Council could upgrade five stadiums (@10 million each) for the price of one new stadium. Pairc Tailteann, Naas, Parnell Park, Mullingar, Portlaoise

crikey (Australia) - Posts: 355 - 16/02/2016 08:28:32    1825657

Pairc Tailteann is by far the worst ground of the above mentioned Crikey in terms of a stands and dressing room. But in terms of playing surface I think it's the best. Far wider and a better surface than any of the others.

Amazing how O'Moore park gets such high profile games, the pitch is a bog, can't take rain at all. Parnell and Mullingar are very small tight pitches. There's not even a stand in Naas? Conleths in Newbridge is very tight pitch too.

begining (UK) - Posts: 320 - 16/02/2016 10:04:18    1825671

I remember having this discussion on a thread a couple of years ago, it seems to be one of the ones that comes around regularly.

My take on it would be to dove tail it with another project, rather than a stand alone gaa stadium. Location would be all important. That is why I would see a stadium in athlone ticking a lot of the boxes.

1 Roscommon and westmeath could share it. (the pitch in mullingar and its facilities are not up to the mark)
2 It would be an excellent location for back door games, especially if neutrality were sought. (Mayo and Kerry in Limerick caused a bit of a storm 2 years ago).
3 Finally, I would point to the need for Connaught to have a proper rugby facility. A 30000 stadium in athlone is only up the road to galway (45 minutes). They dont have a good stadium at all.

It might work?

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 16/02/2016 10:45:27    1825684

Dundalk would be an ideal location for a new stadium.
- halfway between Dublin and Belfast
- two million people within a 50 miles radius
- ideal location for league/ backdoor knockout games involving counties from Ulster and/or Leinster
- could be an alternative venue for Ulster finals - only four miles from border
- good road network
- train station

19616609 (Louth) - Posts: 1679 - 16/02/2016 12:21:40    1825724

In relation to some points above it should be noted that Roscommon have plans to redevelop the Hyde and after protracted negotiations over ownership I doubt they want to see their plans usurped by a new stadium in Athlone, similarly Westmeath have plans for a new stand in Cusack Park to provide more covered accommodation and improved facilities so both counties obviously wish to improve and enhance their own venues. Obviously I'm going to promote Pairc Tailteann as a viable stadium for funded improvements as it is well placed and has the scope and potential to be turned into a fantastic stadium and a €70'000 feasibility study on the ground is nearing completion according to the last County Board meeting so news on that front might not be far away. I can not see the sense or reason for building stadiums on greenfield sites when we have grounds already in the associations ownership which can be improved and enhanced. Drogheda, Newbridge, Mullingar etc can all be modernised to give comfortable surroundings for players, officials and spectators and those venues need such investment and deserve it. Pairc Tailteann had sufficient room to be made into a mid size stadium of 20 or 25'000 capacity (it was originally 30'000 back in the day) and could easily serve as a hub stadium for north/west Leinster and even south Ulster. Bottom line is we should use our existing assets and improve them instead of throwing money at green field sites with all the planning costs and legal fees that goes with same and make our existing venues viable so fixtures can be spread evenly and counties can be confident of being capable of hosting big matches when they come calling.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3747 - 16/02/2016 16:51:37    1825855

If a flash new stadium is built we're still left with tired old stadiums that will eventually need upgrading anyway. O Moore park had to have a million spent recently just to comply with Work Health and Safety regulations. Not sure of the conditions of Pairc Tailteann, Naas Newbridge and Mullingar .

crikey (Australia) - Posts: 355 - 17/02/2016 11:48:22    1826046

Of all the provinces Leinster are probably the one most in need of a decent sized (40,000) stadium. The crux of the debate then is where to locate it.
Realistically somewhere near the M50 is probably the best option, in that it pretty central within the province itself and the infrastructure accessing it is good, but that may only lead to more suggestions of pro Dublin bias if it is placed there. Of the other options being mooted for redevelopment as opposed to a 'new' stadium some are definite a no go. The likes of Drogheda does not have the room to expand to the required size. Likewise with Mullingar and possibly Newbridge. Wexford park is probably too far south for the Leinster council to consider for their showpiece stadium, similarily Longford may be too far north.
Navan is probably best placed in that it has an excellent playing surface, room to take the required development and decent infrastructure leading to the town itself. The only problem may be parking and access to Pairc Tailteann itself (from a planning permission viewpoint). Portlaoise is the other realistic option but would they have they room for a development of that size on the current site.
Hopefully the Leinster council will move on this soon rather than continue to rely on Croke Park as a venue which can be soulless when holding a crowd of 20k or 30k.
Personally I hope its Navan, it's such a pity to see a ground that hosted so many great games simply waste away through neglect/mismanagement/lack of investment. (delete as applicable).

AHP (Dublin) - Posts: 323 - 17/02/2016 13:17:17    1826085

Lets face it -if a m50 stadium new build will be for the dubs !! Navan should/has to be developed

curnew (Wicklow) - Posts: 449 - 17/02/2016 14:06:11    1826117

Think Navan just has too many problems with access in terms of the heavy machinery needed to go through the town to do the job and then when the job is done it doesn't have the parking and most traffic would be clogging up the centre of the town.

M50 is too close to Dublin so too close to the only world class GAA ground in the country currently. There's a fair chance Dublin GAA may build a ground off their own back with their own financial resources anyway so no point having the GAA pay for something that Dublin GAA can pay for themselves.

Portlaoise might not be central enough so I'd be leaning towards a greenfield site as much as possible in the middle of the country. Selling off the ground in Longford or Mullingar and building one on the outskirts of a town like Athlone. All depends on the price you could get of course.

A 40k stadium that would be a location for league finals and semis, Leinster finals, all ireland quarters, all in hurling and football. As well as being a location for ireland is they ever host a rugby world cup. Possibly the connacht rugby team or maybe other provinces for interpros games.

realman2 (Kildare) - Posts: 464 - 17/02/2016 14:33:50    1826130

Of all the provinces Leinster are probably the one most in need of a decent sized (40,000) stadium. The crux of the debate then is where to locate it.
Realistically somewhere near the M50 is probably the best option, in that it pretty central within the province itself and the infrastructure accessing it is good, but that may only lead to more suggestions of pro Dublin bias if it is placed there. Of the other options being mooted for redevelopment as opposed to a 'new' stadium some are definite a no go. The likes of Drogheda does not have the room to expand to the required size. Likewise with Mullingar and possibly Newbridge. Wexford park is probably too far south for the Leinster council to consider for their showpiece stadium, similarily Longford may be too far north.
Navan is probably best placed in that it has an excellent playing surface, room to take the required development and decent infrastructure leading to the town itself. The only problem may be parking and access to Pairc Tailteann itself (from a planning permission viewpoint). Portlaoise is the other realistic option but would they have they room for a development of that size on the current site.
Hopefully the Leinster council will move on this soon rather than continue to rely on Croke Park as a venue which can be soulless when holding a crowd of 20k or 30k.
Personally I hope its Navan, it's such a pity to see a ground that hosted so many great games simply waste away through neglect/mismanagement/lack of investment. (delete as applicable).

AHP (Dublin) - Posts:103 - 17/02/2016 13:17:17 1826085

Good points there, there is as far as I know permission is already granted for new terracing and a stand at Pairc Tailteann although that may need to be revisited if the plans become more elaborate although I don't personally think permission will be an issue, depends on the size and scale of plans when we see them I suppose. The place certainly needs urgent investment as the existing stand is well past its sell by date and poses many health and safety issues, actually I think we're lucky that it hasn't been closed already, and the goal ends are already closed so essentially at present we have half a stadium. The potential is there to make it a fantastic stadium so I do hope it happens and soon

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3747 - 17/02/2016 14:37:14    1826131

Until you have played in St Conleths you will never be able to appreciate just how much of a dump it is. Should be sold asap and no more money wasted on it

11jm11 (Kildare) - Posts: 367 - 17/02/2016 16:35:07    1826166

Good points there, there is as far as I know permission is already granted for new terracing and a stand at Pairc Tailteann although that may need to be revisited if the plans become more elaborate although I don't personally think permission will be an issue, depends on the size and scale of plans when we see them I suppose
I know it may never happen but if it was a possibility then perhaps putting in a new terrace now would be counter productive. Any new stadium would need a high percentage of its capacity seated. The lack of seats is cited by Leinster council as the reason that Dublins game next June had to be held in Nowlan Park instead of in Portlaoise.

AHP (Dublin) - Posts: 323 - 17/02/2016 16:49:33    1826173

Good points there, there is as far as I know permission is already granted for new terracing and a stand at Pairc Tailteann although that may need to be revisited if the plans become more elaborate although I don't personally think permission will be an issue, depends on the size and scale of plans when we see them I suppose
I know it may never happen but if it was a possibility then perhaps putting in a new terrace now would be counter productive. Any new stadium would need a high percentage of its capacity seated. The lack of seats is cited by Leinster council as the reason that Dublins game next June had to be held in Nowlan Park instead of in Portlaoise

Yes that's true, I think we're looking at terracing the goal ends, replacing the existing stand with a 6-7'000 capacity one and upgrading the existing terrace to provide dressing rooms, press area and possibly some seating also, certainly more seating, and covered seating at that, is the way to go

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3747 - 18/02/2016 12:26:09    1826309

Seems this M50 Stadium plan may be on the back burner if not shelved altogether with news that Croke Park have told the Meath County Board they can apply for permission to redevelop Pairc Tailteann into a modern 20'000 capacity stadium, plenty big enough in my estimation and will be able to service a lot of counties in north/west Leinster, I'm actually surprised they got the nod to seek planning but naturally delighted......

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3747 - 14/12/2016 20:44:34    1940184

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 14/12/2016 22:26:24    1940209

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3747 - 15/12/2016 12:17:30    1940295

Great news for Navan can't wait to see the New Staduim when built great stuff. Is it not just the Dublin county board and John Costello who want the M50 staduim built? If so why would this stop him?

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 15/12/2016 12:45:58    1940303

The_DOC (Galway) - Posts: 759 - 16/12/2016 10:16:36    1940499

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 16/12/2016 10:28:53    1940502

The Pairc Junction 8 and Pairc Spawell were both seperate ideas.

The crazy Pairc Junction 8 was a Leinster Council idea which intended lumping Dublin, Meath, Kildare and whoever else they could squeeze in, into one site so no more home games ever for Meath and Kildare.
Pairc Spawell is a Dublin only initiative which would be the needed 'in between' sized ground they would use as Parnell is too small and Croke is too big.

Pairc Tailteann upgrade will simply be a modernisation of an existing ground which had fallen behind the times.

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 571 - 16/12/2016 13:52:30    1940550