Shelbourne FC announce this morning they are entering a ground share agreement with Bohemians at a redeveloped Dalymount Park.
Dublin County Board last year tried to acquire a site at the Spawell off NAMA which fell through where they hoped to locate a stadium. With this in mind perhaps Dublin should seize the opportunity to take control of Tolka and redevelop into something to suit their needs. Parnell Park is showing its age and is not well located so perhaps Tolkas more central location would be a good move.
This can then be developed into a modern ground capable of hosting Dublin footballers & hurlers in the league and the hurlers in the championship as well as the various county finals, U21 and Minor squads. Also acting a neutral venue in the way Parnell currently does.
The site is well serviced by Dublin Bus, walkable from Drumcondra station and the proposed Metro will go through Drumcondra. Plenty of boozers nearby that are used to dealing with Croke Park and Tolka crowds.
Worth a shot?

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 571 - 04/10/2016 10:39:24    1922259

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12116 - 04/10/2016 10:43:55    1922262

Not a bad idea, but is the site big enough to accommodate the bigger pitch, new stands, etc?

football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 04/10/2016 10:50:18    1922268

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1643 - 04/10/2016 10:52:37    1922269

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 04/10/2016 10:52:39    1922270

Stmunnsriver (Wexford) - Posts: 2841 - 04/10/2016 10:54:32    1922272

Don't see how Tolka Park could be redeveloped into any sort of decent sized ground to be honest.

Backs right onto the river, houses at each end and the even with a stand in between there's not a lot of space between the pitch and Richmond Road. You'd be expanding the pitch for a start so that'd leave you very tight for space to work with anyways.

Shels will be dying a slow death over the next couple of years, sad in a way. If they moved back out to Irishtown / Ringsend or even out to Santry you might have a bit of hope for them.

Short of buying up a golf club there's not really a lot of options for the Dubs close to the city centre.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 04/10/2016 11:03:48    1922280

Nice idea but cannot see that happening.
I would imagine that there would be huge opposition planning wise to such a project.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 04/10/2016 11:19:23    1922289

Nice idea but way too small of a site.

It'll be sad to see Shelbourne's death over the next few years. Kinda.

It's the type of site I'd like to see the County Board looking at though. Anything other than some sort of soulless greenfield site "off the M50".

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 04/10/2016 11:36:08    1922298

I think it would be a great idea! You could reduce the size of the pitch and increase the viewing area. If we keep the Dubs playing on a small pitch and get them used to it, then we may all have a better chance of beating them on the wide open spaces of CP come September.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 04/10/2016 11:58:48    1922315

Going off Google Maps, the Spawell site is around 130,000m2 and Tolka site is around 14,000m2. It's almost 1/10th the size they were interested in.

fast_forward (Louth) - Posts: 45 - 04/10/2016 13:40:56    1922368

No is the short answer. Its too small in my opinion and Parnell Park is in better nick.
Dublin could do with a venue on the southside though.

Condorman (Dublin) - Posts: 983 - 04/10/2016 14:35:32    1922407

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 04/10/2016 15:11:18    1922424

They should build it opposite the Louis Fitzgerald hotel there's a massive plot of land there with the M 50 Naas Rd and luas stop right beside the land it would ideal for everyone travelling from the country and Dublin.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 04/10/2016 15:24:01    1922433

the bishops palace beside croke park

heresam (Dublin) - Posts: 156 - 04/10/2016 17:40:00    1922521

Whatever about problems playing in Croker in heavy rain you'd at least be able to have a game. Isn't Tolka Park a flood risk, named after a river that causes floods fairly frequently.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7342 - 04/10/2016 20:25:53    1922599

As stated by others I don't think it has the size or scope to be developed into a GAA stadium of Dublin's requirements and it has had a range of flooding problems over the years. Additionally I doubt many residents would be in favour not to mention the soccer fraternity who see it as a sort of spiritual location given its past and present tenants. The Dubs need a 30-35k capacity stadium and I don't see how that could be facilitated at that site. At any rate I would presume Dublin City Council have plans for the site to recoup the money being spent on purchasing and redeveloping Dalymount Park.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 04/10/2016 21:11:29    1922611

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 04/10/2016 21:37:43    1922621

I just noticed something in an article about Bernard Brogan. In the article it featured a tweet from Diarmuid Connelly after Saturdays game. There was a picture in the tweet and on the wall in the back of the picture is an inspirational quote. The article (unintentionally I may add) suggested that it was erected by the dubs as part of their efforts to motivate themselves.

Now I'm not trying to suggest that these quotes work, in fact I think they are a load of bull and some motivational speaker and marketing company and graphic designer can make a right bit of money from erecting these signs and quotes. But it got me thinking, are these quotes on both dressing rooms in Croker? Or was it the Dublin management team got this erected in the changing rooms.

I'm not trying to get this turned into an anti dublin post either, i'm just curious. I've never had the luxury of being in any croke park dressing room so i have no idea what they are like.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 07/10/2016 12:06:33    1923683

gormdubhgorm (Dublin) - Posts: 990 - 07/10/2016 12:35:10    1923698