Does the country need a new stadium. There is no stadium in leinster big enough for Dublin to play a championship game apart from Croke Park. When Mayo had to play Kerry in an all Ireland semi final it was in Limerick. This was obviously seen as the best alternative by croke park. Personally I thought it was one of the worst county grounds I was ever in. Views from the small covered stand were terrible because of gradient and the facilities in the ground were non existent.

I think GAA should look at building a second stadium. A 50000 to 60000 seater one in athlone or Mullingar.

Mfs (Mayo) - Posts: 251 - 16/10/2014 14:18:11    1664270

Last thing we need are huge vanity project white elephants.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 16/10/2014 14:35:05    1664282

Agree completely. But it won't happen as there would be a chance that dubs be moved out of cp and that can't happen as they may get beat.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 16/10/2014 14:58:58    1664301

Thurles would be a good spot , they could just do it up a bit.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 16/10/2014 15:08:31    1664308

To be honest I don't think there's any need for a brand new 50,000 seater stadium anywhere in the country, it just wouldn't see the usage.

About three years ago the Leinster Council came out and said they were looking into carrying out a feasibility study around building a new 25,000 seater stadium just off the M50 at a proposed cost of €100 million. A stadium that was to used by Dublin as a home venue for league matches and also to be used by Kildare, Meath, Louth as well as Westmeath and Wicklow.

Juventus built a 41,000 seater for the same price as the Leinster Council estimated their project at, Swansea Council built the Liberty Stadium (20,000 seats) for £27 million and Cardiff City built a 33,000 seater ground for less than £50 million. So where the €100 million figure came from is anyones guess.

If there's anywhere close to that amount of money available to be used for stadium construction then it'd be much better off being divided among the various county boards to allow them redevelop their own grounds. The renovation of O'Connor Park in Tullamore cost less than €10 million, a couple of similar sized venues around the place would make for much more worthwhile projects than a new stadium methinks.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 16/10/2014 16:17:40    1664342

KingdomBoy1
County: Kerry

Thurles would be a good spot , they could just do it up a bit.

Yeah its good for one half of the country but not the top half. Look we have enough stadiums but have too many big ones that are only filled every 2/3 years. It a madness when you think about it but we are where we are.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11231 - 16/10/2014 16:25:05    1664349

The Bertie Bowl?

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7844 - 16/10/2014 16:27:15    1664351

We only fill Croke Park a few times per year. Thurles doesnt get filled very often either so would be a waste of money. a non-runner.

Don't get the obsession with getting the dubs out of Croke Park.

They deserve to play in Croke Park with the support they attract. If they met Kerry or cork in a Qualifier bring them to Thurles maybe but other than that..no.

Or for a National League final for example bring them out of Croke Park. At the end of the day, you can't throw away money cos of the novel idea of bringing them to Pearse or O'Moore park. Wouldnt make sense

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 16/10/2014 18:14:15    1664393

KingdomBoy1
County: Kerry
Posts: 2496

1664308
Thurles would be a good spot , they could just do it up a bit.

Not ideal if you're coming from the West/North West but it is fairly central and on the M8. And most importantly, it already exists.

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 16/10/2014 18:26:56    1664401

Can anyone tell me for what games Dublin should play outside of CP? We already play half of our league games away. Leinster 1/4s are in CP for all counties anyway I think. So do people want to build a new ground with 50K capacity so that Dublin can play one championship match a year, which they would probably win by a cricket score anyway, outside of the capital? Sounds like some mad decentralisation plan that a FG minister would dream up.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 16/10/2014 19:47:28    1664442

Problem with a lot of places outside Dublin is infrastructure its just not there to be able to make use of a stadium with 60 thousand capacity

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 16/10/2014 20:12:48    1664459

Roundball
I know what your saying bout teams from the north west and west but it is fairly central otherwise and lt wouldn't cost a lot to do it up, but it could do with a big road in to it, other than that it would be ideal, in 2001 we played Dublin in thurles and they were 2 great games, great venue.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 16/10/2014 21:15:06    1664523

Roundball
I know what your saying bout teams from the north west and west but it is fairly central otherwise and lt wouldn't cost a lot to do it up, but it could do with a big road in to it, other than that it would be ideal, in 2001 we played Dublin in thurles and they were 2 great games, great venue.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 16/10/2014 21:15:06    1664524

Kingdom

They were great occasions for those who made the matches in 2001. Infrastructure from Dublin to thurles back then was a huge problem. I sat in traffic at the curragh for an hour and half. We left 4 hours before throw in and got unto ground 10 mins after throw in. A lot of people along the way at mountrath and borrisanossiry and roscrea decided to just pull in and watch the match there as they weren't going to make it on time. Thank god thurles now is far more accessible these days but these are the problems most provincial venues face when catering for large capacity crowds

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 17/10/2014 10:06:24    1664578

tiobraid
County: Tipperary


Don't get the obsession with getting the dubs out of Croke Park.

They deserve to play in Croke Park with the support they attract. If they met Kerry or cork in a Qualifier bring them to Thurles maybe but other than that..no.

Or for a National League final for example bring them out of Croke Park.
At the end of the day, you can't throw away money cos of the novel idea of bringing them to Pearse or O'Moore park. Wouldnt make sense


Joxer
County: Dublin
Posts: 1868

Can anyone tell me for what games Dublin should play outside of CP?
We already play half of our league games away. Leinster 1/4s are in CP for all counties anyway I think.
So do people want to build a new ground with 50K capacity so that Dublin can play one championship match a year, which they would probably win by a cricket score anyway, outside of the capital? Sounds like some mad decentralisation plan that a FG minister would dream up.

Spot on lads. Bit of sense at last...

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3732 - 17/10/2014 10:17:03    1664585

Hill
You missed some great craic before that game, out in the streets with a few pint bottles of cider and the banter going over and back Between the fans, in fairness ye must miss days out like that bar the traffic problems if course, but like you say that's been sorted now.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 17/10/2014 10:31:39    1664587

If there were to be a new stadium built, it would not be just because some people want dublin to play 1 game outside of croke park. It would have to accommodate rugby and soccer as well. I think that connaught rugby play in the greyhound track, and it has about 8000 capacity. If they were willing to agree to play home games in a stadium in athlone, capacity of 35000, then we could be looking at something that would work. It would be perfect for gaa qualifiers, double headers before the quarter finals, and even a stand alone quarter final if dublin were playing in croke park and there would be a danger that the game would be sold out.It would be an excellent stadium for roscommon and westmeath to share too.

It would also increase our chances of hosting a rugby world cup etc. seeing as the gaa are willing to let their stadium out to american footballers during peak season, i am sure that they would have no difficulty whatsoever with this.n

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 17/10/2014 10:33:48    1664589

Joxer
County: Dublin
Posts: 1868

1664442
Can anyone tell me for what games Dublin should play outside of CP? We already play half of our league games away. Leinster 1/4s are in CP for all counties anyway I think. So do people want to build a new ground with 50K capacity so that Dublin can play one championship match a year, which they would probably win by a cricket score anyway, outside of the capital? Sounds like some mad decentralisation plan that a FG minister would dream up.

1) All counties play either three or four league games away, don't know what your trying to prove with that point
2) Not all quarter finals are in Croke Park, out last two have been in Aughrim and Carlow respectively
3) I don't want any new stadium built, I think the notion of such is pure folly especially when a ground like Pairc Tailteann has the scope for proper redevelopment into a mid size ground and is already located in the Dublin commuter belt
4) No new stadium was ever going to be built for one Dublin game, don't believe the hype that your that important to the association, the notion of building a new stadium was so redeveloping three or four other grounds wouldn't be necessary despite the fact that renovating those grounds was a cheaper and far better option
5) Dont be so cocky as to presume your going to win by a cricket score for years to come, you all thought that v Donegal and were left with a hefty slice of humble pie to devour

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 17/10/2014 11:51:53    1664619

Kingdom

Yeah I got there 2 hours before throw in for the replay Haha
Yeah we do enjoy the away games that's the thing we do travel in huge numbers for them which tends to be the problem for the Gaa in staging them.
In 2004 I think was we traveled to clones to play derry and was full house with 90% dubs the square in the town was crazy Haha. They certainly coped well with the crowd that day. Where as grounds in Leinster like portlaoise suffer badly from the traffic problems in the town it caused mayhem two years for the hurling against Kilkenny and there was only 11 thousand at them games. Its a pity because portlaoise has a motorway access, a train line and bus routes but the town layout causes its problems. Navan is the best suited for holding big capacity crowds as a venue if it was renovated to 35 thousand it be ideal again like in the 90tys when Dublin played championship matches there regularly against Louth, Westmeath and laois and the likes

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 17/10/2014 12:23:20    1664638

If there were to be a new stadium built, it would not be just because some people want dublin to play 1 game outside of croke park. It would have to accommodate rugby and soccer as well. I think that connaught rugby play in the greyhound track, and it has about 8000 capacity. If they were willing to agree to play home games in a stadium in athlone, capacity of 35000, then we could be looking at something that would work. It would be perfect for gaa qualifiers, double headers before the quarter finals, and even a stand alone quarter final if dublin were playing in croke park and there would be a danger that the game would be sold out.It would be an excellent stadium for roscommon and westmeath to share too.

It would also increase our chances of hosting a rugby world cup etc. seeing as the gaa are willing to let their stadium out to american footballers during peak season, i am sure that they would have no difficulty whatsoever with this.n

The GAA have already committed stadiums to a rugby World Cup bid we don't need any extra stadia for that whatsoever, why build a new stadium in Athlone when redevelopment of Dr Hyde Park a short distance away would be a much cheaper, quicker and sensible solution. I've heard this athlone notion for years yet not even Westmeath are interested in it and they are forging ahead with plans for a new stand in Cusack Park. Let's try and absorb this idea together........WE DONT NEED A NEW GREENFIELD STADIUM we already have enough stadia that with varying degrees of improvement are fully capable of meeting the GAA's needs

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 17/10/2014 12:25:15    1664639