Northern Ireland national football team's stadium.

Keenan also referenced Ulster Rugby's Ravenhill, which from 2014 until June 2025 was called Kingspan Stadium and is now the Affidea Stadium.

"There are several examples across the whole island of Ireland," said Keenan.

The deal is not the first of its kind in Ulster GAA.

Breffni Park in Cavan town has been Kingspan Breffni from as far back as 2002.

Armagh and Tyrone's home grounds also have sponsors.

Colin Mullan, managing director at Find Insurance said he was very proud to partner with Derry GAA.