'We will definitely be back'

Fire in Breffni Park hits championship fixtures

A devastating fire that destroyed the kitchen at Kingspan Breffni Park and extensively smoke-damaged the stadium's upper floor, looks set to impact Cavan’s football fixture calendar for weeks to come.

The cause of the outbreak still “isn’t known”, according to Cavan GAA Head of Operations Martin Cahill.

The fire took hold after the stadium emptied late last Thursday night (August 27) following the Laragh United-Crosserlough game. The blaze “completely damaged” the kitchen, while smoke damage to the second floor of the building, where the celebrated Breffni Gallery is located, has been described as “extensive”.

The immediate consequence was the relocation of Friday’s Kyte Powertech Senior Championship Round 3 fixture between Ballyhaise and Ramor Utd GFC, with further games also affected.

Kingspan Breffni now looks set to remain out of commission for several more weeks at least, with further fixture rescheduling necessary as a result.

“We know it [the fire] started in the kitchen but, as to the cause, we don’t know,” Mr Cahill confirmed to the Celt on Tuesday.

Insurance assessors were at the home of Cavan football on Monday and again yesterday (September 1), with the County Board expecting investigations to be completed “later in the week”.

A phased refurbishment will then begin to get the damaged areas reopened for public use.

The kitchen will require a complete refurbishment, while the second floor has been “completely smoke damaged”.

This includes the Breffni Gallery, the county’s GAA museum, coaching offices, the Breffni Room, which serves as a multi-purpose room, a referee room, a kitchenette, another meeting room, the wash and plant room, and two offices.

Devastating

Mr Cahill has served as the county’s Head of Operations and Secretary for the past three and a half years, having previously been Treasurer for 20 years. The GAA has always been a “huge part” of his life.

He described the scene as “heart wrenching”, with cups, artefacts and memorabilia that have been in the county for years now “damaged and tarnished”.

“We’ll have to leave that to the good offices of the professionals to see whether they have to be replaced or if they can be restored,” he said, adding relief that nobody was injured.

“It’s devastating when you go around here and see what has been put in place over the last 20 years on the second level of the building, but while that is devastating, if anybody died or if anybody was injured, that would be a totally different challenge.”

Meanwhile, the County Board remains hopeful the stadium could be reopen “back in time” for the Senior Championship quarter-finals taking place in three weeks, Mr Cahill though warns: “That depends on the progress we make.”

“Obviously for this weekend coming, we are not in any way trying to be here. It just isn’t feasible,” he said, with no electricity, water or gas currently available.

“All that is switched off and until we get certain areas of the stadium certified as being fit to use and other areas of the stadium certified as being switched off completely and safe, we can’t and won’t be bringing anyone in here.”

When games do resume at the stadium, only the dressing rooms and referee rooms will be in use, with other facilities unavailable until the kitchen is fully refurbished.

That could take between three and four months to complete, and no cost has been put on the work at this stage.

“It could be a little bit earlier, it could be a little bit later,” he said, before confirming with a laugh that the stadium’s renowned curry chips “will be back” too.

“Not in the near future, but we promise everyone we will be back with curry chips.”

On a serious note, Mr Cahill said there had been a “huge amount of goodwill” from the people of Cavan and neighbouring counties to help the County Board get Kingspan Breffni “back up and running”.

When the time comes for refurbishment, a “huge” number of people are willing to help out, something he said was “greatly acknowledged”.

“We want to acknowledge the goodwill of people, clubs, other county boards and tradesmen who have committed to helping us and who are helping us.

“The goodwill towards getting everything back up and running lifts you when you’re a little bit despondent.”

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána confirmed: “Gardaí received a report of a fire at a sportsground in Cavan which occurred shortly before 12:30am on 28th August 2026.”

No injuries were reported, Gardaí said, and the fire was extinguished by the local fire service.