That would make sense Oldtourman, but then Galway would complain if they had to go to KK for a Leinster final.
Cousin of mine lives in Tipp and works with a Clare man who was saying that Cusack Park needs to be expanded to a 40k+ venue......to accommodate 2 matches a year.
Waterford also building an new (albeit sensibly sized) stadium.
In a province with 4 large stadiums, it seems excessive to be considering building more stadia.
That said, on every trip to Thurles I ask myself what I am missing about this mythical field. For me, the town is one of the biggest hovels in the country and the stadium facilities are decrepit and totally incapable of holding a big game.
I remember the AI Quarter final last year and my son nearly being trampled on in the squash in to the smallest toilet I have ever seen to facilitate such a huge stand. I remember being there in 2001 for Dublin Kerry and the multiple issues there was that day, the place has not improved a bit since then.
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 452 - 05/12/2022 12:08:28
Clare needs a new ground but nothing near 40k and venues can be used for lot more than matches these days. Aviva/Croke Park need the meetings/conferences etc every week to keep the money coming in.
Thurles is about experience of day. match day takes over the entire town, crowds coming into the square and slowly making way out to the ground
Like you can get train to thurles, walk to the square, few pints/food/craic and slowly make way out to ground

The town is a kip though. I agree on that!

Shush. Thurles is one of the sacred cows that we non-Munster folks (and especially non-Tipp folks) aren't supposed to criticise!

Have to say I'm inclined to agree with you, though. The stadium itself has little or nothing notable about it, other than it holds a relatively large crowd. And while people talk about the craic around the place on big match days, I reckon it'd be the same if your pint was pulled in Limerick, Cork, Kilkenny, or any number of other places, rather than Thurles....so long as there's a match crowd around and plenty of match talk, the venue doesn't actually matter from that point of view.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 1223 - 05/12/2022 15:45:Its not the same as Limerick/Cork/Kilkenny though.
the population of thurles is less than 8000 people. on a match day when its a sell out there is 45000. So you have 6 times the normal amount of people in the town so it brings something very different than a similar amount of people in Limerick/Cork city...

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3495 - 06/12/2022 20:27:52    2449700

Well Pikeman, whatever about KK, the pitch is simply too far from the City Centers in the case of Cork and Limerick. I am going to games in Thurles for well over fifty years and the other two venues as well. I am not a Tipp Man or a Tipp supporter, but for a big Hurling match day in Munster, Thurles beats them all six different ways to Sunday and always has. You simply cannot get the Big Match day atmosphere anywhere else that you get in Thurles. Limerick is a hugely Rugby playing City and there is only one pub within easy walking distance of the Pitch and Cork has never cut it for me.
Also for those of us that have been to Thurles regularly, as well as the other pitches and know our way about the area near them- I have lived in both Cork and Limerick- I have always found Thurles more accessible and easier to get home from.
Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 3807 - 05/12/2022 18:22:15
very few pubs near Thomond Park for rugby games and it doesnt affect the atmosphere for games there/

I have only ever once been to Limerick to a championship match, it was around 05/06/07 and there wasn't 5k people at it. I admit that Dublin had maybe 300-400 but the crowd was paltry.
But there was not 1 pub which looked worth stopping / safe in within a mile of the ground. The Gaelic Grounds itself seemed to be in a soulless part of Limerick.
Maybe it has changed now.
But as bad as it is, it will never be as bad as the new Pairc. Somebody thought to put a stadium in an industrial estate a long walk from the city. I will not be back unless the Stone Roses play a gig there and there alone.
Thurles on match day from what I have seen on my trip there with Dublin and Wexford, is just not all it is cracked out to be. And yes I have waited in that square for this mythical match day magic.......could it be like the statues in Ballinspittle??

The best atmospheres on match day are Croke Park by a mile followed by Kilkenny and Tullamore. Kilkenny is great when there is a big game on. Every other town I have been to is fairly forgettable. Wexford is better after the match but no atmosphere before except that pub in Bishopsgate.
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 452 - 06/12/2022 10:08:13
Very unfair and harsh to say pubs around Gaelic Grounds are not safe. Having lived in that area and know many who still do and it isnt soulless at all.
What games did you go to see in Thurles? As its widely regarded as one of if not best atmospheres for big games in country. The square is unbelievable for big hurling games. Munster final days. tipp games.
Croke Park isnt always good, unless theres a very big crowd or its latter stages of all ireland championship and even then it can be poor.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3495 - 06/12/2022 20:34:12    2449702

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3495 - 06/12/2022 21:26:48    2449709

ExiledinWexford apoor Dub
Hi tomsmith,
ExiledInWex here, a Dubliner living in Wexford.
All I wanted to do was thank you for your invaluable contribution to this board.
I want to just raise one point. The word "alternated", according to the Oxford, implies "change repeatedly between two contrasting conditions". As in the alternator in your car.
What you are proposing is more along the lines of "switched" between the provincial venues.
I think the same scenario exists in Ulster, with only Clones being adequate until Casement is redeveloped?
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 452 - 02/12/2022 20:39:27

Tomsmith here from Cavan
Exiledin Wexford.
It frightens me when yousee a poster of a mere 450 Posts quoting Oxford Dictionaries to a Cavan man who as a Gasun found the education system to be odious .
Having said that I see no reason(Teams involved) that several of the stadiums in Munster could not be used.
As I said you have at least 3 stadiums in Connaught.
In Ulster ( The home of the Ulster Fry which odour turns you off) you have Clones ( A lot of residents display their Chairs outside the front door on match day). You also have Kingspan Park .
Leinster is aproblem with only Croke Park big enough, (and indeed lock hard ) would not be to happy to see games go anywhere else. Also Berkley Rd Church where I always attend and pay my pennies (Ihave to do it at home again) would suffer.
I feel that it would spread the game/excitment all over Ireland to have Provincial finals in alternate / switched venus

tomsmith (Cavan) - Posts: 3855 - 07/12/2022 09:29:08    2449713

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4316 - 07/12/2022 12:25:54    2449740

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1122 - 08/12/2022 12:44:33    2449853