was at the ulster hurling club final and behind me was a gang in N.I soccer (and some gaa carrying hurls) tops throwing bottles onto the pitch and being general idiots... unfurtunatly this seems to be the case for belfast, i like casement park but its location is against it

wise_guy (Tyrone) - Posts: 1584 - 31/10/2008 14:33:54    130933

The Hunter one person mentioned the clones Cavan thing and he got a few smart answers from others. Speaking of confusion could you explain that second paragraph for me.

samin10 (Armagh) - Posts: 2434 - 31/10/2008 15:00:30    130963

The robbery at casement acutally took place in county Armagh.

IMO the money should have been counted in casement and deposted in one of the banks ( every bank has a night safe before anyone mentions it was on a sunday).

A member of the Ulster council though the funds were safer at his than in casement.

This was a well calculated crime and this could have happened at any ground accross the country.

I dont see how this can be used as an excuse.

oisinboy (Antrim) - Posts: 335 - 31/10/2008 15:36:56    131038

If money was put into it i think it would be a brilliant place! In Casements there isnt even seats, they are wooden benches!

amc. (Down) - Posts: 8 - 31/10/2008 16:00:03    131082

Rio Bingo
County: Tyrone
Posts: 249

129061 bennybunny
County: Cork
Posts: 431


Are they not redeveloping some prison in Belfast into a big sports complex?? will that not do??

Bennybunny , be careful there peopple up there take everything very very serious, and unless you agree with them your opinion may be treasonous

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 31/10/2008 16:09:19    131095

Casement is a good venue and should be given a chance.It has great infrstructure which is being improved upon at the minute and I don't know where the atmosphere argument comes in,it's the crowd that makes the atmosphere.It has been neglected in favour of Clones but it should get the odd big match.All that talk of hoodies etc is just plain moronic.Been there loads of times and never a bother and never heard of anybody having any trouble.It's a money issue but Belfast is the largest centre in Ulster and it's a shame it doesn't get more big games.

northpole (Derry) - Posts: 739 - 31/10/2008 17:09:14    131162

It now seems that people want a drink. Hold the Ulster final in Listowel in Kerry, the best fleadh venue, every building is a pub.

There are seats in the stand in Casement now.

As for crime, Limerick, Belfast, Dublin, Cork, New York, Detroit, all big cities suffer from crime.

Except one. Tokyo. Hold the final there. Don't know about bars however.

As for atmosphere, they filmed "The Butcher Boy" in Clones because it was supposed to be set in a drab Irish town in the 1950s. They didn't need to change a thing.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 31/10/2008 17:30:45    131181

"...because who in Ulster really cares about hurling apart from Antrim..."

Carrickmore?

pearsesabu (Antrim) - Posts: 663 - 31/10/2008 20:09:59    131271

Now, now, Pearses, no need to get smart. Just because Carrickmore have trodden the well worn Tyrone way of protest, especially over a "stickball" match.

Mind you, I love it.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 01/11/2008 13:05:40    131405

Clones on ulster final day is like a festival.
great craic on the streets before and after the game whether you drink or not.
60,000 plus emerge on the town,with or without tickets.
the build up starts at 8am,and the post match fun continues through the wee hours.
the streets are full,safe with loads of hotels,bars,resteraunts,chippys.
how could Caement and surrounding areas match that.
isnt there traffic jams when leaving any venue that 60,000 show up at?
by the way its fun for non drinkers aswell as us who enjoy a scoop,
and when im talking about 60,000 people,i mean in the town not at the game.

hogoboss (Monaghan) - Posts: 617 - 01/11/2008 15:04:54    131456

This debate about Clones v Casement has been going on as long as I remember - and that includes the couple of football finals in Casement during the 1960s - and despite the persistence of some in denigrating St Tiernach's Park, it remains the favourite venue for the overwhelming majority of Ulster gaels.
But let's examine the arguments:
1. Access: Arguments about access to and from Clones did have some validity when the British Army closed half the roads into the town and had permanent checkpoints on others. Those roads are now open. Casement is only accessible via the M1 for most people in Ulster and the Falls Road and Colin Glen are only alternative exits from the motorway.
2. Location/Centrality: If Ulster Finals involve any combination of counties (say Fermanagh v Tyrone, Armagh v Cavan, Donegal v Antrim, or Derry v Down) the fans could all travel to Clones via different routes. Despite being Ulster's capital, Belfast is peripheral unless fans come by sea.
3. Parking: Given the number of roads into Clones (for those smart enough to look at a map), there is ample parking within easy walking; local individuals and groups are seasoned providers of affordable parking on match days. In Belfast, parking at the shopping centre (a few hundred spaces at most) is fine if you can get there on time, though maybe Curley's regular shoppers might disagree. Apart from that, there is the labyrinth of streets between Andytown Road and Glen Road. While I have always found residents more than hospitable, that might change if their access to home was disrupted, as it would inevitably be with a match drawing more than the normal 10,000 to 15,000 for inter-county games.
4. Atmosphere and craic: Clones we all know and most have happy memories of the festival atmosphere. Belfast is bigger and has more pubs than Clones, but without driving to them, there are really only a few watering-holes - Duffy's, the Social Club round the back and the Felons' Club. These can just about cope with a MacRory Final!
5. Revenue and split: Clones is bigger and the gate is too. That was recognised almost 20 years ago when St Tiernach's Park was officially chosen (over Casement and Breffni) for development as the Ulster Final venue. While facilities are outdated and inadequate today, the Ulster Council owns the facilities surrounding the local club's pitch. It does not 'split the gate' with the local club or the Monaghan County Board. For that reason, moving finals to Croke Park was a financial loss-maker.

Clones is hands-down the best venue for an Ulster Final and this should be recognised once and for all by the GAA in further developing the stadium into the pride of Ulster or all the gaels who want to go there.

Borderboy (Monaghan) - Posts: 277 - 01/11/2008 16:34:23    131480

I admit that for location Clones or Cavan might be best for the Connaught, but Ulster?

I used to enjoy the fleadhs in Clones years ago, but that is because I wasn't trying to get out of it.

And you left out the White Fort and Glenowen, and The Gravediggers.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 01/11/2008 21:14:41    131581

Casement hasnt a patch on Clones. Really dour place to watch a match. Clones is the true cultural home of the Ulster GAA despite some of its obvious failings. Casement isnt even centralised in the middle of the province or anything.

trileacman (Tyrone) - Posts: 759 - 02/11/2008 12:16:43    131735

Got it. Clones is our "traditional route".

I think I heard that argument about somewhere else, can't remember where.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 02/11/2008 13:48:22    131787

How the hell would Clones be a good location for Connacht? That's like saying Casement would be a good location for scottish league games, different sports I know but as Antrim and Casement are on the periphery of Ulster, and Ireland in general, I had to take another sport in to make my point. Face it, even taking all the other factors and argments out of the equation, Clones is a much more convenient and central location for the vast majority of Ulster.

mid-mon man (Monaghan) - Posts: 1680 - 02/11/2008 14:32:44    131805

Looks like it will be much smaller scale redevelopment now. Shame.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4643 - 14/09/2024 22:37:28    2569894