National Forum

Croke Park expansion

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Replying To slayer:  "Couldn't care less what NFL or fans of any other sport think.

Am only concerned with what GAA fans think.

The stadium is class. Can always be improved but as long as it suits Gaelic teams that's all I care about."
What about GAA supporters? You'd be happy with the high standard and price of pints on sale in Croke Park for matches but also happy with the abysmal quality, overpriced, of food and beverages offerings from vendors in Croke Park on match days? Croke Park don't seem too bothered about any supporters and making their day there, especially families, a better day out.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8255 - 29/09/2025 14:53:03    2637828

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "What about GAA supporters? You'd be happy with the high standard and price of pints on sale in Croke Park for matches but also happy with the abysmal quality, overpriced, of food and beverages offerings from vendors in Croke Park on match days? Croke Park don't seem too bothered about any supporters and making their day there, especially families, a better day out."
Just go to the match.
Don't need to buy overpriced stuff.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 133 - 29/09/2025 15:38:55    2637839

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THe Hogan was refurbished in 1991. The Davin was finished in 2005. They are naturally old and in need of upgrade for things like no of toilets, bars and catering etc. Nothing major, but in need of upgrade none the less.

As for HIll 16 - there are have been many feasibility studies done on how to finish the HIll to suit the rest of the stadium.
The biggest problem isnt the railway line.
It has always been
(1) light (a lot of big roofed stadia have pith issues due to lack of sunlight).
(2) blocking light for houses on the other side of railway
(3) train station viability - why build a train station (and queuing areas) for 26 matches per year and limited use otherwise.

Now it would be worthwhile to put in safe standing instead of the old fashioned bike racks that have been there for 20 years.

Install safe standing up to top of hogan lower tier - then extend premium level all the way around - stick the big screen up on top.
you get some shelter from the rain and the prawn sandwich brigade can get the feel of the terrace without having to mingle with the great unwashed within,

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1611 - 29/09/2025 16:06:33    2637848

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "THe Hogan was refurbished in 1991. The Davin was finished in 2005. They are naturally old and in need of upgrade for things like no of toilets, bars and catering etc. Nothing major, but in need of upgrade none the less.

As for HIll 16 - there are have been many feasibility studies done on how to finish the HIll to suit the rest of the stadium.
The biggest problem isnt the railway line.
It has always been
(1) light (a lot of big roofed stadia have pith issues due to lack of sunlight).
(2) blocking light for houses on the other side of railway
(3) train station viability - why build a train station (and queuing areas) for 26 matches per year and limited use otherwise.

Now it would be worthwhile to put in safe standing instead of the old fashioned bike racks that have been there for 20 years.

Install safe standing up to top of hogan lower tier - then extend premium level all the way around - stick the big screen up on top.
you get some shelter from the rain and the prawn sandwich brigade can get the feel of the terrace without having to mingle with the great unwashed within,"
Cusack was rebuilt from after the 1993 AI Final.
Hogan and Davin were rebuilt after Cusack was finished.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 133 - 29/09/2025 16:50:58    2637857

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "What about GAA supporters? You'd be happy with the high standard and price of pints on sale in Croke Park for matches but also happy with the abysmal quality, overpriced, of food and beverages offerings from vendors in Croke Park on match days? Croke Park don't seem too bothered about any supporters and making their day there, especially families, a better day out."
Any American supporters in town yesterday who were buying food & beer at Croke Park were probably remarking how cheap it was, compared to what they normally pay at NFL games back home....

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3134 - 29/09/2025 17:29:52    2637869

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Just go to the match.
Don't need to buy overpriced stuff."
Overpriced rubbish. I don't buy it bar the odd cup of coffee. If it was decent quality I might buy it even if it's pricy. I think it shows where Croke Park's priorities are. Keep the beer nice and fresh because there's more profit in that and don't care about awful reheated burgers and chips. And some people staggering round like they're kids in a sweetshop that might never see a drink again. It reflects badly on an organisation that banned alcohol advertising too quickly but gives the appearance of having a responsible attitude to alcohol.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8255 - 29/09/2025 17:51:18    2637871

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Replying To Kew:  "Reading some comments from NFL fans. Not too impressed with croke park screens. I know rugby fans don't like the smaller screens croke park use. Is it time to get a bigger screen if the are going to play games here? They are making plenty money to upgrade facilities. Some fans complaining about the toilets as well. It looked great on TV but with all the money GAA are making it's time to spend a bit on fans"
You're a gas one Kew. Banging on about how the GAA sold out by renting out Croke Park and now you're complaining that the GAA should 'upgrade' the facilities for fans of other sports. LOL

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1515 - 29/09/2025 18:47:41    2637879

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Any American supporters in town yesterday who were buying food & beer at Croke Park were probably remarking how cheap it was, compared to what they normally pay at NFL games back home...."
OK....

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8255 - 30/09/2025 07:42:29    2637893

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Cusack was rebuilt from after the 1993 AI Final.
Hogan and Davin were rebuilt after Cusack was finished."
I was in the section where the Hogan Stand meets the Canal end for the 1996 all Ireland final v Wexford. As far as I recall the builders had their demolition gear ready to start tearing the Hogan down on the Monday after the game.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6577 - 30/09/2025 09:55:35    2637912

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Replying To slayer:  "I was in the section where the Hogan Stand meets the Canal end for the 1996 all Ireland final v Wexford. As far as I recall the builders had their demolition gear ready to start tearing the Hogan down on the Monday after the game."
Work on the Davin started shortly after the 1998 All-Ireland final.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2556 - 30/09/2025 11:57:15    2637934

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "Work on the Davin started shortly after the 1998 All-Ireland final."
Thanks - was it the Canal end that was demolished after the 1996 final then?

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6577 - 30/09/2025 12:28:39    2637938

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Replying To slayer:  "Thanks - was it the Canal end that was demolished after the 1996 final then?"
The Cusack I'd say. The Canal End was replaced by the Davin after the 98 final.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2556 - 30/09/2025 13:11:08    2637954

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Cusack was rebuilt from after the 1993 AI Final.
Hogan and Davin were rebuilt after Cusack was finished."
Yeah, I remember my late father coming back from the 93 hurling final with a cert saying he was the last to sit in his seat in the Cusack for an All-Ireland hurling final

streaker (Galway) - Posts: 562 - 30/09/2025 13:13:47    2637956

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Replying To slayer:  "Thanks - was it the Canal end that was demolished after the 1996 final then?"
Apologies - Question should have been if any major work began after the 1996 final? Was in the Canal end in 1994 and don't recall any works ongoing at that point. The memory from 1996 was so vivid as to this day it was THE hardest Limerick game ever to get tickets for. Scouring pubs etc the night before was fruitless. They just couldn't be got.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6577 - 30/09/2025 14:00:18    2637962

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Replying To slayer:  "Apologies - Question should have been if any major work began after the 1996 final? Was in the Canal end in 1994 and don't recall any works ongoing at that point. The memory from 1996 was so vivid as to this day it was THE hardest Limerick game ever to get tickets for. Scouring pubs etc the night before was fruitless. They just couldn't be got."
There was no major work immediately after the 1996 finals.

The new Cusack Stand was already in place by then, and work on the Hogan didn't start for a few years after that. I remember being in the lower deck of the new Hogan at the All-Ireland Final between Kilkenny & Offaly in 2000. And it had to be the lower deck, because they hadn't put the upper deck on it yet! The whole thing was still under construction.

The new Davin Stand followed even later than the Hogan. Basically, the old Canal End terrace stayed there until both Cusack & Hogan Stands were done, and then they did the Davin Stand to join up between them.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3134 - 30/09/2025 16:11:09    2637993

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Overpriced rubbish. I don't buy it bar the odd cup of coffee. If it was decent quality I might buy it even if it's pricy. I think it shows where Croke Park's priorities are. Keep the beer nice and fresh because there's more profit in that and don't care about awful reheated burgers and chips. And some people staggering round like they're kids in a sweetshop that might never see a drink again. It reflects badly on an organisation that banned alcohol advertising too quickly but gives the appearance of having a responsible attitude to alcohol."
I don't get on a plane for the food, I also don't go to a game for the beer and food.

cluichethar (Mayo) - Posts: 570 - 30/09/2025 17:08:38    2638004

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "There was no major work immediately after the 1996 finals.

The new Cusack Stand was already in place by then, and work on the Hogan didn't start for a few years after that. I remember being in the lower deck of the new Hogan at the All-Ireland Final between Kilkenny & Offaly in 2000. And it had to be the lower deck, because they hadn't put the upper deck on it yet! The whole thing was still under construction.

The new Davin Stand followed even later than the Hogan. Basically, the old Canal End terrace stayed there until both Cusack & Hogan Stands were done, and then they did the Davin Stand to join up between them."
The Canal End was developed before the Hogan Stand.
The new Canal End (now Davin) was open for the All-Ireland in 1999, the Hogan was knocked afterwards and the lower tier open in time for the All-Ireland semi finals of 2000. I remember vividly getting soaked at Galway v Kildare!

streaker (Galway) - Posts: 562 - 30/09/2025 18:27:48    2638014

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Replying To streaker:  "The Canal End was developed before the Hogan Stand.
The new Canal End (now Davin) was open for the All-Ireland in 1999, the Hogan was knocked afterwards and the lower tier open in time for the All-Ireland semi finals of 2000. I remember vividly getting soaked at Galway v Kildare!"
I stand corrected. Memory must be playing tricks on me too!

Looked up the '99 Hurling Final (Cork v Kilkenny) on YouTube -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLsON4ZXm8w&t=2996s

Just ten seconds into the match (or at exactly 1:00 in the video itself), there's a shot from Cork's Neil Ronan into that end, and you can see an empty top deck of a new stand over a full bottom deck all right.

Wouldn't mind, only I was at that one too!

However, and here's where I went wrong earlier when trying to jog my memory - there are stories online, including from the RTE website, that say the stand 'was re-constructed and re-opened in its current state in 2003'
https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2006/0314/202434-davinstand/

There was hardly further work done on it between 1999 and 2003, for that to be correct too?

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3134 - 30/09/2025 20:38:25    2638028

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