National Forum

Connacht FBD 2022

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Replying To smallfrank:  "Never said that. Questioned the location and need for it their, will be very surprised if any other province does this in the centre of their provinces, in fact they won't.
It would have made more sense to me in Castlebar, Roscommon town or on campus or a third level institute.
You obviously think it's needed that's fine.
Do you think there is a need in Munster for one in Tipperary(centre of the province) do Kerry need that.
Do Leinster need one in Naas, do Louth need that."
Why would it more sense to have a COE in Castlebar, Roscommon town or on campus or a third level institute? Cost of land, planning permission and accessibility should be less for Bekan. The centre was opened in 2012, not sure when Connacht GAA bought the land but I'm assuming it was for less than in a large town. A site not hindered by size stuck in a town or by locals objecting to planning permission. A dome, paid for on completion by funding, sponsored by NUIG. Not sure about Galway but Sligo and Leitrim GAA didn't have Centres of Excellence in 2012. The centre of excellence us there now. You don't like the location. I get it. But other than location it's grand.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7815 - 09/01/2022 16:47:24    2394241

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Replying To yew_tree:  "How would Castlebar or Roscommon town have been better locations? For accessibility Bekan ain't too far off the mark….only 6mins off the N17 in Knock and another 6 mins east to Ballyhaunis. You'd reach the vast majority of clubs in Connacht within 90mins.

The GAA is a community, largely rural organisation. It's also not a Mayo centre. Teams have to pay to use it and no county has a right over the other to use it. I think a former Roscommon player is actually practically running the facility."
Your completely missing my point but I'll make it agin for you. Munster won't build one at a central location because there is no demand for it and if they did Kerry would have no use for it because they just developed one of their own, like Sligo, Leitrim, Offaly, Meath, Donegal, Tyrone, Kildare and a whole host of other counties. How centrally located it is doesn't make any difference.

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 461 - 09/01/2022 17:14:36    2394245

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Why would it more sense to have a COE in Castlebar, Roscommon town or on campus or a third level institute? Cost of land, planning permission and accessibility should be less for Bekan. The centre was opened in 2012, not sure when Connacht GAA bought the land but I'm assuming it was for less than in a large town. A site not hindered by size stuck in a town or by locals objecting to planning permission. A dome, paid for on completion by funding, sponsored by NUIG. Not sure about Galway but Sligo and Leitrim GAA didn't have Centres of Excellence in 2012. The centre of excellence us there now. You don't like the location. I get it. But other than location it's grand."
Abbotstown is used by counties from all over including Mayo, by your logic it should have been built in Kinnegad. Said from my first post that facility is top class but in the wrong place.

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 461 - 09/01/2022 17:16:24    2394246

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Replying To smallfrank:  "Abbotstown is used by counties from all over including Mayo, by your logic it should have been built in Kinnegad. Said from my first post that facility is top class but in the wrong place."
You know about as much about logic as you do about my own thoughts.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7815 - 09/01/2022 18:53:59    2394262

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Replying To FallenStar:  "It sums up the narrow minded arrogance of our support. These fellas will wax lyrical about being third on the football roll of honour and laugh at our neighbours misfortune but ignore the fact that only two football All-Irelands have come our way in the last 50 years.

If we managed our finances better, we'd have our own CoE to use. Never mind the blatant fact that Mayo teams PAY to use the facilities in Bekan.

If we spent less time crying about issues like this, we might stand a chance of getting our own house in order."
Mountain South costs between purchase, works, surveying, planning & interest would have paid for a Dome in Galway.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 09/01/2022 19:47:03    2394278

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Replying To yew_tree:  "I've been reading the posts above and there certainly a case of Galway posters mocking the location just because it's in Mayo…"bog, middle of nowhere" etc. Galway is hardly New York lads get over yourselves. Arrogance."
But it's infinite times better than anywhere in Mayo? It's hardly a shock that usually facilities tend to get built in nice places, where people want to go to or live. The amount of Mayo people living in Galway should be testament to this. Building things in places people have no other logical reason to go to doesn't tend to happen usually

PressureKick (UK) - Posts: 256 - 09/01/2022 19:48:10    2394280

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Replying To smallfrank:  "Your completely missing my point but I'll make it agin for you. Munster won't build one at a central location because there is no demand for it and if they did Kerry would have no use for it because they just developed one of their own, like Sligo, Leitrim, Offaly, Meath, Donegal, Tyrone, Kildare and a whole host of other counties. How centrally located it is doesn't make any difference."
Who cares about Munster? I could give a fiddlers? In an ideal world every county will have their own centre/training complex. Our county team very often train outside the county…all I'm saying is for the money it cost it's Peneut's and an excellent facility to have in Connacht. To hell or to Connacht they said but there are a few inside Connacht who do nothing but moan and groan. It's built now and it's open so get on with it.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11477 - 09/01/2022 19:54:04    2394283

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The fact that it's Mayo posters getting very touchy and upset about any criticism to the dome says it all doesn't it. It's supposed to be a Connacht facility, paid by all of Connacht and something all of Connacht should be proud of.

But the fact is it suits Mayo far more than the rest. And it's built in the backyard of a (very long-term) mayo chairman. And m, lo and behold, mayo teams have been camped out in it since it opened. Who would've thought it?

PressureKick (UK) - Posts: 256 - 09/01/2022 19:54:11    2394284

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Replying To PressureKick:  "But it's infinite times better than anywhere in Mayo? It's hardly a shock that usually facilities tend to get built in nice places, where people want to go to or live. The amount of Mayo people living in Galway should be testament to this. Building things in places people have no other logical reason to go to doesn't tend to happen usually"
Mayo is not a nice place to live? Galway is. Ot that much different from Mayo mate. Rural Galway and Mayo are the same. I live in south Mayo and I like it. Westport was once named the beta place to live in Ireland. I'm biased but Mayo is great county with fantastic scenery and great community spirit like all counties.

Where do you hail form yourself out of interest?

(This is a bizarre conversation)

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11477 - 09/01/2022 19:57:29    2394286

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Replying To PressureKick:  "The fact that it's Mayo posters getting very touchy and upset about any criticism to the dome says it all doesn't it. It's supposed to be a Connacht facility, paid by all of Connacht and something all of Connacht should be proud of.

But the fact is it suits Mayo far more than the rest. And it's built in the backyard of a (very long-term) mayo chairman. And m, lo and behold, mayo teams have been camped out in it since it opened. Who would've thought it?"
You thought it. When will you be opening the Cloud Cuckoo Land centre of excellence in a 'nice' place, presumably on an unlimited budget. The COE is there nearly ten years. Why didn't you raise objections to it before 2012 and cost and propose an alternative? Is it because you're a troll who does nothing but whinge.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7815 - 09/01/2022 20:28:40    2394293

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Replying To yew_tree:  "Who cares about Munster? I could give a fiddlers? In an ideal world every county will have their own centre/training complex. Our county team very often train outside the county…all I'm saying is for the money it cost it's Peneut's and an excellent facility to have in Connacht. To hell or to Connacht they said but there are a few inside Connacht who do nothing but moan and groan. It's built now and it's open so get on with it."
Everyone keeps saying it will be envied by others. The other provinces don't have centres of excellence or domes, Munster is one of the other provinces.

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 461 - 09/01/2022 20:33:07    2394294

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "You know about as much about logic as you do about my own thoughts."
You said Bekan was more suitable than Roscommon or Castlebar because of planning and the cost of land. Not my logic and didn't claim to know the logic of why it was built where it is. Just pointing out that the above reasons you gave don't apply to many other things.

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 461 - 09/01/2022 20:37:08    2394297

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Replying To PressureKick:  "The fact that it's Mayo posters getting very touchy and upset about any criticism to the dome says it all doesn't it. It's supposed to be a Connacht facility, paid by all of Connacht and something all of Connacht should be proud of.

But the fact is it suits Mayo far more than the rest. And it's built in the backyard of a (very long-term) mayo chairman. And m, lo and behold, mayo teams have been camped out in it since it opened. Who would've thought it?"
Well that's it and as I said earlier all good and well the Colleges B Semi final or whatever but let's see who is actually using it. The Galway Minor Hurlers that won 5 All Ireland's recently, did they use it? Do the Leitrim Seniors use it. I'd be curious as to who all these teams are that are using it.

smallfrank (Galway) - Posts: 461 - 09/01/2022 20:52:04    2394302

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Replying To moc.dna:  "Mountain South costs between purchase, works, surveying, planning & interest would have paid for a Dome in Galway."
Exactly. Loughgeorge would have a lot more going for it too!

FallenStar (Galway) - Posts: 424 - 09/01/2022 21:02:24    2394305

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Back to the topic, why is the 6pm Final on a Friday night?
Does JP think all the players are full time professionals?
Will the CC reimburse the working players who have to take half or full day off work?
Of course it should be 2pm Sunday in the Hyde with 3 or 4,000 spectators.

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2113 - 09/01/2022 21:14:41    2394308

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Replying To FallenStar:  "It sums up the narrow minded arrogance of our support. These fellas will wax lyrical about being third on the football roll of honour and laugh at our neighbours misfortune but ignore the fact that only two football All-Irelands have come our way in the last 50 years.

If we managed our finances better, we'd have our own CoE to use. Never mind the blatant fact that Mayo teams PAY to use the facilities in Bekan.

If we spent less time crying about issues like this, we might stand a chance of getting our own house in order."
If Mayo had their own COE they wouldn't have to PAY to use Bekan.

ahsure. (Galway) - Posts: 1645 - 09/01/2022 21:49:12    2394313

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Ridiculous location-putting a facility like this w/o access from any public transport takes some doing.

Well documented Galway Sligo and Leitrim have their own facilities. Handy for Mayo I suppose!!!!!

I also have a big issue with playing so many underage games or colleges games there when those games always were a great opportunity for young players to play in pitches they may never get the chance again- Castbebar, Tuam, Salthill, the Hyde, Carrick etc.

The dome is handy for a few weeks in this weather but no serious matches will ever be played in the place. By any financial measure the return on the thing will make no sense, return on equity, capital employed etc.

lowballplease (Galway) - Posts: 935 - 10/01/2022 09:12:27    2394326

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Replying To yew_tree:  "How would Castlebar or Roscommon town have been better locations? For accessibility Bekan ain't too far off the mark….only 6mins off the N17 in Knock and another 6 mins east to Ballyhaunis. You'd reach the vast majority of clubs in Connacht within 90mins.

The GAA is a community, largely rural organisation. It's also not a Mayo centre. Teams have to pay to use it and no county has a right over the other to use it. I think a former Roscommon player is actually practically running the facility."
John Prenty runs it. Cathal Cregg works with the Connacht GAA has done so since 2013. The current Provincial Coaching & games manager and prior to that the Connacht GAA Strength and Conditioning Officer.



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The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 3962 - 10/01/2022 09:36:26    2394331

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I cant understand why there is any debate over this. It is a fabulous facility in probably the best location it could possibly be. It makes you proud to be from Connacht. It is a true centre of excellence So what if its in Mayo , it has to be in some county and to be fair its very accessible from large parts of the other 4 counties. Yes its a long trek from West Mayo , Connemara, south Galway , North Sligo, North Leitrim but it is central and fair and bar making the province smaller there's not much John Prenty or anyone can do about it,
But typical of Ireland even when something is close to as good as it possibly can be there will be knockers.
Well done to John Prenty and all involved.

anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 974 - 10/01/2022 10:09:58    2394336

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A lot of comments back and forth on the location for the dome. You'll never satisfy everyone as to where it should be but to be fair, if you look to pinpoint a geographical centre of the province it's not far off the mark. Yes, Prenty had sway in its location and it may arguably favour its home county Mayo that bit more but it is something for all of us involved in Connacht GAA to be very proud of. It's a superb facility. Fairness in allocation of playing slots at this resource will be well monitored by all Connacht counties and will be critical to its success over time - I believe there are smart, fair and solid enough individuals involved in its running to ensure that this happens. I hope that it's a resounding success.
Every county should aim to develop one of these over time.

togoutlads (Galway) - Posts: 1022 - 10/01/2022 10:31:47    2394341

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