yes they should play all sports and concerts in Pearse Stadium to help sort out Galway debt and get some floodlights too. I think the non GAA loving residents who live in Salthill area would give the thumbs up to the lights if the GAA mad folk were more open.

suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1669 - 24/05/2016 20:47:56    1858288

I know it is against the rules of the gaa but if connacht were allowed played in salthill then I would like to see them play in the other county grounds as well. The pitch the have while been very rundown is big enough for most of there games.
ROS1 (Roscommon) - Posts:434 - 24/05/2016 18:11:04What grounds would you be recommending?
I can't see any way that Connacht rugby would be interested in this but if they are Galway should definitely do everything in their power to make it happen. Galway GAA in on it knees with the debt situation and genuinely in danger of collapse.
As an aside, but linked, I have followed Galway hurling for over 45 years now and have seen them play 2 home championship matches in that time. Surely no other county has been treated like this. Galway need to leave the Leinster championship at the end of this year as we are getting absolutely nothing out of it.
onlyhurling (Galway) - Posts:726 - 24/05/2016 18:21:40Where do Galway go if they leave leinster championship? I don't see Connacht moving

It might be a good short-term solution but even for Champions Cup can they realistically expect 26,000? Where could they move the dogs to ? Might be better leaving the track as is and being creative in making capacity around it.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts:2349 - 24/05/2016 18:47:04Connacht wouldn't get 26000 but if they continue improving and win pro12 and are challenging again next season and future seasons they will outgrow sportsground. Dogs don't have much options as moving out of town would kill them.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 24/05/2016 20:50:13    1858292

Absolutely not. The west brit media have fallen over themselves to create a new hype around the so called connacht success. That's not surprising as the long ridiculed pro 12 is the only competition that the irish teams have a hope in. Yet the bandwagon jumpers seem to be oblivious to this. The IRFU have pulled off a massive coup by turning their disaster of a year into a pr success. Don't give them another one. I will be attacked by the hoganstand rugby defenders association for been bitter. Well maybe so but we have underway a media driven attempt to promote rugby at the expense of all other sports. Some people need to call them out on this.
sceptical (Cavan) - Posts:419 - 24/05/2016 18:58:12Are you really that bitter? What exactly is west brit media?
What is so called about connachts success? Where has the pro12 been long ridiculed? What exactly is a bandwagon?

Yes I think they should .
This brief romance with rugby out west is not really sustainable IMO so I don't think a new stadium is needed .
TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts:1209 - 24/05/2016 19:15:44How exactly is the following of Connacht a brief romance? What exactly says that it isn't sustainable?

Perhaps as a very short-term measure whilst the Connaught club build a suitable ground of their own.
neverright (Roscommon) - Posts:214 - 24/05/2016 19:30:33Connacht are not a club and they wont be building a ground. They let sportsground off greyhound board and wont be building a new ground

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 24/05/2016 20:54:38    1858297

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1196 - 24/05/2016 21:01:35    1858300

Galway GAA are in debt: they need funds and funding quickly. Poor financial management during the 00's is the root cause. Seeing as there are no concerts planned for the Summer how on earth will they pay the debt?
They have a fairly nice stadium in the Pearse. Connacht would love to play their Heineken matches there and would attract a fairly big crowd. GAA would get some good publicity and hopefully make some money. Publicity counts! Opening Croke park was a PR master stroke for the games. It took away the "backwoodsman" image and showed the World the true face of the Gael.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2519 - 24/05/2016 21:30:47    1858311

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 24/05/2016 21:33:37    1858312

I wouldn't imagine the rent Connacht rugby would pay would have any great impact on the finances of Galway county board. I think most rugby fans in Connacht would rather the IRFU show some long-term commitment to the game in the province by maybe looking into a groundshare at Terryland and investing in redeveloping that to increase the attendance by a few thousand.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 24/05/2016 21:35:04    1858314

Kind of hard to ask the GAA to support Connaught when even the IRFU don't.

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 25/05/2016 08:34:21    1858324

Galwayford, I have to say, you're great craic altogether!

First you start a discussion encouraging Gaelic "Hubs" to promote irish language, dancing, etc., at GAA grounds, to protect from foreign "imports",as you so put it.

Now you're proposing opening GAA grounds to rugby clubs.


A somewhat contradictory stance, no?

extranjero (Wexford) - Posts: 375 - 25/05/2016 09:26:13    1858333

I would have thought that it would benefit everyone involved if Connacht were able to use Pearse stadium when they needed it.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 25/05/2016 09:30:28    1858336

Soma i think most connacht fans would rather the IRFU spend the money on keeping bundee aki

just hoping limerick get a decent crowd against clare sunday and more importantly a win

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 25/05/2016 09:36:08    1858338

The decision is not up to Galway GAA as already mentioned...it is a congress decision.
there has been talk of playing ONE European game next season in MacHale Park but the GAA shot that down.

I think it is a farce that Croke Park can host non GAA events but other grounds around the country in town's that are struggling are not allowed to do so.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11232 - 25/05/2016 09:48:20    1858350

extranjero (Wexford) - Posts: 375 - 25/05/2016 10:07:01    1858361

Even if Galway could offer it why should they.
It's none of their business to try an help the rugby team in the area if Connacht want help they should look for funds from the IRFU to develope a bigger stadium.
uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts:851 - 24/05/2016 13:46:46Oh maybe general good, goodwill for neighbours, some financial support etc etc

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts:11215 - 24/05/2016 15:12:04


When it comes to Rugby you really do live in Rodney King Cant we all just get a long together kinda world , how unbelievably naive

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 25/05/2016 10:53:47    1858388

Regarding Connacht Rugby being a "foreign" team, well TG4 cover their matches. TG4 the Irish language television station that is. So I think they qualify for help. I think this could be a positive for Galway GAA, maybe not the Bosses in Croke park, but a postive for the local GAA in Galway. Extra cash and some positive exposure in the media. There is a long running thread about the way the Media usually slag the CLG. And portray them as mainly "backwoodsmen". Look at Media man's thread to see examples.
Giving the under used Pearse stadium for a few Rugby matches will not destroy the GAA in Galway.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2519 - 25/05/2016 11:19:44    1858404

I would like to see Pearse stadium host a few Galway Leinster hurling championship games.Think it would only be fair at this stage.All the other counties get to play home games (i'm including Croke Park for Dublin).

As for Rugby i wouldn't like to see it played in any GAA ground.Letting Ireland play a few games in Croke Park was the correct thing to do given the unavailability of Landsdowne Rd at the time but that should be the end of it.I really dont care much for rugby.To this day,the blatant elitism of the game growing up in west Dublin has left a sour taste in my mouth.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 25/05/2016 11:50:13    1858427

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 571 - 25/05/2016 12:07:17    1858440

Ormondbannerman, as I know little about rugby structures could you enlighten me?. You say Connaught are not a cub but yet they compete in European club competitions. Are they a regional team drawing players from clubs in Connaught? If so why do they not work with some club or the IRFU to develop a suitable ground. They are a professional entity buying or hiring professional players and managers from around the world so obviously have access to some serious sponsorship. It's hard to understand why they would be looking at usin the facilities of an amateur body

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 25/05/2016 12:39:19    1858452

Nah mate, GAA means Gaelic Athletic Association. Not Saxon/French/American one. GAA needs the Irish language and Irish dancers. What other sports support our culture and music? Answer none really. All are "imports" from another culture.
Tír gan teanga tír gan anama.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts:549 - 22/05/2016 17:21:27

Regarding Connacht Rugby being a "foreign" team, well TG4 cover their matches. TG4 the Irish language television station that is. So I think they qualify for help.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts:549 - 25/05/2016 11:19:44 


So on the one hand, you're suggesting opposition to "imports" from other sports/cultures, yet at the same time you are saying Rugby shouldn't be considered an imported sport?

TG4 also show Wimbledon and the tour de France, should tennis and cycling be considered native sports liable for help from the GAA aswell?

extranjero (Wexford) - Posts: 375 - 25/05/2016 12:39:48    1858454

Stick the dogs around the back pitch and build a new viewing area for them there. Then they can work away developing around the good pitch then.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7346 - 25/05/2016 12:52:13    1858458