By Jonathan Magee
DONEGAL’S senior footballers are set to make a long-awaited return to MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey on Saturday week, June 13, and the Twin Towns are ready to welcome them home in style.
The county’s clash with Cork will be the first inter-county game at the famous 18,000-capacity ground following its extensive €500,000 renovation, and local businesses are already anticipating a major boost.
Tracey Alexander, vice chairperson of Ballybofey and Stranorlar Chamber of Commerce, said the occasion will be transformative for the town.
“It’s a great boost to the town, the amount of business it brings in is fantastic, but it also brings such a lovely atmosphere.
“The fact the game is on a Saturday means a lot of people will come to the Twin Towns for the whole weekend,” she said.
The pitch renovation, the first major overhaul of the playing surface since 1988, was completed late last year. A wet winter and spring meant the surface is only now ready for inter-county and club football again.
The €500,000 project, funded by a Sports Capital Allowance Grant awarded in September 2024, also delivered improvements to floodlighting, drainage, toilets and accessibility.
The Twin Towns themselves have also had a facelift ahead of the big day.
The back lane from Jackson’s Hotel down to MacCumhaill Park has been revamped with decorative night lighting and freshly painted buildings, giving the approach to the ground a renewed sense of occasion.
The Donegal squad are understood to be highly pleased to be returning to their traditional home ground, where the fortress atmosphere has long been regarded as one of the team’s greatest assets.
With a full house expected and the town buzzing with anticipation, the game promises to be a landmark occasion, not just for Donegal football, but for Ballybofey and the wider Finn Valley.