National Forum

Casement Park

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I read an article in the Independent about Casement Park and the current situation that it was in. Even the increase in cost and no Stormont currently sitting it would make it hard to see this getting completed anytime before 2023 best case.

It is in awful condition today but it got me thinking, why was it shut down in the first place. Surely it would have made for sense for Antrim to keep it open until they were going to start the demolishing of the stadium. Should this be the case it will have been close for 10 or more years which is terrible from an Antrim GAA perspective.

juicy (Meath) - Posts: 402 - 17/10/2019 10:15:58    2244032

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I would love to see this happen but unfortunately I can't see it -the biggest sporting f...kup in Irish sporting history....

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1685 - 17/10/2019 12:49:46    2244059

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Lot of reasons why it has taken the route it has but for me the eye should never have been taken off the ball when you know there is political involvement. There should have been foresight that there could be obstacles put in place by those of lets just say a non GAA persuasion and the plan of attack of our County should have been based on that. To take the decision to close Casement on the good faith of our politicians etc and not wait til the bulldozers were at the gate is probably one of the most naive things I've come across in my lifetime. Believe me when I say there will be plenty delighted by the current situation of Antrim GAA.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 17/10/2019 14:40:08    2244089

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If only Arlene supported Antrim instead of Fermanagh .......

lionofludesch (Down) - Posts: 475 - 17/10/2019 15:15:01    2244092

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Awful waste ye why it wasn't kept open until sorted. In disrepair now for no reason & Antrim could have continued to use it up to the current day.

fergie (Carlow) - Posts: 1118 - 17/10/2019 15:18:12    2244093

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It is sad. It's a stadium that means a lot to me.

Watching the club in championship action there.

The 2000 Championship with the 3 games in Casement was fantastic entertainment.

I was 14 before we beat Down that day with the players delayed coming out about 20 minutes late after half time to let the hail subside.

We'd the drawn game against Derry where Shinny McQuillan barely missed a free/45 until the last kick of the game when Tohill caught what would've been the winner from above the crossbar.

It was all good that summer. We found out about Joey Dunlop's passing over the tannoy ahead of the replay.

The shock and sadness that passed through the stands then was a bit chilling.

It was a great pitch to play on also.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4343 - 17/10/2019 18:23:33    2244123

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I have posted on this a few times, it was a fully functioning stadium albeit with wear & tear. It had a cracking little social club/bar under the main stand. The GAA at Central Level must take full responsibility, it should not have been let to go to rack & ruin until it was definite monies were in place. Then we got the pass the book as we do with all GAA capital projects, blaming Antrim Co Board, Ulster Council, Residents, NI assembly etc. This was a GAA project with monies from central funds in Croke Park part of the proposed investment, they should be overseeing the project but as we have seen in PUC & in other counties such as Mayo & Galway, there is nobody in charge or responsible of multi million capital projects within the GAA, NOBODY !
Hence Casement Park has been left to rot, it's an indictment on the senior leadership of the Association, past & present. Not one penny should be allocated to them without proper corporate governance & oversight of capital projects been in place.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 17/10/2019 19:40:41    2244136

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Very frustrating for us northern gales.

downtothecore (Down) - Posts: 349 - 17/10/2019 21:08:09    2244145

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Replying To cuchulainn35:  "I would love to see this happen but unfortunately I can't see it -the biggest sporting f...kup in Irish sporting history...."
Biggest? I'd say the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh is on a par.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2662 - 17/10/2019 23:46:33    2244159

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Replying To downtothecore:  "Very frustrating for us northern gales."
Understandable, now if they were a Super 8 county, do you think they would be left shrivelling on the vine ?

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 18/10/2019 00:44:22    2244162

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Replying To Cockney_Cat:  "Biggest? I'd say the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh is on a par."
No it's built, functioning and will become profitable and wasn't closed for redevelopment until all planning was secured and i's were dotted and t's crosses, Casement has been a disaster to the extent that personally I believe the plan should be abandoned and a more modest rebuild take place with Clones getting the bulk of funds to bring it up to standard, enough is enough and Antrim have suffered long enough.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3744 - 18/10/2019 12:30:11    2244217

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Replying To moc.dna:  "I have posted on this a few times, it was a fully functioning stadium albeit with wear & tear. It had a cracking little social club/bar under the main stand. The GAA at Central Level must take full responsibility, it should not have been let to go to rack & ruin until it was definite monies were in place. Then we got the pass the book as we do with all GAA capital projects, blaming Antrim Co Board, Ulster Council, Residents, NI assembly etc. This was a GAA project with monies from central funds in Croke Park part of the proposed investment, they should be overseeing the project but as we have seen in PUC & in other counties such as Mayo & Galway, there is nobody in charge or responsible of multi million capital projects within the GAA, NOBODY !
Hence Casement Park has been left to rot, it's an indictment on the senior leadership of the Association, past & present. Not one penny should be allocated to them without proper corporate governance & oversight of capital projects been in place."
Monies weren't the problem, residents objected the plan was redrawn and now there hasn't been anyone working in that basket case they call Stormont for over two years so planning permission has been held up, it's a farce heaped upon farce and whoever it was that allowed the place to close without everything 100% in order should never be let near the GAA again. Rebuild Casement for Antrim, the horse has bolted on this and enough time and money has been wasted, nice idea but couldn't be made work, leave Clones as the main ground and bring it up to spec, in fact they should have made that call before now.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3744 - 18/10/2019 12:35:32    2244219

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Ravenhill was re-built.
Windsor Park was re-built.
A lot of people in the north laugh when driving
down the M1 every day by Casement.
Would never happen in Cork or Dublin.

hunchback (Antrim) - Posts: 56 - 18/10/2019 18:41:38    2244286

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What's the plan for Antrim next year. Are there any plans to put up temporary stands in one of the other grounds the ones I've seen around other stadiums seem pretty easy to knock together but I would have no idea of cost

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 18/10/2019 19:20:55    2244293

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Honestly dont think there is much call for it. It's a poor location with a pretty bad atmosphere.

If a new 40k plus stadium is to be built in the North then it should be in mid-Ulster. Somewhere that is accessible to all the gaels of Ulster. Say somewhere like east Tyrone for example.

Wally (Tyrone) - Posts: 922 - 19/10/2019 13:57:23    2244358

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Replying To hunchback:  "Ravenhill was re-built.
Windsor Park was re-built.
A lot of people in the north laugh when driving
down the M1 every day by Casement.
Would never happen in Cork or Dublin."
The court's didn't block Ravenhill or Windsor Park though. I'm not sure what you'd like the GAA to do, ignore the Northern Ireland planning authorities and build the stadium anyway?

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1668 - 19/10/2019 20:14:57    2244444

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Replying To Richieq:  "No it's built, functioning and will become profitable and wasn't closed for redevelopment until all planning was secured and i's were dotted and t's crosses, Casement has been a disaster to the extent that personally I believe the plan should be abandoned and a more modest rebuild take place with Clones getting the bulk of funds to bring it up to standard, enough is enough and Antrim have suffered long enough."
I would disagree withy you in that statement. Belfast is the biggest population /city in Ulster and it should have a good stadium. It is a pity that Casement which was a good pitch was let go to ruin. The GAA/Croke Park is good at spending money and making poor decisions regarding pitch development and history has shown that. What does it cost to maintain CP on an annual basis considering that the pitch is heated/lighted, cut every day and the sod replaced every year by an army of well paid personnel (even with no concerts).

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 19/10/2019 23:17:52    2244474

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Replying To Wally:  "Honestly dont think there is much call for it. It's a poor location with a pretty bad atmosphere.

If a new 40k plus stadium is to be built in the North then it should be in mid-Ulster. Somewhere that is accessible to all the gaels of Ulster. Say somewhere like east Tyrone for example."
east Tyrone is more accessible than Belfast's M2 route? I've heard it all now!

And to say there is no call for a stadium in Belfast after what we've been left with is the most ridiculous post I've seen on this thread. Im sure a 40,000 seater in the same neck of the woods as your already capable Healy park would suit your own selfish needs perfectly but Ulster is bigger than Tyrone and if progress is to be made up here then Ulster needs the iconic Casement park redeveloped and sitting proudly once again in the most populated area of GAA clubs in the whole of Ireland.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2513 - 20/10/2019 09:10:12    2244492

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Replying To SaffronDon:  "east Tyrone is more accessible than Belfast's M2 route? I've heard it all now!

And to say there is no call for a stadium in Belfast after what we've been left with is the most ridiculous post I've seen on this thread. Im sure a 40,000 seater in the same neck of the woods as your already capable Healy park would suit your own selfish needs perfectly but Ulster is bigger than Tyrone and if progress is to be made up here then Ulster needs the iconic Casement park redeveloped and sitting proudly once again in the most populated area of GAA clubs in the whole of Ireland."
In truth Casement has faced as much opposition from other Ulster Gaels as any anti GAA forces in the North. There is resentment and jealousy from some elements, particularly in Tyrone and Derry, that Belfast could hold Ulster finals again. These are the same people who travel into Belfast every day for their Civil Service/NHS/Teaching jobs, whose student youths torture residents in the Holyland with their drunken loutish behaviour and who take EVERYTHING from Belfast and give nothing back. Their hypocrisy and selfishness makes me puke to be honest.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9788 - 20/10/2019 15:38:27    2244558

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Replying To Ulsterman:  "In truth Casement has faced as much opposition from other Ulster Gaels as any anti GAA forces in the North. There is resentment and jealousy from some elements, particularly in Tyrone and Derry, that Belfast could hold Ulster finals again. These are the same people who travel into Belfast every day for their Civil Service/NHS/Teaching jobs, whose student youths torture residents in the Holyland with their drunken loutish behaviour and who take EVERYTHING from Belfast and give nothing back. Their hypocrisy and selfishness makes me puke to be honest."
Not from me or anyone I know in Tyrone. The project has stalled due to objections from mainly Nationalist residents nearby. Nothing much the GAA or anyone outside Belfast can do about that if a bunch of chippy nimbys would rather live beside a derelict eyesore than a nice modern stadium.

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 20/10/2019 20:09:37    2244621

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