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GAA Stadiums

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Replying To perfect10:  "forgot to put it in my list of awful grounds above.it would be an insult to a bulldozer to pull that place down!"
I do love how they put safety barriers on the gravel hills to help pretend they are credible terraces

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 27/01/2020 23:58:34    2263093

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Building two stadiums would be a huge waste when you could just build one and use any surplus money to aid player development with hiring coach development officers etc"
The closed Carnmore Airport is crying out for development if the hurlers wouldn't come to a redeveloped Tuam.

Mailman98 (Galway) - Posts: 319 - 28/01/2020 16:38:55    2263242

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Replying To Mailman98:  "The closed Carnmore Airport is crying out for development if the hurlers wouldn't come to a redeveloped Tuam."
Why do you have go go out to Tuam. 2 stadiums is huge waste and makes far more sense to have stadium in/near city

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3510 - 28/01/2020 17:30:38    2263253

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Replying To Breezy:  "Way to many GAA stadiums have terrible toilets. Wexford Park and Semple terraces stick out as particularly bad in my mind as having essentially a tiny outhouse round the back that is way too small for the capacity of the terrace. And that's speaking as an able bodied man but god it must be a nightmare anyone who needs to sit down to go"
Apologies for this one, if needs be.......there are signs over the sinks in the men's toilets in Wexford Park that say "Please do not use the wash hand basins as urinals or toilets".

Something must have happened sometime if they felt the need to put up those signs in the first place. And the fact that they say "urinals OR toilets" makes me wonder if the problem might have been particularly bad, if you know what I mean....

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2247 - 28/01/2020 17:33:46    2263258

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Apologies for this one, if needs be.......there are signs over the sinks in the men's toilets in Wexford Park that say "Please do not use the wash hand basins as urinals or toilets".

Something must have happened sometime if they felt the need to put up those signs in the first place. And the fact that they say "urinals OR toilets" makes me wonder if the problem might have been particularly bad, if you know what I mean...."
Ha I love spotting signs like that. Always a good story behind em

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 28/01/2020 18:09:02    2263268

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Going by the Grounds I've been to:
Croke Park: 1st Class
Thurles: Great Atmosphere and location
Dungarvan: Windy and outdated
Páirc Uí Chaoimh: Impressive remodel.
Páirc Uí Rinn: Could be better
Fitzgerald Stadium: As my counties home ground it sickens me to see the covered stand still have the wooden benches and the toilets need improving. Great Atmosphere when full though.
Austin Stack Park: Much improved, suitable for league games. 5 years ago not so much.
Gaelic Grounds. Nice stadium but the atmosphere in the Mackey stand is poor and the floodlights are put in a joke of a spot.
Cusack Park: Outdated but fit for purpose.
Pearse Stadium: Windy and a nightmare to get to. Stand very impressive, would like to see one like it put into Killarney.
O'Moore Park: Lovely modern stadium, perfect for provincial/neutral matches
O' Connor Park: Lovely job but they should put terraces on the scoreboard end.
Pearse Park: Hard to get to, could do with a refurbishment also.
Parnell Park: Went once for Kerry v Dublin in the league 2009 (ended in a draw of course). Great atmosphere and not bad to get to. Pity Dublin don't play 1 or 2 league games there. Lovely stand and terraces are covered also.
Newbridge: A team like Kildare need a bigger ground, enough said. Very limited seating.

AnFear16 (Kerry) - Posts: 34 - 31/01/2020 02:59:13    2263916

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Apologies for this one, if needs be.......there are signs over the sinks in the men's toilets in Wexford Park that say "Please do not use the wash hand basins as urinals or toilets".

Something must have happened sometime if they felt the need to put up those signs in the first place. And the fact that they say "urinals OR toilets" makes me wonder if the problem might have been particularly bad, if you know what I mean...."
i have witnessed this happening.awful.
i have wrote to our county board more than once complaining about the standard of the toilets in wexford park.

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 31/01/2020 12:09:10    2263958

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Replying To perfect10:  "i have witnessed this happening.awful.
i have wrote to our county board more than once complaining about the standard of the toilets in wexford park."
Even the sliotars are pilfered in Wexford Park!

johnocarroll17 (Limerick) - Posts: 408 - 31/01/2020 20:50:03    2264072

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Keeping Covid 19 and the Pandemic in mind and with the benefit of hind sight is it reasonable to assume the building / restructure of Croke Park, Pairc Ui Caoibh, etc, etc, was a mistake in the making. - Our Taoiseach said this morning there is no guarantee that pub's will reopen this year, if that is the case the attendances at gaelic games will remain at 200 or less. - Sooner or later the crowds will be able to return to all games and venues, so I've been thinking, the condition of some toiles in some club and county grounds are pathetic, seriously lacking in hygiene, not being disinfected, not user-friendly etc, etc. - Hotels can guarantee us that the rooms, bathrooms and toilets are constantly heavily sanitised, so it's only reasonable to expect especially during this pandemic the same conditions should apply to public toilets, we're being constantly reminded to wash our hands but it's often the case where we have little or no tap water especially hot. In fairness to the gaa they are not alone in this, it seems to be part of our DNA.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 2907 - 05/08/2020 13:46:29    2286458

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Keeping Covid 19 and the Pandemic in mind and with the benefit of hind sight is it reasonable to assume the building / restructure of Croke Park, Pairc Ui Caoibh, etc, etc, was a mistake in the making. - Our Taoiseach said this morning there is no guarantee that pub's will reopen this year, if that is the case the attendances at gaelic games will remain at 200 or less. - Sooner or later the crowds will be able to return to all games and venues, so I've been thinking, the condition of some toiles in some club and county grounds are pathetic, seriously lacking in hygiene, not being disinfected, not user-friendly etc, etc. - Hotels can guarantee us that the rooms, bathrooms and toilets are constantly heavily sanitised, so it's only reasonable to expect especially during this pandemic the same conditions should apply to public toilets, we're being constantly reminded to wash our hands but it's often the case where we have little or no tap water especially hot. In fairness to the gaa they are not alone in this, it seems to be part of our DNA.
supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 2019 - 05/08/2020 13:46:29
What building of croke park or piarc ui chaoimh was a mistake?



Going by the Grounds I've been to:
Croke Park: 1st Class
Thurles: Great Atmosphere and location
Dungarvan: Windy and outdated
Páirc Uí Chaoimh: Impressive remodel.
Páirc Uí Rinn: Could be better
Fitzgerald Stadium: As my counties home ground it sickens me to see the covered stand still have the wooden benches and the toilets need improving. Great Atmosphere when full though.
Austin Stack Park: Much improved, suitable for league games. 5 years ago not so much.
Gaelic Grounds. Nice stadium but the atmosphere in the Mackey stand is poor and the floodlights are put in a joke of a spot.
Cusack Park: Outdated but fit for purpose.
Pearse Stadium: Windy and a nightmare to get to. Stand very impressive, would like to see one like it put into Killarney.
O'Moore Park: Lovely modern stadium, perfect for provincial/neutral matches
O' Connor Park: Lovely job but they should put terraces on the scoreboard end.
Pearse Park: Hard to get to, could do with a refurbishment also.
Parnell Park: Went once for Kerry v Dublin in the league 2009 (ended in a draw of course). Great atmosphere and not bad to get to. Pity Dublin don't play 1 or 2 league games there. Lovely stand and terraces are covered also.
Newbridge: A team like Kildare need a bigger ground, enough said. Very limited seating.

AnFear16 (Kerry) - Posts: 21 - 31/01/2020 02:59:13
Thurles has poor facilities though. Really needs to be modernised.
Is Pairc UI Chaoimh that impressive? Worked there on a couple of occasions and its nothing compared to a lot of stadiums be it Aviva, Croke Park even thomond park.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3510 - 05/08/2020 15:12:11    2286464

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# KillingFields. I'm not sure if they were a mistake, I was just asking the question, this is the way I put it.

Keeping Covid 19 and the Pandemic in mind and with the benefit of hind sight is it reasonable to assume the building / restructure of Croke Park, Pairc Ui Caoibh, etc, etc, was a mistake in the making

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 2907 - 05/08/2020 20:53:31    2286508

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Replying To supersub15:  "# KillingFields. I'm not sure if they were a mistake, I was just asking the question, this is the way I put it.

Keeping Covid 19 and the Pandemic in mind and with the benefit of hind sight is it reasonable to assume the building / restructure of Croke Park, Pairc Ui Caoibh, etc, etc, was a mistake in the making"
I'd say the opposite, in light of the point you made about needing good hand-washing facilities during Covid. Croke Park and Páirc Uí Chaoimh have modern toilet facilities, so their upgrades are a good thing, from this point of view alone.
As you said, many other grounds don't have hot water, which is obviously a problem for proper hand-washing.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2040 - 06/08/2020 09:24:06    2286554

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Replying To supersub15:  "# KillingFields. I'm not sure if they were a mistake, I was just asking the question, this is the way I put it.

Keeping Covid 19 and the Pandemic in mind and with the benefit of hind sight is it reasonable to assume the building / restructure of Croke Park, Pairc Ui Caoibh, etc, etc, was a mistake in the making"
Its not reasonable to assume though. Its actually very unreasonable

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 06/08/2020 09:58:49    2286560

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Re-development of Croke Park was the right thing to do. We need our flagship stadium in our capital city.
Pairc Ui Chaoimh was a pure vanity project in a bad location (based on my one and only ever visit to it, and I won't be back) which the overall GAA now has to foot the bill for. It will be used a handful of times a year and might be full once or twice a year. The white seats fit in with the colour of elephant it is.

What was needed was a 45k stadium in Leinster outside of Dublin, and upgrades for smaller/decrepit stadiums such as Navan/Drogheda/Walsh Park/etc, as well as a general improvement work for toilet and access improvements for many stadiums. The day of no working hand dryer or soap, and cold water, has to be over now.

I hope the 1st thing Chadwicks do in Wexford Park is improve the toilet facilities, that is for sure. Even a light in the cubicles would be a good start...

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1732 - 06/08/2020 11:09:23    2286576

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "Re-development of Croke Park was the right thing to do. We need our flagship stadium in our capital city.
Pairc Ui Chaoimh was a pure vanity project in a bad location (based on my one and only ever visit to it, and I won't be back) which the overall GAA now has to foot the bill for. It will be used a handful of times a year and might be full once or twice a year. The white seats fit in with the colour of elephant it is.

What was needed was a 45k stadium in Leinster outside of Dublin, and upgrades for smaller/decrepit stadiums such as Navan/Drogheda/Walsh Park/etc, as well as a general improvement work for toilet and access improvements for many stadiums. The day of no working hand dryer or soap, and cold water, has to be over now.

I hope the 1st thing Chadwicks do in Wexford Park is improve the toilet facilities, that is for sure. Even a light in the cubicles would be a good start..."
The fact of the matter is Cork has more people than Connacht. I wouldn't have any problem with the stadium there except it was over budget. I always liked walking to the old stadium from the city centre. Its in no way harder to get to than Croke Park. There is a cohort of supporters who arrive just in time and then want to take off like the clappers after the game. I dont understand that mentality myself. Cork is not conducive to that.
Leinster outside of Croker is poorly served. The best of them is Nowlan Park but its got no lights and the capacity is under 30,000. The big stadiums are where the big crowds are. Limerick,Cork and Tipperary. Connacht could do with 1 decent stadium and Ulster. But maybe the days of big crowds are gone for good anyway

bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1710 - 06/08/2020 12:10:55    2286593

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The fact of the matter is Cork has more people than Connacht. I wouldn't have any problem with the stadium there except it was over budget. I always liked walking to the old stadium from the city centre. Its in no way harder to get to than Croke Park. There is a cohort of supporters who arrive just in time and then want to take off like the clappers after the game. I dont understand that mentality myself. Cork is not conducive to that.
Leinster outside of Croker is poorly served. The best of them is Nowlan Park but its got no lights and the capacity is under 30,000. The big stadiums are where the big crowds are. Limerick,Cork and Tipperary. Connacht could do with 1 decent stadium and Ulster. But maybe the days of big crowds are gone for good anyway
bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1243 - 06/08/2020 12:10:55
days of big crowds are not at all gone for good.
Nowlan Park is more than big enough for what its used for so why is capacity an issue there.
Leinster outside Croke Park is poorly served but where do you do up?
You would need to change championship format
Cork is harder to get to than Croker. Access is horrible.

# KillingFields. I'm not sure if they were a mistake, I was just asking the question, this is the way I put it.

Keeping Covid 19 and the Pandemic in mind and with the benefit of hind sight is it reasonable to assume the building / restructure of Croke Park, Pairc Ui Caoibh, etc, etc, was a mistake in the making
supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 2020 - 05/08/2020 20:53:31
There needs to be better quoting and messaging. You putting a hashtag before my username shows this site needs to change.
Croke Park was completed years ago. Its ridiculous to try say it was a mistake to build it because of covid19.

Re-development of Croke Park was the right thing to do. We need our flagship stadium in our capital city.
Pairc Ui Chaoimh was a pure vanity project in a bad location (based on my one and only ever visit to it, and I won't be back) which the overall GAA now has to foot the bill for. It will be used a handful of times a year and might be full once or twice a year. The white seats fit in with the colour of elephant it is.
What was needed was a 45k stadium in Leinster outside of Dublin, and upgrades for smaller/decrepit stadiums such as Navan/Drogheda/Walsh Park/etc, as well as a general improvement work for toilet and access improvements for many stadiums. The day of no working hand dryer or soap, and cold water, has to be over now.
I hope the 1st thing Chadwicks do in Wexford Park is improve the toilet facilities, that is for sure. Even a light in the cubicles would be a good start...
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 719 - 06/08/2020 11:09:23
Pairc ui chaoimh needed to be redeveloped and it would have been crazy to not develop it to a modern stadium. it is in poor location but where would you have moved corks stadium to then as alternative?
the competition formats need to change to get people attending more inter county games through the year.
A large stadium in Leinster outside of Dublin is needed but that doesnt mean Pairc ui chaoimh shouldnt have been developed.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3510 - 06/08/2020 12:28:57    2286598

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Replying To supersub15:  "# KillingFields. I'm not sure if they were a mistake, I was just asking the question, this is the way I put it.

Keeping Covid 19 and the Pandemic in mind and with the benefit of hind sight is it reasonable to assume the building / restructure of Croke Park, Pairc Ui Caoibh, etc, etc, was a mistake in the making"
It could be argued whilst not seeing the pandemic coming the GAA's stadium builds have been out of date for years. In most cases the priority at inter county stadiums was to increase the capacity as much as possible over practical health and safety measures.

They could be classed as comfort but essential facilities have moreso than ever become a requirement. It's highly unlikely terrace areas will get the green light this year and I'd say over 80% of the stadiums won't pass the basic hygiene requirements to have even 25% capacity for the championship games.

With a pandemic still with us I can only imagine the issues at some of our stadiums when you couldn't even wash your hands with hot water and soap. It is why I reckon we'll only see three or four stadiums (if even that) used and the vast majority of Ulster/Leinster games will take place in Croke Park. I also predict all the Munster hurling/football games will be played in Cork and obviously all the All Ireland series games take place in Croker anyhow.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 06/08/2020 15:51:10    2286621

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"The day of no working hand dryer or soap, and cold water, has to be over now"

There is a very good book about soccer called 'The Club' (well worth a read for any fan of sports.

One of the best bits I took away from it was how filthy toilets and lack of hygiene was one of the driving forces of the modern day premiership and all its bells and whistles

Canuckgael (USA) - Posts: 31 - 06/08/2020 15:54:52    2286625

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I agree largely with what Ive seen in relation to the the North East of the country. Dublin (Croke Park aside) having Parnell Park as their de-facto stadium is farcical in this age. In Meath we have a good pitch surface and location with Pairc Tailteann but a very tired and outdated stadium from the 50s that is a health and safety hazard in the condition of the toilet facilities, the very awkward steps and seating facilities that Ive seen dozens of people barely able to climb and manouvere around. Although this is currently being rectified and Pairc Tailteann is getting a very notable upgrade sometime in the next year or two to the next twenty years if we're honest about it. It'll happen when it happens.
Id also say in relation to Parnell and Navan, on a big game day they are a potential for crushes. Parnell in particular can be very claustrophobic and clammy particularly behind the goals. Its like a bunker.
Notwithstanding Navan/Parnell; Drogheda is on another level again. I wont even go into that. But in these three counties there is about 2 million people. If you throw in Kildare with Newbridge you have 2.2 million. And all of these county grounds (renovation plans aside) are very poor. Leinster needs a new regional top class stadium. Im not calling for it to be in my region, but anywhere suitable in Leinster will do.

Young_gael (Meath) - Posts: 587 - 06/08/2020 17:58:57    2286649

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KillingFields, just to clarify I didn't mean that the stadium should not have been re developed, that is a matter for the Cork Co. Board. But the thing should have been costed properly and rather than ploughing on like the children's hospital, a bit of financial oversight included in the process.
Munster is well served with large stadiums already if you ask me, with Thurles, Limerick, Killarney. Was another big stadium really needed?

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1732 - 06/08/2020 18:45:52    2286658

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