Yes I know its April fool but to say the Ulster Council knows better than us is Ludicrous when have they made a Correct decision taking the Ulster final out of Clones 3 years in row was a disaster for the fans many had their cars clamped by over zealous parking attendants on that day, I hear Croker is being touted for the Armagh-Tyrone game Shame on the Ulster council if they agree to that, Why do they bother developing Healy park, the New Athletic grounds Newrys pack esler,Brewster park,Celtic Park why the venues need supporting, so if its a full house make sure your a paid up member of your club and you will get a ticket if not! tough watch it on T.V.

fortyfive (Tyrone) - Posts: 5929 - 01/04/2009 15:51:09    245502

You only get clamped if you park illegally. Over zealousness is not an issue.

Dubinmeath (Dublin) - Posts: 1123 - 01/04/2009 16:15:50    245528

sean og
County: Armagh
Posts: 382

245166
Its becoming clearer now Patrique, and the diesel used to run the burger van was from...... :)



Exactly. Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 01/04/2009 18:17:14    245678

Surely being pro-Casement on the basis of Belfast being a city is pointless because Semple Stadium is the primary stadium in Munster and its not in Cork?! On a similar point that someone made, i think its completely stupid the way so many GAA grounds are getting developed over and above their actual need...money is being wasted on doing up some of the larger stadiums that could potentially be going to the grassroots clubs that are having difficulty in even paying for the basic maintenance of their pitches!!

MNMN (Monaghan) - Posts: 19 - 02/04/2009 01:20:32    246024

'bumpernut the soccer team is 32 countys and represents 32 countys. how are we ever going to get a united country with people like you willingly accepting a divide'

Coming from the that bastion of republicanism, the royal county, spare me the geography lessons!!!

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 02/04/2009 10:31:55    246113

what about Brewster Park? its a fine pitch

danbhoy (UK) - Posts: 1 - 02/04/2009 13:27:58    246320

Get the money and develop a stadium well outside of anti-GAA Belfast. Although the money can only be used within the 6 counties the people of Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan should be considered when making a choice of which stadium to develop. Mid Ulster is the only place for it.

Tom1916 (Armagh) - Posts: 2001 - 02/04/2009 14:00:52    246355

Patrique

'I now live in Antrim Town and I am PRO for St Comgall's, and alas I have just been given the task of reviving hurling in the town.'


Good luck with that, not an easy job Im sure. the club had stoppped fielding football teams even for a while- great to see it in a healthier position.

stranmillis29 (Antrim) - Posts: 788 - 02/04/2009 14:07:49    246367

I am glad to see Casement being done up, it will hopefully promote GAA in the city and give a boast to the community around the ground.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4649 - 02/04/2009 14:24:59    246397

When the big Ulster matches have been taken to Croker these past few years the pro-Clones crowd were very quiet, I didn't hear too many protests then from the anti-Casement bloggers AND most of them are from Tyrone & Armagh too. Hypocrisy how are ye! The fact is that the Ulster Council know they have to establish a strong base in Belfast and there will be some redevelopment of Casement. That doesn't mean that Clones has to be sidelined, the two grounds can co-exist quite satisfactory. Furthermore there was a £600,000 robbery in Ardboe the other day and a shooting in Derry, does that mean we should not go to Tyrone or Derry for matches? As for those who say that Belfast is NOT a GAA city well you don't know your history. My knowledge is not as good as Patrique's who could probably give a quick run down on the early days of the GAA in Belfast for the less enlightened. I would say that Gaelic Games have been played in Belfast as long as any other Ulster county and I wouldn't mind knowing myself Patrique. Who was the first GAA club in Belfast and when was the first match played, any idea? Who also were the strong Ulster counties at that time?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 02/04/2009 14:28:38    246402

Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 346

Would'nt it be some fun if dublin go the back door ,and let 30,000 dubs out in belfast for the weekend.Bring it on

tomaoo7 (Dublin) - Posts: 5896 - 02/04/2009 16:21:09    246575

Couple of great posts on the fact that the anti belfast brigade had nothing to say about games going to dublin.

Delighted to see something finally going back into belfast, irelands second city.

As for the "it should be in mid ulster" idea - nonsense - why isnt croker in athlone?

North Side Gael (None) - Posts: 1076 - 02/04/2009 16:52:47    246629

North Side Gael
County: All

why isnt croker in athlone?

It wouldnt be fair to ask the dubs to travel that far

whiterbannnas (Mayo) - Posts: 2441 - 02/04/2009 17:15:22    246662

Tomaoo

I think the Dubs at Casement would be brilliant, they would get a great welcome in Belfast (well parts of it). However let's face it they are too much of a cash cow for HQ and matches involving them will probably always be at Croker.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 02/04/2009 17:40:54    246694

02/04/2009 17:40:54
Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 347

246694
Tomaoo

I think the Dubs at Casement would be brilliant, they would get a great welcome in Belfast (well parts of it). However let's face it they are too much of a cash cow for HQ and matches involving them will probably always be at Croker.


also a security problem

Duffy89 (Wexford) - Posts: 3320 - 02/04/2009 17:44:18    246701

Sadly true as well duffy. The Dubs would have no problem in West Belfast but those not familiar with the city could end up straying into areas that are not so friendly though Royal Blue might confuse a few people for enough time for a getaway.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 02/04/2009 17:57:28    246725

Sad to say ulsterman ,your right never get to go the countryside anymore

tomaoo7 (Dublin) - Posts: 5896 - 02/04/2009 17:59:36    246730

The fact is you would not get 500 dubs in casement never mind thirty thousand they would not travel.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 02/04/2009 19:01:17    246782

Tom1916 County: Armagh Posts: 383 246355 Get the money and develop a stadium well outside of anti-GAA Belfast. Quite right. Belfast at present is a GAA desert. Only St Gall's (7s) and Rossa (camogie) are all Ireland club champions. And St John's all Ireland U14 feile winners at football, and feile winners at B division hurling. Yes, remember the good days when clubs like the Johnnies and St Gall's were in club football finals, and Rossa in the club hurling final. We are even down to a few junior all Ireland handball champions in Belfast. At this rate we will be in as bad a state as say Crossmaglen, no all Ireland titles there at all these days.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 03/04/2009 01:13:29    247082

The only thing I'd say about 30,000 Dubs coming up is that I don't hear of too many riots when they are flooding the shops in Belfast and Newry (except maybe the rows of trolleys in Sainsburys). Ten years ago it would have been a security headache but times have moved on. Now, I think people have got a little bit more pragmatic and realise that visitors feeling comfortable, enjoying themselves and spending money is maybe more beneficial than making public fools of themselves for some minor sectarian point scoring.

As to Ulsterman's question - first Ulster clubs were formed in 1885 (the likes of Ballyconnell in Cavan, Desertmartin in Derry and Portaferry in Down). In Belfast the documentation for the earliest clubs is poor. There was a club called Clonard Hurlers formed by February 1885 as they played the first hurling game in Belfast under the new rules issued that month (the game was reported in the Belfast Morning News). That club musn't have been affiliated properly as the first affiliated clubs (from 1885 as well) were Belfast Gaels (also known as the Pioneers as they were the first club) who were based in Stephen Street in Carrick Hill (behind the Central Library), Belfast Harps (seemingly from Clonard and probably the official club formed from the Clonard Hurlers), Divis Rangers, William Orrs and Lisburn Red Hands. There is a good bit more information by Brendan Wilson on the southantrimgaa webpages as well. Cavan and Monaghan were the most active counties in Ulster at this stage although Derry had a flourishing hurling league based around the city and Armagh Harps featured in the sporadic Ulster championships played in the late 1880s and 1890s. Counties were represented by clubs in these championships and Antrim were often represented by a Belfast club called Northern Stars.

pearsesabu (Antrim) - Posts: 663 - 03/04/2009 10:54:24    247207