Was at the croke park tour a few days ago and was told GAA will have all their debts paid by 2010. Then they're planning to make a removable roof! Don't think this would be a good idea.

Share your thoughts

landofthehand (Tyrone) - Posts: 47 - 25/10/2008 20:26:14    126579

landofthehand
County: Tyrone
Posts: 18

126579 Was at the croke park tour a few days ago and was told GAA will have all their debts paid by 2010. Then they're planning to make a removable roof! Don't think this would be a good idea.

Share your thoughts

While browsing county boards across the country, I note that you are in what I'd call a posting frenzy.
Can you expand a bit on what you gleaned with regard to the "removable roof".
Are they suitable for, say, turf sheds, car-ports, slatted sheds etc.,
Fair play to the GAA though, in difficult times, diversification is the way forward.

Boxtyeater (Leitrim) - Posts: 742 - 25/10/2008 21:05:11    126594

Wow, i have to say at first glance i would not be against the idea. Perhaps there are cons i am not thinking of, but would it not add an extra dimension to the stadium. Its easier to have something and not use it than want something you dont have. Now when i say this I am aware that this thing would be incredible expensive, so good cost benefit analysis would be needed.
Initially i thought yeah, the millenium has it, but sure soon enough soccer and rugby wont be played there, so comparing to Cardiff is pointless. From a GAA only point of view most games played there are summer, so now that i have argued on the subject, i have done a U turn and decided what is the point??
Nice idea, but is it really needed??not like we will be playing a huge amount there in the depths of winter. Open to hearing about the advantages and disadvantages though.

proteuspal (Laois) - Posts: 423 - 25/10/2008 21:10:54    126598

I tink it wud be a grate ideea. It can be very wet in Crok Park espeshily if its rayning so a roof wud solf all our problims. Also it can be very cold on a cold day so it wud be grate too sit and watsh a matsh in cumfort wif heet and not too hav too wurry about the cold and the rayn. Bring it on I say! The soonir the betir!

Dee (Laois) - Posts: 312 - 25/10/2008 21:25:34    126610

how will the pigeons take it

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 25/10/2008 22:12:18    126623

A removable roof?

Where will they leave it once they remove it, i.e. when its sunny.

A retractable roof would be a better idea.........

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 25/10/2008 22:49:35    126635

Never mind a roof Croke Park looks like an incomplete stadium waiting to be finished at one end. What is the problem at the the Hill 16 end? The stadium looks bare and incomplete at this side because it is open and the stands don't go right around the ground in a cylinder. I know the rail line runs nearby but could this not be diverted temporarily to allow the stadium to be fully completed. I took my father a few years ago and the first thing he said was when looking at the Hill 16 end "When are they going to finish the stadium?". Could the GAA not build Croke Park to actually look like a stadium and NOT a three sided ground? I know the history with the Dubs but could there not be a standing area for them under a larger all seated stand? Are there local residents who have objected to this? I would be interested to know why Croke Park looks incomplete! Maybe the Dubs could enlighten me.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 26/10/2008 00:21:22    126656

Of course it'll be wet when it's raining what would you expect.
First of all I can't understand how the GAA still have debts.
Secondly tis a total waist of money. There are roungly 20 -30 days of football in Croke Park. Most of them in the period of June to September. In Dublin the average amount of precipitation for this period is 69.5 mm while in Galway it's 85.25mm. Both don't need a roof.
What about doing up county grounds instead with it like Navan, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballybofey, Ennis etc. Surely it'd be better to spread the money around than centrelise it.
The players are well used to playing in wet weather in far worse pitches too. And if the people at a wet game in Croke Park we're regular supporters they'd know all about it too.

datsrite (Sligo) - Posts: 473 - 26/10/2008 01:11:46    126680

Sounds like they've more money than sense. It's the kinda thing a boy'd be at if he's just after getting an extra '0' on the cheque... how can i spend all this extra money?

Surely it would be better surveying and upgrading club grounds. There's a new ground in Antrim where the changing rooms are still portacabins (not the club's fault though, long story).

Benandonner (Antrim) - Posts: 459 - 26/10/2008 10:51:25    126715

in reply to datsrite: its all well and good expecting to get a soaking at an average club game up and down the country but when paying big money to sit in our national stadium the least you could expect is to stay dry. was at the down/wexford, tyrone/mayo game this year, sitting in the lower cusack , totally soaked to the skin, was my first time in croke park since it was done up, my county dont get there very often unfortunetly, was far from impressed.

wolfe tone (None) - Posts: 121 - 26/10/2008 13:27:42    126761

I have to agree with datsrite. plenty of county grounds around the country need revamping, not to menition all the clubs that dont even have dressing rooms. Thats is where money should be spent.

A retractable roof???? Have we gone fecking soft?? Maybe the sooner this recession hits fully, the better!

irishstew (Sligo) - Posts: 172 - 26/10/2008 13:50:40    126773

To build a stand at the hill 16 end similar to the canal end would require not only dealing with the railway line but also buying a lot of houses in that area also.When you ally this to the fact that the overall capacity would only be raised by about 3500( the canal end holds approx 16000 whereas the current hill holds about 12500) then the cost is prohibitive.
My own opinion on this is I wouldn't want the stadium to have the completed bowl look of almost all new stadiums even if it cost nothing.Why can't some people appreciate croker for what it is,a unique modern stadium,one of the best in the world.We can still have a terrace as we have no history of real crowd violence or diasters such as hillborough or hysel.We should be proud of this rather than want to tailor our flagship stadium to its soccer comtempories.I attentented many games in england both before and after the advent of all seater stadia and the difference in atmosphere is huge.I just think croker is a great stadium and should be celebrated and now more money should be put into grassroots development and county grounds.

kimbap (Mayo) - Posts: 81 - 26/10/2008 14:21:34    126781

Absolutely pointless to put a roof on Croker. Should invest the money in coaches as teachers wont be able to train kids anymore with the reforms in the budget.

weecounty (Louth) - Posts: 33 - 26/10/2008 15:39:39    126797

They would be better off pumping money into developing county grounds around the country rather than a roof on Croker.

men_of_49 (Meath) - Posts: 2012 - 26/10/2008 15:45:16    126798

Excilent post, Dee. You maak complite sens. Cold is de won ting yu dont want two bee.

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 26/10/2008 15:52:13    126800

Good man slasher!!!!!

irishstew (Sligo) - Posts: 172 - 26/10/2008 16:51:52    126823

Well after the last two summers that we did'nt get I think it would be a great idea

PJ (None) - Posts: 2288 - 26/10/2008 17:05:33    126826

ah dee's back, dee , i heart you!!!!!

lino_de_legend (Dublin) - Posts: 816 - 26/10/2008 18:31:48    126863

CAVAN SLATCHER.... R U TAKIN THE P OUTTA DEE FROM LEASH......... how did ya know wat the poor crater was sayin???

sons.of.erin (UK) - Posts: 343 - 26/10/2008 19:17:13    126887

they should forget about roofs and keep pumping money into the grassroots.in the last while they have been very generous to the clubs and i think it is better to see a few new clubhouses around the country than some fancy new roof up in dublin

maigh_eo (Mayo) - Posts: 1346 - 26/10/2008 20:45:20    126929