Yeah offside rule! I agree. The Council were silly. Should have done none until they consulted the residents.

Why did they only do 3......they are greedy and wanted money.

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 04/07/2014 14:59:45    1613788

Not even the great Kerry team were able to do 5 in a row at Croke Park.

ekim (Waterford) - Posts: 3 - 04/07/2014 15:02:11    1613790

JayP - that then makes their decision all the more ridiculous.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 04/07/2014 15:04:38    1613792

Another 5 in a row bid comes to grief at Croke Park! Why can concert promoters not issue tickets until the local authority grants permission for the concerts?. Initially it was 2 concerts, then 3, and finally 5 concerts. The only losers are the fans who queued overnight last January for tickets, some of whom bought tickets for the Monday and Tuesday night events, including hotel accommodation.
One word sums it up, GREED.
Garth Brooks has some neck threatening not to come at all, if he can't get 5 concerts.

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1879 - 04/07/2014 15:08:07    1613794

Garth's 3 concerts would only gross about €16.8 million.

How could anybody live on that, give the man a break will ye.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2929 - 04/07/2014 16:02:29    1613831

Not worth getting up in the morning for sponger!!!!!

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 04/07/2014 16:27:14    1613842

I don't see the point of people ranting and raving about greed. We all know the gaa are greedy, that has long since been established. The fact is, greedy or not, these concerts should go ahead. Too much money has been spent already and the nation stands to lose too much. Get some legislation in for the future so it cant happen again and just get on with it. Sorted.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 04/07/2014 16:27:21    1613843

I think the residents are 100% right to fight it and i hope the decision is upheld.

Greed was the only reason for pushing for 5 concerts in a row, ye know for a fact that someone somewhere just said ye know what screw the residents, we will buy them off if needs be lets go for the 5 nights.

As for Garth Brooks he has a fair cheek to say 5 nights or nothing, this fella is a has been looking to exploit one big final pay day who 99% of people going havent heard anything from in what 16 years

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1504 - 04/07/2014 16:36:04    1613849

I find myself in the worrying position of agreeing with almost everything snuf' has said on this.
I just don't buy the "residents knew what they were getting when they bought the house" line. It is a GAA stadium. The residents can expect to have GAA matches played there most Sundays and some Saturdays during the summer. And perhaps the occasional concert. And the vast majority of them do accept that. They couldn't expect that they would be subjected to 5 night in a row of music concerts blocking off their streets.
I too live on a busy road on the way to a tourist attraction. I expect that there will be noisy traffic on the road, especially during the summer. I knew that when I bought the house, and I accept it. But if someone decided to block off all the roads in the area to hold motorbike races until 11 o clock at night, I think I would have the right to get annoyed about it. I would probably accept it though, as it would bring in visitors to the area. But if they decided to do it for 5 nights in a row, I would definitely object to that. Especially if the organisers had agreed with me the previous year that they would only hold 3 events. And then broke that agreement to have 8, without consulting me on it.
I am generally opposed to NIMBY types who object to everything. But on this one, I think the residents are dead right. And if they are objecting in order to get more out of the GAA, then fair play to them. What they are being offered is a tiny amount compared to what the event is generating. Garth Brooks is making a killing on it, the promoters are making serious money, and the GAA are doing extremely nicely out of it. But they think they can throw a few crumbs to the residents to shut them up. Given that the agreement was for 3 events, and the GAA have used up that with One Direction, I think they should count themselves extremely fortunate to be allowed even to hold three extra one for Garth Brooks.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 04/07/2014 16:46:21    1613855

"Too much money has been spent already and the nation stands to lose too much"

So the promoters will lose some money. I can live with that. Not my money.
On the radio this morning, the reckoned that the income concerts from the concerts would represent about 0.0003% of the country's GNP. I think the nations will probably survive without Mr Brooks' extra gigs. I don't accept that it will have any significant effect on tourism in the future.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 04/07/2014 16:51:31    1613859

I know this is going off on a bit of a tangent, but it is relevant to this discussion. I think this episode highlights again the complete lack of any effort from the GAA in dealing with transport to and from Croke Park. It seems to just be accepted that any time there is any event on in Croke Park, the streets around will be completely blocked off, and traffic in the wider area will grind to a halt.
Croke Park practically sits on a train line. A train stop should have been incorporated into the design when Croke Park was being redesigned, and thousands of fans could travel there by train. There should be Park and Ride facilities at Swords, Finglas, Blanchardstown, and every other major route into the city with the buses dropping people into Clonliffe College. No-one should be driving or parking anywhere near Croke Park. Years ago, I went to the Grand National in Aintree. You weren't allowed bring a car anywhere close to venue without a residents permit. Parked the cark in a car park a few miles from the venue, hopped on a free shuttle bus and was there in no time. Instead of wasting money on a sports campus that no-one but the dubs will use, they should be putting the money into improving access to and from Croke Park. would alleviate a lot of the problems for the local residents.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 04/07/2014 17:04:15    1613864

How are the GAA greedy? This nonsense gets trotted out every so often and it's a groundless statement that needs to be challenged more often.

SallyMac (UK) - Posts: 8 - 04/07/2014 17:12:37    1613870

GAA greedy? Lazy generalisation in my opinion and the facts don't match the charge. It is one of the best examples of selflessness and volunteerism worldwide. I believe 82% of income is reinvested in the Association coaching + facilities. Government grants to GAA are far less than to other major sports. TV coverage from RTE is minimal unless as now it is negative. I'm afraid the National inferiority complex raising its head again, "if it's Irish it must be no good?" I have no interest in G Brooks or his concerts but have a little pride in our unique organisation. It is a shining light in this country and is a noble contrast to our bankers developers and politicians. It is nothing short of remarkable that it is thriving in this materialistic 3rd millennium. To attract over 80,000+ to its finals year after year from a population of 5m is astounding. Disappointing that a number of posters are so eager to look for the negative.

mod (Mayo) - Posts: 859 - 04/07/2014 17:28:27    1613879

I am unsure about this greed accusation that is being thrown about. Lets look at who is being greedy:
Brooks: Sold out his first 2 concerts, if he didn't offer to do another 3 concerts 240,000 people would be annoyed with him because he only came for 2 days and why couldn't he do another few instead of making a quick few quid and leaving, disappointing 1/4 million fans.
Croke Park: They offer the stadium for 2 concerts but when Brooks asks for another 3 they tell him no chance. 1/4 million Brooks fans ring Joe Duffy saying it is a disgrace, taxpayers money helped build that stadium and now they wont let concerts be held, they are costing the economy £25 million pounds by refusing to host the concerts, I will never give another penny to the Grab All Association etc
Promoters: They put on 2 Brooks concerts but deny 1/4 million more fans the chance to see him, cost to economy etc.
Residents: Unhappy that the compensation works out at €18 per household, if they were each offered €1000 would the concerts have been objected to?
Everyone involved is obviously making big money, except the residents. Doesn't mean that those who want the concerts on are the ones driven by greed.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 04/07/2014 17:33:11    1613880

That's one way of looking at it Soma. Here's another:

Brooks: Made a decision himself to come and play concerts in Croke Park. No disruption to his life, as that is his job. Gets well paid for his trouble.
Croke Park: Made a decision to rent out (not "offer") the stadium for the concerts. No disruption to the lives of the decision makers, as they don't live locally. Get well paid for the trouble.
Promoters: Made a commercial decision to hold 2 concerts. When they realised the interest in it, decided to hold 3 more with the intention of making even more money (not out of the goodness of their hearts you will notice - promoters care about money - they couldn't care less about the fans). No disruption to their lives as that is their jobs. Get well paid for the trouble.
Residents: Had absolutely no say in the decision to hold the concerts. Had absolutely no say in the decision to block off their streets, have people milling around their houses making noise until late at night. Major disruption to their every-day lives. A small pittance offered to them for the trouble.

As you say,everyone involved is making big money, except the residents. But they are the ones who had no say in the holding of the concerts, and whose lives are being disturbed by this. Doesn't seem right to me.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 04/07/2014 17:55:42    1613885

That is all true as well anfearbeag. It just shows though, if you try to do anything at all there will be somebody giving out. Croke Park decided to host the concerts for money of course, but if they didn't host them you would still have a huge number of people complaining, a lot more in fact than are complaining about actually trying to hold the concerts. To just constantly shout 'greed', as some are, shows a complete lack of understanding and is just a tired insult of the GAA. From what is said in some places, a number of residents have no interest in discussions at all, they just want extra compensation for every event held. If this is the case then there is probably little point in Croke Park consulting with them.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 04/07/2014 18:10:59    1613888

"if they didn't host them you would still have a huge number of people complaining, a lot more in fact than are complaining about actually trying to hold the concerts."

True. But the difference is that they would be complaining that they weren't allowed to trample over the rights of the residents to a bit of peace and quiet. The residents are complaining that their rights are being ignored for the sake of money. Just because the concert goers are in the majority, doesn't allow them to ignore the rights of the minority.

"To just constantly shout 'greed', as some are, shows a complete lack of understanding and is just a tired insult of the GAA."
I disagree. The GAA doesn't care about Garth Brooks fans. They couldn't care less if the average fan never got to see him in concert. They rent out the stadium for one purpose only, and that is to make money. They tried to rent it out for 5 concerts for one reason only - to make more money. The GAA couldn't give a fiddlers if half the country rang up Joe Duffy to complain about them. They rented out Croke Park for soccer and rugby purely and utterly because they were paid handsomely to do so. And they were right to do that. They rent it out for concerts purely and utterly to make money - and they are right to do that as well. But somewhere along the line they have to stop and think if they have gone too far. If their need (or greed) to make money is unfair to the local people who have to put up with it. And I think they overstepped the mark on this one.

"From what is said in some places, a number of residents have no interest in discussions at all, they just want extra compensation for every event held."
I don't see any problem with that. If their lives are being seriously disrupted, then they should be properly compensated for it. They have every right to hold out for as much money as they can possible get. Everyone else is making a killing on this. Why should they settle for the crumbs off the table?

"If this is the case then there is probably little point in Croke Park consulting with them."
I don't understand the logic there. If the residents are merely holding out for more compensation, then I can see every point in Croke Park (and the concert promoters)negotiating with them. If the 2 extra gigs are so lucrative, surely it is in the interest of Croke Park to hammer out a deal with the residents, even it costs them some serious cash.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 04/07/2014 18:38:46    1613898

The GAA as a body is not greedy, the vast majority of people in the GAA are volunteers, from the guys in Hi-Vis jackets at matches to the people coaching and running clubs/teams etc etc What greed is there in that? BUT, there is an elite order within the GAA who make these decisions on its members behalf (though NOT accountable to anyone). They are the guys in HQ who are paid huge wages even by Irish standards. These are the guys who along with their friends in Dublin City Council (not the councillors); who are also not answerable to anyone, who have made people's lives in the area of Croke Park very very difficult. Yes, they are just another big business, they can bully, use PR men who use the media, for their business, which is making money, for us! They are NOT the GAA and it is time there is more accountability about how they operate. To me they are no different to the people running CRC or say FAS of old. This private company operating in Croke Park need to be held to account. These people are only one and half miles from my club yet they may as well be in Los Angles. There is surely a better more dignified way of making money, they could start by just honouring their word.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4953 - 04/07/2014 18:53:20    1613905

That is your view of it anfearbeag but my earlier post shows that if Croke Park refused the concerts they were also going to be in trouble. As for compensation for the residents, what do you believe to be a reasonable sum? How do you put a monetary value on the inconvenience caused by having concerts on, and how far from the stadium should it go? Some people park 2 miles from the stadium and walk, should the owners of the houses they park outside get some compensation? I believe that Croke Park have provided some facilities in the area for residents which they continue to fund. In the last 7 years there have been something like 16 concerts, its not really that this is a very regular occurrence.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 04/07/2014 19:08:10    1613910

"In the last 7 years there have been something like 16 concerts, its not really that this is a very regular occurrence."

Yes. And the residents have made it clear that they are comfortable with that level of activity. Which is why they entered into the agreement in good faith with the GAA to hold 3 concerts a year in Croke Park. Unfortunately the GAA have completely reneged on the deal which they themselves signed up to. Without properly consulting with the people who are going to be affected most by this.
They just thought that they could be bully-boys and ignore deals they hade made, because they are so powerful and no-one would dare stand up to them. So fair play to the residents for doing so, and for standing up for their own rights. If more Irish people were willing to stand up to the rich and powerful and say no, maybe this country might not be in the state it is.

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 04/07/2014 19:38:20    1613921