Realistically, the Hyde would be in line to host far more neutral games in the future than McHale Park due to its geographical location.

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1903 - 03/02/2015 21:43:48    1689852

Whoo hooo.......I'm going to frame this quote ;-)

Ha - tell me when you have and I'll call round and sign it for you :-)

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 04/02/2015 08:03:23    1689860

There is no point throwing more bad money after good on any of the stadiums in Connaught at present. The Connaught final hasn't sold out since 2002.

The GAA need to have a championship that has more big games as a starting point. You then create a demand for stadia and then you build them.

At present there is no demand for Parc Ui Chaoimh, a new stadium on the M50, a bigger stadium in Connaught,a redeveloped Navan or any other white elephant you care to mention.

A real plan would involve having a large provincial venue in each province, a champions league style two tiered championship with about 8 competitive crowd pulling games in each venue (the odd concert, big provincial rugby matches) and then the All Ireland semis and finals in Croke Park. Every county should then have a small ground with a capacity of 8-15 thousand (one side covered seats and floodlights) for holding county finals, league matches and the like.

Building big stadiums all over the place that get filled once a year is Celtic tiger style craziness.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1328 - 04/02/2015 08:59:15    1689866

I have said it before on other blogs about McHale that the new stand is embarrassing for the money spent, with posts for FFS holding up the roof. Leicester Tigers built the Catrepillar stand at the same time for the same capacity for the same money. Ill let you all make up your minds who got the better deal lol.

http://www.leicestertigers.com/club/stadium/caterpillar.php

The GAA now seem to want to sink millions into another poorly desined stadium ie pairc ui chaiomh. 70 million should get you something like the new Brighton stadium ie 30-35000 all seater fully roofed modern stadium instead we will get one good stand and a lick of paint on the remaining 3, the result being an outdated stadium the second it opens. The good news for Connacht GAA is if Ireland gets the Rugby world cup 2023 as I could see both McHale and Pearse getting funds to help develop the grounds to improve quality and facilities

boondock (Antrim) - Posts: 9 - 04/02/2015 09:14:52    1689868

Be nice of Newbridge got bit of a facelift.

LilySavage (Kildare) - Posts: 114 - 04/02/2015 09:16:56    1689869

I have said it before on other blogs about McHale that the new stand is embarrassing for the money spent, with posts for FFS holding up the roof. Leicester Tigers built the Catrepillar stand at the same time for the same capacity for the same money. Ill let you all make up your minds who got the better deal lol.

http://www.leicestertigers.com/club/stadium/caterpillar.php

The GAA now seem to want to sink millions into another poorly desined stadium ie pairc ui chaiomh. 70 million should get you something like the new Brighton stadium ie 30-35000 all seater fully roofed modern stadium instead we will get one good stand and a lick of paint on the remaining 3, the result being an outdated stadium the second it opens. The good news for Connacht GAA is if Ireland gets the Rugby world cup 2023 as I could see both McHale and Pearse getting funds to help develop the grounds to improve quality and facilities

boondock (Antrim) - Posts: 9 - 04/02/2015 09:25:14    1689873

tirawleybaron
There is no point throwing more bad money after good on any of the stadiums in Connaught at present. The Connaught final hasn't sold out since 2002.

The leinster and munster finals are in the same boat. It hasn't had an effect on their funding and development.

Also to anyone saying Roscommon is a better geographical location. Cork is hardly in the middle of the country, is it? The fact is McHale park is bigger than hyde park, it has more room around it, and it is in castlebar and 15 minutes from Westport... It is clearly the standout candidate for a provincial ground.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 04/02/2015 09:45:06    1689876

McHale Pk can be a great place to watch a match (when it's full on a dry day) or it can be a terrible place to watch a match (when the wind and rain are wetting everyone in the stand and all around the uncovered areas). It's not a great stadium. Hyde park is much the same. Pearse Stadium is my favorite venue in Connacht but it has it's draw backs aswell. In reality, they're all half finished stadiums that are only fully utilised a couple of times every 5 years (on Connacht Final day when 2 big rivals happen to meet). They're a reflection of the inefficiencies of the Connacht Council and of the GAA as a whole. I still love them all for their imperfections!

pdempsey (Mayo) - Posts: 1313 - 04/02/2015 10:39:25    1689900

Master. Just because someone else does something stupid doesn't mean Connaught should.

By all means get the money but it would be better off spent on centres of excellence, indoor training centres, all weather pitches and full time coaches.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1328 - 04/02/2015 10:48:17    1689905

tirawleybaron, the gaa should have a major stadium in each province - you dont have to fill it all the time, how often do they fill croke park? That should be a given if they want to host things like the rugby WC. They should put a stand on the other side of McHale park, terrace both ends (already terraced - just stand up) and use it the centre of Connacht football. It doesn't seem to occur to you that if the facilities were better, more people would go...

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 04/02/2015 11:16:24    1689920

dont waste any more money on stadiums that will only be filled every other year. It is a disaster. Look at the size of stadiums in germany and brazil. compared to their population, they are relatively tiny. And they are the correct size. We should make do with what we have, and repair the grounds that are in situ rather than redevelop them

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 04/02/2015 11:19:33    1689921

Master

The if you build it, they will come notion doesn't work. You create the market first.

If the FAI built huge 30,000 stadiums for the League of Ireland would people go to watch? No chance

If McHale park had a closed roof with heated seats, wifi and staff to carry patrons to their seats you still wouldn't fill it more than once a year.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1328 - 04/02/2015 11:37:34    1689931

The master you talk about space in Castlebar and building a new stand on the press box side off the ground but you completely ignore the fact there is a row of houses very near to to that side of the ground and the fought long and hard against the floodlights going up, so the are going to fight against any stand ever going up. The Hyde has one thing that a lot of grounds do not adjoining land that is not built on, with comes the possibility of buying and expanding. One bad decision in Cork does not mean every decision has to be based on a bad decision.

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 04/02/2015 12:55:25    1689972

ROS1 - out of interest who owns that land you are talking about? Had a quick scan on the map there and it looks like quite a prime piece of land within the greenbelt and very close to the town centre. I would imagine that whoever currently owns it would be keen enough to hold on to it themselves or would be looking quite a pretty penny to part with it. I know I wouldn't be giving it away for a song.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 04/02/2015 13:50:40    1689995

How has Hyde park deteriorated so badly? I attended Connacht finals and played colleges games there in the eighties and it was a fine stadium back then. It is sad to see what a shambles it has become.

Gaillimh_Abu (Galway) - Posts: 1033 - 04/02/2015 14:40:04    1690020

The status quo will stay. Connacht finals take place in Castlebar, Galway and Roscommon. I can't see any county board giving an inch and rightly so. The day is a huge money spinner not just for the board but the hosting town and surrounding area.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11540 - 04/02/2015 14:59:31    1690037

Exactly offside_rule, how much would it cost to buy it? Before a sod is even turned. My belief would be to get a Connacht stadium up to scratch, and then put on concerts, rugby matches, AI quarter finals, AI club finals etc. You could take the same plan they have in Wembley, where there are only a few matches a year, tone it down a bit obviously, and the money would be made back. That is the way to go with our stadia.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 04/02/2015 14:59:52    1690038

Would agree yeetree, Gallimh there has been legal disputes going on for years over the ownership which have been finally sorted out in recent months. Offside a good stadium could be built without this land on the current site, the land is farm land which would still be cheaper to buy then a housing estate for example if further development was needed in the future. The master i dont see too many concerts been held in Connacht and Connacht rugby only attract crowds of 5k now and that is even with them doing well this season, the don't need to hold games in a gaa ground

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 04/02/2015 16:20:47    1690096

If you are to do up a stadium in Connaught for multipurpose use and also potential use for qualifies between Ulster counties v Munster counties, then it has to be Hyde Park.

There is lots of room around it and is fairly central.

Take the 70 million For Parc Ui Chaoimh - spend $40million on new stadium turning the pitch 90 degrees. Build some multistory parking nearby and a decent road from strokestown directly to the pitch with the other €30m and you have a proper job.

The best plan of all would be to build a brand new stadium near athenry near both the new M17 and M5 interchange. hour and half to Dublin, 45mins to Limerick, 30 mins to Claremorris, 1hr 15min to Sligo and 30 min to Roscommon. Train to Galway City, Limerick City and Dublin.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1328 - 04/02/2015 16:34:19    1690105

Rugby internationals, not Connacht matches... You could have them in each provincial ground around the country.

As for it 'having to be hyde park for ease of access'. Access for who? Why would you place the stadium for Connacht on the border to leinster? Surely it should be in the centre of the province? Surely they are the people who need to access it...

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 04/02/2015 17:33:10    1690129