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Pairc Ui Chaoimh - The GAA's Childrens' Hospital

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So, no more matches there this year. A couple played during the league, an All-Ireland quarter final last year which nobody went to, and a massive overspend by the GAA.
This stadium never made financial sense, the GAA didn't need a huge snazzy flashy stadium in Cork to use 2-3 times a year.
The 125m is looking more and more like a shocking waste of money which gives the Childrens' hopsital a run for its money.
At a time when Casement is lying in ruins, Walsh Park needs an overhaul and county grounds in Drogheda, etc need a major overhaul, this was GAA throwing away money at its worst.
And at the end of it all, the GAA as a whole is footing the bill. What a joke.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1736 - 23/07/2019 21:03:12    2215448

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Stadium is built, get over it, last one was a health and safety hazard

PyatPree (Cork) - Posts: 376 - 23/07/2019 21:51:27    2215477

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This is a very valid point - this was a vanity project,
If the ground was open, how many Cork suppprters would have travelled to their own ground in the city v Roscommon
We are know they is a very rich GAA tradition in Corj but feck that doesn't warrant a big stadium with its never ending costs...
Hopefully Michelle can sort this out... takes a Tyrone woman to resolve this

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1676 - 23/07/2019 22:11:39    2215485

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They needed a new stadium but they should have sold the land and built it elsewhere to save costs.

Huge amount of unnecessary funds wasted although the GAA did well to get 30m from the government. Stadiums in Drogheda, Navan, Aughrim and Newbridge lying in ruins.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 23/07/2019 23:47:10    2215536

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Replying To Jack_Goff:  "They needed a new stadium but they should have sold the land and built it elsewhere to save costs.

Huge amount of unnecessary funds wasted although the GAA did well to get 30m from the government. Stadiums in Drogheda, Navan, Aughrim and Newbridge lying in ruins."
Agreed, a lot of GAA Stadiums need a bit of modernization

PyatPree (Cork) - Posts: 376 - 24/07/2019 01:00:18    2215547

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Replying To Jack_Goff:  "They needed a new stadium but they should have sold the land and built it elsewhere to save costs.

Huge amount of unnecessary funds wasted although the GAA did well to get 30m from the government. Stadiums in Drogheda, Navan, Aughrim and Newbridge lying in ruins."
You can add Belfast to that list.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 24/07/2019 06:58:32    2215562

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I see Drogheda being mentioned on here and this is a rare instance in which I will defend the GAA. They were happy to provide funds to build a new ground but internal disputes led to such a delay. We also built a centre of excellence when a new ground obviously should have been a priority. We are in the process of purchasing land to build a 12K stadium in Dundalk which should be completed by 2021.

PK57 (Louth) - Posts: 1656 - 24/07/2019 07:10:36    2215569

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The biggest joke on this whole farce is that a senior Croke Park figure gave one figure, a senior Cork County board official another figure & a review board another figure. The fact that you are talking millions of euro & nobody within the Association can give a definitive figure, it beggars belief & undermines all credibility & trust. You would also have to question how the current Director General has not clarified this & whether or whether there is any oversight within the Association of multi million capital projects, whether they are county, provincial or whatever, it is all under the one umbrella. The FAI are rightly under the spotlight over poor governance, I am sure if any decent investigative journalism was done within the GAA, some cases would emerge that would make the FAI look like choirboys. We are all aware of some of the issues at various levels, there is an elephant in the corner waiting to emerge.
As for PUC, it was the last swan song vanity project of a certain individual who had developed this untouchable role about himself within the Association & not one of the leadership had the balls or gumption to question his role in this affair.
When you consider that Casement Park was a functioning ground was let just disintegrate instead of waiting till everything was in place is another example of weak & ineffective leadership & business acumen.
What is surprising here is that nobody actually gives a toss & that is been shown at massive dropout & disinterest at adult club level & dramatic falling attendances at inter county games, no one cares anymore, it's gone past the point of caring, it's total apathy, let them run it into the ground.
An organisation that at the highest level couldn't vote to allow transparency, has lots to hide !!

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 24/07/2019 07:18:12    2215573

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Replying To PyatPree:  "Stadium is built, get over it, last one was a health and safety hazard"
Which was remarkable in itself- considering it was built less than forty years before it was so condemned.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4338 - 24/07/2019 09:09:48    2215599

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Replying To moc.dna:  "You can add Belfast to that list."
Sorry I was just focusing on counties close to me. I'm sure there's a right few more around the country.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 24/07/2019 11:29:38    2215667

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Replying To PyatPree:  "Stadium is built, get over it, last one was a health and safety hazard"
Stadium is built get over it doesn't wash.
For me, there hasn't been enough investigation or transparency into
1. The costings for the project
2. The overspend.
3. Who is ultimately footing the bill.
4. What steps the GAA are making to make sure this sort of crap doesn't happen again.

And the old saying "Build it and they will come" can hardly be claimed on a stadium which is an absolute white elephant which people are point blank refusing to go to.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1736 - 24/07/2019 12:46:53    2215704

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Replying To moc.dna:  "The biggest joke on this whole farce is that a senior Croke Park figure gave one figure, a senior Cork County board official another figure & a review board another figure. The fact that you are talking millions of euro & nobody within the Association can give a definitive figure, it beggars belief & undermines all credibility & trust. You would also have to question how the current Director General has not clarified this & whether or whether there is any oversight within the Association of multi million capital projects, whether they are county, provincial or whatever, it is all under the one umbrella. The FAI are rightly under the spotlight over poor governance, I am sure if any decent investigative journalism was done within the GAA, some cases would emerge that would make the FAI look like choirboys. We are all aware of some of the issues at various levels, there is an elephant in the corner waiting to emerge.
As for PUC, it was the last swan song vanity project of a certain individual who had developed this untouchable role about himself within the Association & not one of the leadership had the balls or gumption to question his role in this affair.
When you consider that Casement Park was a functioning ground was let just disintegrate instead of waiting till everything was in place is another example of weak & ineffective leadership & business acumen.
What is surprising here is that nobody actually gives a toss & that is been shown at massive dropout & disinterest at adult club level & dramatic falling attendances at inter county games, no one cares anymore, it's gone past the point of caring, it's total apathy, let them run it into the ground.
An organisation that at the highest level couldn't vote to allow transparency, has lots to hide !!"
I believe they did give a figure a couple of weeks ago. It was €95 million.

Sindar (Roscommon) - Posts: 348 - 24/07/2019 13:32:00    2215729

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "Stadium is built get over it doesn't wash.
For me, there hasn't been enough investigation or transparency into
1. The costings for the project
2. The overspend.
3. Who is ultimately footing the bill.
4. What steps the GAA are making to make sure this sort of crap doesn't happen again.

And the old saying "Build it and they will come" can hardly be claimed on a stadium which is an absolute white elephant which people are point blank refusing to go to."
Do you seriously think they didn't do some planning beforehand? This stuff is reported in the GAA Annual Report. You can read it yourself here. https://www.gaa.ie/news/gaa-ard-stiurthoir-tom-ryan-launches-2018-annual-report/ I'm sure next year´s report will have more updated information. You'll also see in the report information on Casement Park. All the details do not get reported and why should they.
I don't see what the problem is with Ireland's third city having a GAA stadium to be proud of and so what if it has taken a year or two longer than planned. That'll be forgotten about in a couple of years and we'll all have another stadium that'll last 30+ years.

Sindar (Roscommon) - Posts: 348 - 24/07/2019 13:49:58    2215746

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Replying To Oldtourman:  "Which was remarkable in itself- considering it was built less than forty years before it was so condemned."
I agree, bad planning of the original stadium

PyatPree (Cork) - Posts: 376 - 24/07/2019 15:15:36    2215797

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "Stadium is built get over it doesn't wash.
For me, there hasn't been enough investigation or transparency into
1. The costings for the project
2. The overspend.
3. Who is ultimately footing the bill.
4. What steps the GAA are making to make sure this sort of crap doesn't happen again.

And the old saying "Build it and they will come" can hardly be claimed on a stadium which is an absolute white elephant which people are point blank refusing to go to."
If there is a big Hurling game, the Cork public will go in their thousands. Unfortunately football is not as big a draw for people outside of my area of West Cork and some city heartlands. It is not a white elephant.
If Wexford had a football match a Wexford park or Limerick play at the garlic grounds, or Kilkenny play at Nowlan Park, you will not fill those grounds either.
You mentioned Casement Park. Of course Belfast as one of the biggest cities in the country should have a quality stadium too. However, as some people have said Cork is not easy to get to (I don't know why), I do know that Casement is not easy for many counties in Ulster either. However as the major city in that region, that is where the stadium should be, and likewise for Cork.

BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 311 - 24/07/2019 15:53:00    2215818

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Ulster play leinster and Dublin next Tuesday in Abbotstown in an U-15 tournament. The best player from Ulster, Down,Derry, Antrim, Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal represented.
They will wear a step for the occasion but cannot keep due to the costs associated.
This isn't Ulster - this is Croke Park
PUC is a vanity project . With a population of 150,000 Cork has a sizeable population for its city and the county works double that - but 25.000 stadium would have been adequate .

Meath aren't world beaters but the have a good support and when they return to the successful yrs they are realistic in what they want

Cork are just deluded - and we all suffer !!!!

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1676 - 24/07/2019 16:27:10    2215840

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100-140 million and rising
Look what we could have achieved
Drogheda
Navan
Upgrade Castlebar
Belfast
Etc etc

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1676 - 24/07/2019 16:35:08    2215845

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Replying To BaldyBadger:  "If there is a big Hurling game, the Cork public will go in their thousands. Unfortunately football is not as big a draw for people outside of my area of West Cork and some city heartlands. It is not a white elephant.
If Wexford had a football match a Wexford park or Limerick play at the garlic grounds, or Kilkenny play at Nowlan Park, you will not fill those grounds either.
You mentioned Casement Park. Of course Belfast as one of the biggest cities in the country should have a quality stadium too. However, as some people have said Cork is not easy to get to (I don't know why), I do know that Casement is not easy for many counties in Ulster either. However as the major city in that region, that is where the stadium should be, and likewise for Cork."
Belfast is the second city of Ireland
From louth , most of Monaghan Tyrone, Derry / Belfast is fairly accessible,
The same cannot be said of the county of Cork!!

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1676 - 24/07/2019 17:45:42    2215881

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the place for a pairc ui chaoimh style job was somewhere like portlaoise,attractive to all and accessible to a huge number of counties
the cost of Pairc ui chaoimh is probably at about 10m per game there at the moment.
vanity project is accurate, except we are all paying for it

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 24/07/2019 18:20:10    2215895

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Cork is Irelands second city. Belfast is in Northern Ireland. Cork has 210,000 people in the city and 543000in the county. And that's in Irelands strongest GAA province of 1.2 million people. Those are the facts. Munster has a tonne more All Irelands than any other province and that's not to belittle any other province.The Munster Championship is the GAAs most important provincial competition so to compare it to Belfast and the counties of Cavan and louth and Monaghan is ridiculous. That's why Pairc ui Chaoimh was rebuilt. The GAA would want to take the money for stadiums and start pumping it into clubs including setting up a taskforce to get people in Belfast playing. And I mean pumping money into a few Unionist GAA clubs..get them.back playing hurling like Carson did and leave the politics at the door.

bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1710 - 24/07/2019 18:27:53    2215899

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