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Tailteann Cup Crowd Issues

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Replying To Jinxie:  "I had started a thread on this yesterday but for some reason HS decided to censor me & not post it.

What went on yesterday was nothing short of reckless from the GAA & Croke Park officials.
I actually felt sorry for the stewards trying to manage the situation.

Unreserved seating for a double header is a non runner when people more around & go to toilets or convenience stalls between games.
Then to close some of the toilets just pushed more crowds onto already full pressure points.

As someone there with small kids it was very dangerous at the time between both games."
For the D3 and 4 finals, they also have unreserved seats.There never seems to be an issue and the attendance is usually 15-20k at these matches.

Jack L (None) - Posts: 3101 - 26/06/2023 19:46:09    2489781

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Replying To royaldunne:  "It was a disgrace and not to mention dangerous. The drink thing needs to be looked at and is getting worse every year."
I'm no teetotaller but people guzzling back alcohol in the stands at Croke park is hardly necessary and can be messy with many young children in attendance .only a matter of time before there's a big punch up in Croke bar with drunk punters .
Underneath the old stand in Thurles is another bottleneck with people trying to go to bathroom trying to go round groups queuing for beer , hard to know how health and safety allowed it . Are people that addicted they can't go a couple of hours without a drink and the GAA is worse for having bars particularly in Thurles where there's no need . Have a few pints down town or in the greyhound track and go in and watch the match .

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 678 - 26/06/2023 21:03:27    2489804

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Attendances are far from in decline. The bigger issue is preventing young and not so young gaining admission with too much alcohol consumed. Shouldn't be that difficult to deal with that.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1506 - 26/06/2023 21:55:33    2489814

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Replying To OpenStand:  "I'm no teetotaller but people guzzling back alcohol in the stands at Croke park is hardly necessary and can be messy with many young children in attendance .only a matter of time before there's a big punch up in Croke bar with drunk punters .
Underneath the old stand in Thurles is another bottleneck with people trying to go to bathroom trying to go round groups queuing for beer , hard to know how health and safety allowed it . Are people that addicted they can't go a couple of hours without a drink and the GAA is worse for having bars particularly in Thurles where there's no need . Have a few pints down town or in the greyhound track and go in and watch the match ."
That situation in Thurles is brutal, I remember the All Ireland Quarters last year. That toilet in the back of the stand (bigger stand?) is not fit for purpose. It was borderline crush on the way in to it and the ground was not even full.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1737 - 27/06/2023 09:31:35    2489864

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Replying To PattyONeill:  "In Clones you can bring in your own alcohol, well technically you aren't supposed to but they don't check bags. During the minute silence for recent deaths before the Ulster final I heard a drunk Meath fan shouting "hon the Royals"."
The same shouting happened twice in the Munster hurling championship this year, once during Cork Tipp I think and again at Munster final during minute silence for Teddy McCarthy.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1737 - 27/06/2023 09:33:19    2489866

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Young people are entitled to enjoy themselves as much as anyone else in my opinion, the very people giving out today were no doubt doing the exact same thing themselves back in there day, poachers turned gamekeepers springs to mind. As it was previously said the issues were caused by closed toilets and non allocated seats not lads queuing for beer.

Royal.Legend (Meath) - Posts: 667 - 27/06/2023 10:08:45    2489891

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Replying To PattyONeill:  "In Clones you can bring in your own alcohol, well technically you aren't supposed to but they don't check bags. During the minute silence for recent deaths before the Ulster final I heard a drunk Meath fan shouting "hon the Royals"."
I don't think that was us.......

Greenfield (Meath) - Posts: 522 - 27/06/2023 10:55:44    2489920

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I watched it unfold, the 2 main reasons this happened was A) the group of laois lads drinking and singing blocked the walkway and the other reason is steward's would not let any supporters into the stand until all the meath / antrim fans funneled out into the walkway - perfect storm.... Don't think allocation of seats would have made a difference.

dingle82 (Down) - Posts: 215 - 27/06/2023 11:00:31    2489923

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The level of drinking at GAA games is something the GAA need to get a hold of. There were people in the pub in Limerick on Saturday off their head at 3 o'clock in the day.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1141 - 27/06/2023 11:42:22    2489948

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Replying To Royal.Legend:  "Young people are entitled to enjoy themselves as much as anyone else in my opinion, the very people giving out today were no doubt doing the exact same thing themselves back in there day, poachers turned gamekeepers springs to mind. As it was previously said the issues were caused by closed toilets and non allocated seats not lads queuing for beer."
Young people are entitled to enjoy themselves and drink should not be a problem when taken in the correct place- let them drink in the pubs or stay at home. Supporters should be allowed to bring their young kids without being subjected to guys full of drink causing a nuisance.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 27/06/2023 11:44:12    2489951

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Young people are entitled to enjoy themselves and drink should not be a problem when taken in the correct place- let them drink in the pubs or stay at home. Supporters should be allowed to bring their young kids without being subjected to guys full of drink causing a nuisance.
browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2304 - 27/06/2023 11:44:12

Get over yourself. people more than entitled to drink at games. people misbehaving is a different matter but if you have bars then you can stop people who've had too much
dont open bars/stop bars from being in stadiums and people will bring drink in with them
you will never take kids anywhere then if you dont want to see people full of drink

I'm no teetotaller but people guzzling back alcohol in the stands at Croke park is hardly necessary and can be messy with many young children in attendance .only a matter of time before there's a big punch up in Croke bar with drunk punters .
Underneath the old stand in Thurles is another bottleneck with people trying to go to bathroom trying to go round groups queuing for beer , hard to know how health and safety allowed it . Are people that addicted they can't go a couple of hours without a drink and the GAA is worse for having bars particularly in Thurles where there's no need . Have a few pints down town or in the greyhound track and go in and watch the match .
OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 556 - 26/06/2023 21:03:27 2489804

any game is a social occasion. its an event. its maybe one chance in a week that someone gets to enjoy a drink while watching a sport they enjoy.
there rarely is punch ups caused because of drink inside stadiums.
are people not entitled to have a drink and enjoy one of their favourite sports.
there clearly is a need people can enjoy a game with a drink or two

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3514 - 27/06/2023 12:15:25    2489983

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Killingfields You obviously do not live in the real world if you to think that misbehaving and drinking have no connection. People are entitled to drink in licensed premises!! I was not aware that I needed to go to a football match to have a drink.
Are you confusing a game of football with a drinking session ?

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 27/06/2023 15:07:39    2490106

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Replying To browncows:  "Killingfields You obviously do not live in the real world if you to think that misbehaving and drinking have no connection. People are entitled to drink in licensed premises!! I was not aware that I needed to go to a football match to have a drink.
Are you confusing a game of football with a drinking session ?"
People dont need to go to a football game to drink but theyre more than entitled to do so at an entertainment venue like any big sports venue is.
and misbehaving and drinking dont have to have a connection. there is plenty of examples of trouble occuring with no drink involved. dont be naive and think that drink has to be involved

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3514 - 27/06/2023 18:00:53    2490209

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Replying To browncows:  "Young people are entitled to enjoy themselves and drink should not be a problem when taken in the correct place- let them drink in the pubs or stay at home. Supporters should be allowed to bring their young kids without being subjected to guys full of drink causing a nuisance."
And paying customers full of drink should be able to enjoy a game without kids causing a nuisance

streaker (Galway) - Posts: 498 - 27/06/2023 18:19:14    2490220

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Young people are entitled to enjoy themselves and drink should not be a problem when taken in the correct place- let them drink in the pubs or stay at home. Supporters should be allowed to bring their young kids without being subjected to guys full of drink causing a nuisance.
browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2304 - 27/06/2023 11:44:12

Get over yourself. people more than entitled to drink at games. people misbehaving is a different matter but if you have bars then you can stop people who've had too much
dont open bars/stop bars from being in stadiums and people will bring drink in with them
you will never take kids anywhere then if you dont want to see people full of drink

I'm no teetotaller but people guzzling back alcohol in the stands at Croke park is hardly necessary and can be messy with many young children in attendance .only a matter of time before there's a big punch up in Croke bar with drunk punters .
Underneath the old stand in Thurles is another bottleneck with people trying to go to bathroom trying to go round groups queuing for beer , hard to know how health and safety allowed it . Are people that addicted they can't go a couple of hours without a drink and the GAA is worse for having bars particularly in Thurles where there's no need . Have a few pints down town or in the greyhound track and go in and watch the match .
OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 556 - 26/06/2023 21:03:27 2489804

any game is a social occasion. its an event. its maybe one chance in a week that someone gets to enjoy a drink while watching a sport they enjoy.
there rarely is punch ups caused because of drink inside stadiums.
are people not entitled to have a drink and enjoy one of their favourite sports.
there clearly is a need people can enjoy a game with a drink or two"
10 years ago I would have agreed. Once you have your own family and young kids however most people don't want them around drunks, particularly loud and rowdy ones.

Jazzyjeff (Derry) - Posts: 166 - 27/06/2023 20:36:33    2490247

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Replying To Jinxie:  "To be fair to patrons having a drink yesterday, they weren't the real issue, the bars were to the back of the concourse.

For me ot was the unreserved seating with crowd's moving between games, and then the toilets being closed.

The gaa got it very wrong"
I'd agree but think the drink added to it. Look I use to go to the hideout in 80s and 90s prior and sometimes after games. So I'm not knocking anyone having a few drinks. The whole bloody thing was a mess. And throw in a few lads with too much on them and it could have gotten dangerous. But ur right the main cause of the problem was unreserved seats and the craic with the toilets. I mean wtaf were they thinking?

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 27/06/2023 23:28:39    2490288

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Main issue was the drinking and everyone standing around bars and not moving and also not allowing the Down & Laois fans into take their seats- therefore creating a bottle neck in main walkways when the Antrim & Meath fans started streaming out. Nothing to do with reserved seating.

dingle82 (Down) - Posts: 215 - 28/06/2023 09:28:24    2490322

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Replying To dingle82:  "Main issue was the drinking and everyone standing around bars and not moving and also not allowing the Down & Laois fans into take their seats- therefore creating a bottle neck in main walkways when the Antrim & Meath fans started streaming out. Nothing to do with reserved seating."
I've been to croke Park lots of times for meath games and for games not involving meath, some with full attendances some almost full and some not so full, last Sunday was the first time I've ever attended croke Park with out a seat assigned to me and I can never remember all the toilet facilities been closed bar one set down the very end either, yet the bars have been there since it was done up without them ever been much of an issue, in fact I would say people queuing and eating around the food outlets causes more of a congestion, in summary croke Park usually do things right and I'm sure there was a good reason why all the toilets were closed, but not given seat numbers in a large stand ( lower hogan ) that was full to capacity was a mistake and I'm sure they know that themselves at this stage.

Royal.Legend (Meath) - Posts: 667 - 28/06/2023 18:31:04    2490500

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Replying To Royal.Legend:  "I've been to croke Park lots of times for meath games and for games not involving meath, some with full attendances some almost full and some not so full, last Sunday was the first time I've ever attended croke Park with out a seat assigned to me and I can never remember all the toilet facilities been closed bar one set down the very end either, yet the bars have been there since it was done up without them ever been much of an issue, in fact I would say people queuing and eating around the food outlets causes more of a congestion, in summary croke Park usually do things right and I'm sure there was a good reason why all the toilets were closed, but not given seat numbers in a large stand ( lower hogan ) that was full to capacity was a mistake and I'm sure they know that themselves at this stage."
To be fair I was at the Derry City FAI Cup soccer final last November. A crowd of around 30k in the Aviva. No assigned seating. The stand we were in was full. Maybe it was because we had only one game on but it was generally OK and I had been a little worried as it had been made clear beforehand there was no assigned seats. Maybe it was a case at Croke Park on Sunday of poor management on the day? Not enough prep done?

Jazzyjeff (Derry) - Posts: 166 - 28/06/2023 20:08:43    2490517

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "The same shouting happened twice in the Munster hurling championship this year, once during Cork Tipp I think and again at Munster final during minute silence for Teddy McCarthy."
I'd say you mean the Cork Waterford game. The minutes silence at the Cork v Tipp game was impeccably observed.

Frontier1000 (Cork) - Posts: 60 - 28/06/2023 20:52:27    2490523

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