Casement Park has got the go ahead for redevelopment, which is something that has been long overdue. This ground has long been in need of repair.

However I don't like how the redevelopment is being earmaked at future home of Ulster GAA. OK, so large grants have been set aside for the project.
But should the GAA not be looking to build a home for Ulster GAA in a more central position, with easy access of all fans a priority. This clearly a politcal motivated scheme, more in the Interest of developing Belfasts status as top events location.

I have previously suggested Omagh Town as an Ideal potential location for a new stadium.
My suggestion was based purely on location and logistical benefits for the vast majority of GAA fans. Below I have listed some of these.

1. FAN ACCESS TO OMAGH
The new A5 running from Derry to Monaghan will give easy access and faster travel times to fans from Derry, Donegal, Fermanagh, Monaghan, Cavan and Tyrone.
South of Omagh is the Ballygawley link to the Belfast motorway, which would allow speedy access for Armagh, Down and Southern Antrim fans.
2. MAKE OMAGH A NEUTRAL GROUND
While being based in Tyrone, It would be a neutral home for all Counties of Ulster. With 9 equal amounts of soil being shipped from all 9 counties to make up the pitch. The stadium would at all times fly the flags of all 9 counties.
3. CITY VERSUS TOWN ARGUMENT
The argument that the City is better equipped to deal with large crowds and offers better facilites is rubbish. Clones has been well capable of dealing with crowds of 35,000 people, a place of Omagh's size would easily deal with such a crowd.
4. COST EFFECTIVE
It's cheaper to buy land and build large car parks in a place like Omagh, than in Belfast. As the cost of land surround city stadium's tends to be massive.
5. NO RESIDENT COMPLAINTS
Also the impact on residents, as we have seen in Croke park, the residents often suffer on match days. A Stadium on the outskirts of Omagh would eliminate any such issues.

At the very least, the viability of an alternative should be looked at. I would welcome your views on this proposal.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 16/10/2012 18:04:31    1284138

I think it would important to look at all viable alternatives, is Clones are option for major redevelopment. Access may be a block to it. Not sure about bringing soil in from each county, seems unnecessary - sure Croke Park grass is imported from England

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4649 - 16/10/2012 18:34:15    1284151

It should be in Dungannon.

wise_guy (Tyrone) - Posts: 1584 - 16/10/2012 18:58:12    1284156

Of course it's a political decision with Ravenhill and Windsor Park also getting millions from the Executive. I reckon Sinn Fein and the SDLP would have wanted a nice, new shiny GAA stadium in the main city to sit alongside the soccer and rugbly ones and that is fair enough. Why should Belfast be any different from other Irish cities like Dublin, Cork and Galway? Healy Park in Omagh and the Athletic Grounds in Armagh have recently been refurbished and Casement is crying out for improvements. However the amount is questionable given that it will only be used for 2 or 3 main matches in one season. Maybe a scaled down version with the rest of the money being redistributed?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 16/10/2012 20:12:25    1284189

If Omagh is so close to everywhere why do the people complain about traveling to the Emergency Hospitals in Enniskillen and Derry as being too far away.

Instead of Bringing grass from every county in Ulster why not go the whole hog and dump hard core from every County In Ireland to make an island stadium in Lough Neagh. We could build Bridges to this Gaa Island with Massive car parks on the cheap loughshore land as everybody know if you build it they will come.

lufty (Antrim) - Posts: 77 - 16/10/2012 20:52:51    1284200

lufty
County: Antrim
Posts: 65

1284200 If Omagh is so close to everywhere why do the people complain about traveling to the Emergency Hospitals in Enniskillen and Derry as being too far away.

Surely you must be able to tell the difference between being critically ill and going to a football/hurling match! I'll explain just in case;

If you need emergency treatment then an hour is a very long time to have to travel to get it.
If you are travelling by choice to a match for a day out then an hour is not a long time.

Tom1916 (Armagh) - Posts: 2001 - 16/10/2012 21:28:52    1284215

Brilliant Tom, some of those Antrim lads really ought to get out a bit more.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 16/10/2012 21:42:44    1284226

lufty
County: Antrim
Posts: 65

1284200
If Omagh is so close to everywhere why do the people complain about traveling to the Emergency Hospitals in Enniskillen and Derry as being too far away.

Instead of Bringing grass from every county in Ulster why not go the whole hog and dump hard core from every County In Ireland to make an island stadium in Lough Neagh. We could build Bridges to this Gaa Island with Massive car parks on the cheap loughshore land as everybody know if you build it they will come.


Travel times are relative, obviously anyone with wit would realise that a few minutes are critical when dealing with serious injuries or illnesses, not so important when going to a football or hurling match. I don't think the poster was saying Omagh is close to everywhere, just a more central option with very good transport links. I am all for promoting the GAA in Belfast but Casement is an area that just doesn't appeal to a lot of GAA fans. The money may well have been better spent on a hospital in Omagh.

MB1 (Tyrone) - Posts: 360 - 16/10/2012 21:51:30    1284230

Ballygawley to Omagh/Omagh to Derry has to be the slowest section of National primary road in Ulster, no wonder people are currently flipping out about travelling elsewhere to hospitals. When the new dual carriageway is completed between Ballygawley and Derry, travel times will be greatly reduced. With 20min reduction on travel times calculated.

The Idea of placing soil from all 9 counties of Ulster under the pitch, was that the ground would be home to all counties within Ulster. While playing there, all teams could claim they are playing on home soil. It's kind of like an embassy building. Easy enough to poke fun at the Idea, but it would be a minor detail that would be appreciated by many.

Clones held crowds, or maybe I should say Clones held A crowd of approx 35,000 people last season. Which in itself shows that if a town like Clones can cater for that many people, who is to say that other larger towns outside of the large city area's are not suitable. Omagh is the county town of Tyrone, and Tyrone is the most central county in Ulster. I wouldnt rule Dungannon out either as a location.

If building a new stadium, build it in a central location with easy access to all. I'm in favour of redeveloping Casement park, but not in favour of making it the key Stadium in Ulster GAA. This has done with travelling fans in mind, not Politicians who can lay claim to winning major funding for it.
Clones is the evidence that large crowds can congregate outside of the big cities/towns. So what other arguments are there for having Ulster's main stadium in Belfast City?

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 17/10/2012 08:37:56    1284245

I think given belfast is the regional capital is the main reason for having it there, be it hotels, transport networks (people in east tyrone can get the train at portadown and people from armagh and down can also get trains, so this is a plus on the fact that all major roads in ulster lead to belfast), selections of large bars restaurants and so on for match day, just 10 or 11 packed out pubs and a load of chippy vans, promotion of the gaa is another one, our regional capital has a massive population in comparison with the rest of ulster and promotion of the gaa in the city is vital, just look at the investment dublin got and how its people responded.

You also in belfast have a large selection of other activities which means a day out to the match can be a whole day experience in the city your going to.

North Side Gael (None) - Posts: 1076 - 17/10/2012 10:04:39    1284266

Having a proper accident and emergency nearby would also be vital in terms of crowd control, never been an issue in clones, but with the extral 5k crowd and the changing attitudes of socity heaven forbid but should something bad happen and crowd control goes wrong an urgent care and treatment centre is hardly going to cope with a crowd of 40k as this is a local service based on local population. Belfast has two large A & E depts and one of the number one hospitals in ireland just down the road from the new casement.

North Side Gael (None) - Posts: 1076 - 17/10/2012 10:12:00    1284272

North Side Gael
County: All
Posts: 1050

"transport networks (people in east tyrone can get the train at portadown and people from armagh and down can also get trains, so this is a plus on the fact that all major roads in ulster lead to belfast)"

I hate the fact that you seem to disregard the three other counties in Ulster outside of Northern Ireland. There is not one major road in Donegal that leads to Belfast, there is no train network from Donegal.

I started a thread similar to this on the announcement of this redevelopment and have thought long and hard on the topic. The money is to be funded to redevelop a ground in NI so redeveloping Clones is out. In this respect I think it should be funnelled into a ground in Mid Ulster and not in Belfast just because Casement needs redeveloped and its in Belfast. This is a political decision and they care for nothing about the eventual end user.

The benefits of having the ground in Omagh for example but could be anywhere in Mid ulster:
Fairer travel distances to all Ulster counties.
Would hold more games than in Belfast as its more convenient to more counties.
Better atmosphere pre and post game.

Before anyone jumps down my throat on the atmosphere thing, I've lived in Belfast for a number of years and went to Casement to games. I know that if an Ulster championship match was in Casement I wouldn't be going up early to have a few pints and soak up the atmosphere like in Clones and I certainly wouldn't be looking forward to the prospect of travelling through the whole of NI to get to Belfast for an Ulster Final in the middle of July during marching season. Ofcourse the Antrim people will be delighted to hear the news about this investment but I can also imagine the crying that would be done if the Ulster Council decided to pump millions into Letterkenny to house the Ulster Finals from now on. People from Down, Armagh, Antrim would be complaining about the distances they are asked to travel. At least in Letterkenny the atmosphere would be terrific.

Like it or not our opinions will mater for nothing. The decision is made and Casement is getting the money but after a few seasons I can see people pining to have the Ulster Final back in Clones as it just isn't the same in Belfast and the new sparkling Casement will be the biggest white elephant in Ulster!!

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1677 - 17/10/2012 11:05:03    1284296

GaryMc82
County: Derry
Posts: 297

Was this subject not already done to death on an earlier thread. Doesn't really matter what any of us think, the fact is Casement Park is going to be redeveloped and it will be the provincial stadium, simple as that. Antrim people are delighted and everyone west of the Bann isn't because of travel distances. Any money being invested in improving GAA facilities in any county, for any reason, political or otherwise is fine in my book.

We have been paying taxes for years for the Brits to squander on whatever war, bad fiscal policy or bank bailout they justify fit so I say take their hands off when they offer to actually build something which will protect and enhance Irish Culture and Sport instead of trying to impede or dismantle it. Belfast and the new Casement Park has and will have all the required infrastructure required to host sell out games and I'm sure everyone will jump on-board and appreciate it for what it is when the gates are opened. We will have a state of the art stadium comparable to Croke Park, kitted out with modern and to the minute facilities. It will also be located in Ulster's first City and Ireland's second, on one of the main arterial routes in the province so what's the problem? Dry your eyes and embrace it for what it is. Some of you are starting to sound like Nelson McCausland or Gregory Campbell instead of Gaels.

GlensMan89 (Antrim) - Posts: 54 - 17/10/2012 11:21:51    1284305

If you think it will go back to clones your living in cloud cookoo land! A possibility may be that it would be rotated with a new up to date clones, possibly, but the quicks ins and outs of belfast etc will mean it will be kept there and i assure you from having a political back ground that the gaa will have made assurances that it will stay there to ensure they are first in line for future funding also.

So for all the anti belfast brigades yapping we will be seeing ye all at least once a year for a long time to come!

North Side Gael (None) - Posts: 1076 - 17/10/2012 11:24:04    1284306

would agree Omagh be ideal

john_wayne1 (UK) - Posts: 233 - 17/10/2012 11:27:50    1284309

Yeah while we're at it could we not move Croke Park to Athlone as its more central and obviously thats the priority.

As others have said the decision has been made, coming on here whining about any and every grievance you have about Belfast aint gonna change anything.

As for it being a white elephant, believe it or not there are other competitions besides the USFC.
There will be plenty of important club games in hurling and football both from within Antrim and Ulster held in it, national league games possibly including semi finals and finals, compromise rules games and of course we havent yet mentioned camogie, womens football, and handball as there are handball courts being built. It will also be used for concerts and ive no doubt possibly used as a venue for the likes of rugby, if ireland were to get the world cup.

So yeah im sure itll sit dormant all year round, was that pink elephants mentioned??

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 17/10/2012 12:54:21    1284347

Seems to be a lot of Antrim posters getting very defensive on here!

I think the concerns highlighted about playing big games in the summer during marching season are valid. As someone who is living and working in Belfast I am well aware of this. Casement Park and the surrounding area could never have the same 'feel' to it as Clones on Ulster final day (which is usually within a week either side of the 12th)

I think somewhere like Omagh would have been perfect. To the poster above saying we should be grateful of getting funding no matter where its going you are missing the point! No point spending the money just for the sake of it, it wont keep coming. The money should be put into something useful, not just thrown anywhere to make the politicians look useful. Casement Park needs development and I accept that, but making it the primary stadium just doesnt seem right. Outside of Antrim I certainly dont think the proposal would get overwhelming support

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1429 - 17/10/2012 13:19:20    1284361

lufty
County: Antrim
Posts: 65

1284200 If Omagh is so close to everywhere why do the people complain about traveling to the Emergency Hospitals in Enniskillen and Derry as being too far away.

Surely you must be able to tell the difference between being critically ill and going to a football/hurling match! I'll explain just in case;

If you need emergency treatment then an hour is a very long time to have to travel to get it.
If you are travelling by choice to a match for a day out then an hour is not a long time.

Tom1916
Sarcasm works as I got the reply I expected, you have just stated that you want to bring 40,000 people into a town with no emergency hospital within an hours drive. To run any major sporting events you need to follow the statutory legislation which include quick response time for ambulances in the case of emergency. There is no use pointing out that it may never be used but the law has to followed or it invalidates the gaa's insurance and the ground closed down by their local council.
I think Omagh would be better off fighting for a full emergency hospital rather than getting the stadium that has been drew up for Casement, this is being built which I feel is with an eye to the corporate market in Belfast business community. Corporate boxes and restaurant facilities are planned to maximize the use of the stadium during non match days.

Brendtheredhand
I have had a few weekends in Omagh to sample the very fine establishments and I have even marched a few times as well up the main street. I am currently working on a small Mediterranean island close to Africa so you can guess I had a good laugh about Antrim Boys needing to get out.

lufty (Antrim) - Posts: 77 - 17/10/2012 13:25:40    1284365

Dungannon for me practical and historical

Tyronetim (Tyrone) - Posts: 1254 - 17/10/2012 13:26:47    1284367

Garry I work in Omagh every few weeks and I have to say it's an awful town to get around. Car parking at the minute is a joke. Getting around the town is always a nussiance as well. I don't think it would be a great place for a stadium to accomadate the sort of numbers you are talking about.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 17/10/2012 13:39:40    1284383