Well said auldson that is the bare bones of the situation and it will never change.

DFB (Louth) - Posts: 51 - 05/06/2010 15:47:28    668316

The low numbers from the county supporting Louth in Portlaoise and Navan will make funding for a county grounds impossible to get from Leinster council.

gpa.no.way (Louth) - Posts: 104 - 08/06/2010 21:58:26    671588

http://www.hoganstand.com/Louth/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=144036

Surprise surprise, spent a bomb i reckon on plans already, what planet are these guys on, spend 3 mil on Drogheda and that will be fine !

MR (Louth) - Posts: 2570 - 09/03/2011 17:16:30    884767

How can they even consider Darver as a county ground, its in the back of beyond, and was meant to be a training centre of excellence another massive waste of money, the money pumped into it would have transformed the Gaelic grounds into a 15,000 seat stand and terracing on the opposite side.
Time now for all clubs to come together as we are the laughing stock of Leinster or even the country.

joeyminor (Louth) - Posts: 231 - 09/03/2011 18:23:00    884833

Why cant they terrace the whole bank side of the O' Raghallaigh's with a roof on it like Parnell Park, sure the filling is already their on the bank. It has been shown already in the newspapers that GAA grounds are never more than 10% full so a terraced stand on the bank side of the O' Raghallaighs would be a huge stepping stone to re-developing this ground. it might even be enough. any1 agree or disagree

Joe_Don (Louth) - Posts: 247 - 09/03/2011 18:45:42    884866

Joe_Don - 100%

Stand this side as you go in

MR (Louth) - Posts: 2570 - 09/03/2011 19:50:07    884926

and a terrace behind the goal at the end you come in

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 09/03/2011 20:08:06    884944

Yes Betty and around to the stand on the far side

MR (Louth) - Posts: 2570 - 09/03/2011 20:54:50    884995

Agreed men.
Why have county boards continued to mess about on this issue when its obvious that a decent few bob spent on Drogheda would make all the difference.
This DKIT thing is pure pie in the sky. Not a hope it will come off.
Darver is not a suitable venue for senior intercounty matches and was never intended as such.
What are the major stumbling blocks with Drogheda that couldnt be resolved?
Its a joke at this stage, the CB CM was spoofing on the radio yesterday morning to beat all

pundit2 (Louth) - Posts: 597 - 09/03/2011 21:21:34    885029

thats all you need. grass bank at the hospital end terrace on the rats side going around behind the goal to the stand. the stand is decent but could do with seats instad of the bences and maybe an extenstion. a roof over the terrace and job well done.

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 09/03/2011 21:35:27    885048

pundit2

The only major stumbling block is funding and the co boards williness to do it. Darver has been a serious drain on this counties funds, it should never have been constructed without a full and proper appraisal being carried out on. Its typical of what happened across the country and the mess it is in, well we have it on our doorstep.

navanD (Louth) - Posts: 66 - 11/03/2011 12:33:35    886322

Looking at Drogheda as the probable venue for a county grounds, i dont think it would take alot to develop the grounds. Terracing could be put in around most of the ground, particularly the bank across from the stand, as there is plenty of space with the training pitch behind being used aswell. The stand could be redeveloped, to be similar to the stand in Parnell Park. If the ground could hold 10,000 then that would be massive, and more than hold a crowd for every big game. It is disgraceful that there are no immediate plans for a ground in any part of Louth. If a plan was drawn up, with costs being included, it would be at least a step in the right direction. The whole situation is getting embarrasing for the county, as its dragged on throughout the counties history.

PK57 (Louth) - Posts: 1660 - 11/03/2011 13:24:58    886378

Croke Park wont give Louth the money to develop the site until the County Board have full ownership of the ground.

squidword (Louth) - Posts: 2897 - 11/03/2011 14:38:39    886456

Squid

I think you are highly misinformed in the whole situation, your statement is incorrect. There wasn't an issue regarding ownership or full rights to ground when funding was put in place to build the stand more than 15 years ago, so why is it an issue now. Where there's a will there's a way.

This idea was only ever mooted by the previous CM and Sec, it was never ever issued as a statement on Headed paper or otherwise from Croke Park or Leinster Council, after all are all grounds in the country not vested in the GAA. With regards to the grounds in Drogheda, the club have a lease on the grounds. The company that owns that lease is effectively in the control of the County Board, Leinster Council & Croke Park so why is it an issue?

navanD (Louth) - Posts: 66 - 11/03/2011 15:21:53    886526

I think you are highly misinformed in the whole situation, your statement is incorrect. There wasn't an issue regarding ownership or full rights to ground when funding was put in place to build the stand more than 15 years ago, so why is it an issue now

navanD

You are right it wasn't an issue back then but it most certainly is an issue now. I think you should be asking Pauric Duffy why a problem with ownership has arisen.

These are my last words on the matter.

squidword (Louth) - Posts: 2897 - 11/03/2011 16:46:50    886637

There was a meeting in the clubhouse of the rats on Tuesday night were the top brass of the county board ... Top members of the rats... And the chief engineer who is involved in the project. Drawings were viewed by all parties and everyone is happy with the results. Don't ask me what's in the drawings as I don't know. All I can say is this is at an advanced stage and all parties are happy and that the county board will be presenting there ideas and drawings to Croke park to require the funding needed. Provided the funding is made available from croke park this project should get underway soon. Please god all goes well for the future of Louth football

drogheda20 (Louth) - Posts: 405 - 13/03/2011 16:34:11    887554

The questions that MUST be answered about the development of Drogheda are as follows.

1. Where does the club play and train if the county ground is built, there is not enough room for a second pitch and you would have to reasonably assume that all of the varied teams in the club could not train and play on a pitch that is supposed to be for the use of the county teams, in any other situation like this there is a second pitch for the general use of the club. (is there funds going to be included to provide a second pitch elsewhere?)
2. The club have a 150yr lease on the ground, leases even if they are much shorter have legal rights of renewal, the bottom line is that the club own and control the ground. That is good for them and good luck to them.. is it right that a county ground should belong and be fully controlled by a club? What if there is a disagreement with the club...No access to your county ground, simple as that.
3. Planning is a major issue in Drogheda: floodlights, sited adjacent to the Hospital, parking etc.... Minefield. A new ground will generate a lot of issues that do not currently exist
4.The county Board would have to mainly fund a development in Drogheda with no partner other than the GAA... Not Possible given their current Debt.

There most probably will be a plan for Drogheda and lots of fanfare, nobody however is asking the top table how that plan will ever be realised and that is the real problem, the club are dead right to sit back and let the County Board present them with plans, once nobody asks the akward questions that in the end will have to answered. Everybody playing to the crowd here I am afraid.

waterbottle (Louth) - Posts: 29 - 15/03/2011 16:31:00    889516

1. Where does the club play and train if the county ground is built, there is not enough room for a second pitch and you would have to reasonably assume that all of the varied teams in the club could not train and play on a pitch that is supposed to be for the use of the county teams, in any other situation like this there is a second pitch for the general use of the club. (is there funds going to be included to provide a second pitch elsewhere?)
2. The club have a 150yr lease on the ground, leases even if they are much shorter have legal rights of renewal, the bottom line is that the club own and control the ground. That is good for them and good luck to them.. is it right that a county ground should belong and be fully controlled by a club? What if there is a disagreement with the club...No access to your county ground, simple as that.
3. Planning is a major issue in Drogheda: floodlights, sited adjacent to the Hospital, parking etc.... Minefield. A new ground will generate a lot of issues that do not currently exist
4.The county Board would have to mainly fund a development in Drogheda with no partner other than the GAA... Not Possible given their current Debt.

1. Is there not a training field at the back, can other local gaa clubs help out, the blues didn't have a pitch for years, i am sure they can help out ? Play their games in Darver and other local fields. I know this is a major pain for them but we need it to happen.
2. Lease will have to be handed over the county board or some amendment to the lease so there is no misunderstanding in the future.
3. Planning will get through, once they don't go mad with their plans.
4. This is a TOP priority for the gaa and they will help by 40%-50% if around 3 or 4 mil

Now get it built and anyone else know more info on what the plans cover!

MR (Louth) - Posts: 2570 - 15/03/2011 17:07:38    889583

i would disagree with mr that it must happen. surely we have learned what pain ill planning brings. if it was my club i definitely would not want to have some ad hoc arrangement with local clubs in relation to trainning and playing facilities, i want MY club to be able to provide for itself. quite often new builds can be cheaper than refurbs due to constraints. This needs to be done right and a proper feasibility and site selection evaluation taken place.

In theory I would personally like to see it in haggardstown as i think that area is not far off having good infrastructural links and has got adjacent lands (the availability of which i know nothing about).

after that a scaled down (15k) dkit proposal would get my approval. we have to get the gealic grounds out of our heads as it is never going to happen and is/was being used as a means of stalling progress on this issue.

no1 (Louth) - Posts: 115 - 15/03/2011 18:53:28    889672

have to agree no1 its central and close to motorway and the most important fact the pitch is not a bog at this time of year .

youthofeire (Louth) - Posts: 563 - 15/03/2011 19:38:27    889703