OHI Secures €475k Grant to Transform 'The Dome' into Olympic Handball National Arena

Olympic Handball Ireland is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded €475,188 in government funding to refurbish the iconic “Dome” at Trinity Comprehensive School, Ballymun. This grant is a key step in establishing a dedicated national arena for handball in Ireland.

Since 2021, OHI has partnered with Trinity Comprehensive School by providing equipment and education to teachers and students, including our Transition Year programme. This collaboration has helped the school participate in our competitions.

Transforming 'The Dome'

Originally used as a futsal court in 2010, The Dome has been inactive for over a decade due to condensation issues, which made it unsuitable for use. With this new funding, OHI will transform it into the Olympic Handball National Arena — a dedicated facility for handball in Ireland.

The arena will be used by the school during school hours, and the space will be available to local sports clubs and community groups outside of these hours. Local clubs played a key role in securing the grant, and we are excited to see this facility become a hub for the Ballymun community.

A New Home for Handball in Ireland

The Olympic Handball National Arena will not only serve as the national home for handball but also as a vital community resource. It will host handball training sessions, competitions, and community events, supporting the growth of the sport in Ireland.

We are deeply grateful to the government for their support. Special thanks go to Trinity Comprehensive School’s principal Frances Neary and PE teacher Paddy O’Reilly for their dedication to this project. We also want to acknowledge Paul McAuliffe for his crucial assistance in securing this funding.

Looking for Further Investment

While this grant is a huge achievement, we are still seeking additional investment and sponsorship to complete the project. Interested parties can contact joao@olympichandball.org to discuss partnership opportunities.

We look forward to seeing The Dome come alive once again as a vibrant center for sport and the local community, reborn as the Olympic Handball National Arena. Stay tuned for updates on the progress of this exciting project. Thank you for your continued support of handball in Ireland!