Croker Really is awesome!!

Marse

Just watching the Rugby and I’m proud as punch to be a GAA man and hear the commentators praising Croker for the great sporting arena it is!!!

It really is a gem in our crown!!

Bring on the championship.

Diabhal Beag

Its great when you aren't there with the ignorant Kerry fans. They don't believe that football exists outside the Kingdom.

Best Stadium in Europe by a long shot and it makes Wembley look like Dalymount

Johnnyjump

It's a great place to be - even better when the side you're supporting wins!

Aidric

I'd love it more if the hill didn't exist. A fully enclosed stadium and it would be a masterpiece.

Diabhal Beag

That takes the uniqueness away though. Croker is special because of the history of the place and different sh1t that happened nowhere else. We have enough Emirates stadiums that are bland so the more uniqueness the better IMO

Latchy

Little Shyte wrote: »

Its great when you aren't there with the ignorant Kerry fans. They don't believe that football exists outside the Kingdom.

They dont believe that other Irish people exist outside Kerry ,never mind football .

homerjay2005

what does croker have to do with kerry? bitter much? typical rugby bandwgon jumpers. pathetic folk you are.

hello_there_jim

thanks, i built it!

GAAman

There is no feeling in the world like croker on a Dubs day, the atmosphere is unlike any other and before anyone says anything i have been to MANY non Dublin matches there and it just is not the same

I rave about it to anyone who will listen and to date have brought two americans and one derry girl to croker and all three of them were unconvinced until game time, the americans were singing and the derry girl was cheerin for Dublin........while wearin a derry flag......cos it was Dublin v derry

pebbles21

hello_there_jim wrote: »

thanks, i built it!

I paid for it;)

Daysha

It's my favourite stadium in the world. Enough said really.

No offense to the rest of the GAA folk here, but I have never experienced at atmosphere like that at Croker before in my life. It was absolutely phenomenal, something I'll never forget.

Fair play to the groundsmen though, the pitch was immaculate.

cruiserweight

Little Shyte wrote: »

Its great when you aren't there with the ignorant Kerry fans. They don't believe that football exists outside the Kingdom.

Best Stadium in Europe by a long shot and it makes Wembley look like Dalymount

Latchy wrote: »

They dont believe that other Irish people exist outside Kerry ,never mind football .

Folks stay on topic please and don't make cheap shots. The next person to post like this in the thread will be taking a weeks break.

Daysha wrote: »

It's my favourite stadium in the world. Enough said really.

No offense to the rest of the GAA folk here, but I have never experienced at atmosphere like that at Croker before in my life. It was absolutely phenomenal, something I'll never forget.

Fair play to the groundsmen though, the pitch was immaculate.

Was at the game yesterday and the atmosphere was good. But for me the best atmosphere I have experienced at Croke Park was the semi final between Armagh and Tyrone a few years back. It is not just the stadium but the occasion that make the atmosphere, I am glad that we have a great stadium that can host these occasions.

flas

its an absolutely savage stadium,but its not even in the top ten biggest in europe,sure it has a big capacity but not when you take out the terracing and put in the seats it falls down the attendance charts rapidly...still love the place doh,best atmosphere ever seen there was armagh dublin semi-final 2002 when ray cosgrove hit the post to miss the chance of drawing the game level...have a look at youtube for brussia dortmunds stadium for an atmosphere,thats place is unreal...

Zzippy

flas wrote: »

its an absolutely savage stadium,but its not even in the top ten biggest in europe,sure it has a big capacity but not when you take out the terracing and put in the seats it falls down the attendance charts rapidly...still love the place doh,best atmosphere ever seen there was armagh dublin semi-final 2002 when ray cosgrove hit the post to miss the chance of drawing the game level...have a look at youtube for brussia dortmunds stadium for an atmosphere,thats place is unreal...

I was just going to say that too, 2002 SF was best atmosphere I ever experienced as well, broke my heart but was some experience for tension and noise!

Carroller

Cant wait for Dublin vs Meath

Should be some atmosphere

Flukey

Don't forget that there will be Antrim(who like Galway should not be in the Leinster Hurling Championship) v Dublin before that game. Hopefully there will be a big crowd there. As for Croke Park, as we have so often said, the Hill can't be built over because of the rail line and houses just behind it. The openess at the end actually adds something to it. I was in Manchester a few weeks ago and a few of us went to Old Trafford to do the tour of it. My first reaction on going into it, being so used to being in Croke Park, was how small it seemed. Of course one factor is the pitch being shorter, but also it being totally enclosed made it feel smaller. It is 76,000 all seated, so in capacity terms is not so small. Later during the tour, from the corner of the ground, it did look a bit bigger than when in the stand near the halfway line. It still does not compete with Croke Park. At 76,000 it is a large stadium, but it just didn't have the same feel as Croke Park does.

It was just a tour and not at a match, but even when full an English or Scottish soccer ground just doesn't have the same kind of atmosphere as any GAA stadium does. During the tour, and as I've experienced at soccer matches in Britain, the whole idea of an away section is a bit unreal. If you have been at a soccer match in Britain, you'll know that weird atmosphere when the away team scores. From one little section of the ground you get cheers and from all the rest of the ground, silence. No matter who is playing in a GAA match on a big day, no matter what the venue and no matter which team scores, the cheers come from all around the ground because of the lack of segregation. That's a major contributor to the atmosphere. When Dublin score, the Hill goes wild and the general attention goes there, but there is cheering coming from the thousands of other Dublin fans all around Croke Park too.

J-Fit

Flukey wrote: »

At 76,000 it is a large stadium, but it just didn't have the same feel as Croke Park does

I can't say I agree with this. I've been in both stadiums at capacity and Old Trafford was head and shoulders above Croker which was still good itself. I'm not a Man United fan and I can't stand soccer so I'm not saying it for that reason. Old Trafford was like a cauldron of noise, Croker was like just another stadium. I think sometimes we (not specifically you) can get a little too congratulatory at how great Croker is. No doubt it is a good stadium, but Stade de France, the Millenium Stadium and the Nou Camp regulars would equally strike a blow for their own patch. I noticed this with one of the rugby or soccer teams that came here (can't remember - possibly French rugby?) and a local reporter asked the now obligatory "What do you think of our great stadium?", only to be met with relative indifference. The Welsh and the English don't keep asking us what do you think of the Millenium/Wembley/Twickenham, come on, what do you think? Essentially fishing for compliments. To these guys, its another run of the mill superdome that will fade off into the memory with every other stadium they ever played in. To us Irish, it is a historically unique cathedral of sport and we rightly see it through rose-tinted spectacles but atmosphere wise it's just a stadium. Wow, that went on way longer than intended!

EDIT: Way more cynical than I had intended when I read back!

Flukey

Two of the reasons that Old Trafford is "a cauldron of noise" is that it is enclosed and that, as I said in my previous post, the majority of the fans are supporting one team. Out of its 76,000 seats, only a few thousand are allocated to away supporters, and all in one single area of the stadium. It is the same with most soccer stadiums.

As to our love for our own stadium, there is nothing wrong in being proud of our own national sports and its achievements. As you said yourself, even if it is through rose-tinted glasses, we know it is special. Atmopshere-wise though, it is unique. All sports have a different kind of atmosphere, and what you get at GAA matches is different than at a soccer match or at a rugby match. A good GAA match has a good rolling atmosphere given its pace, and the regularity of scoring. A rugby atmosphere is very stop-start and you never get the complete silence in a soccer of GAA match at a free, like you do for place kicks in rugby. That is unique and special. Soccer too has its own kind of atmosphere. They are all different. People from lots of countries are familiar with soccer and rugby, and their atmospheres, but a GAA atmosphere is different for them.

Our two main sports are great, and while it has its many critics, the GAA has done a lot for this country in all sorts of ways. For an amateur organisation to be able to build a stadium like that (yes we know there was government aid too) was quite something. What we have through the various aspects of the GAA is unique and something to be proud of. Other people may not want to do it for their stadiums and sports, but if we in Ireland are proud of what we have, then why shouldn't we say it? Some visitors to it might not be particularly impressed, but many are. Any time I've been in Croke Park and seen people of other nations there or had some with me, they were impressed.

In Croke Park, and at other venues, they are also amazed at Gaelic Football and Hurling. Croke Park may just be "another run of the mill superdome" to some of them, but Gaelic Football and especially Hurling are something special, unlike anything they've ever seen. Croke Park may look ordinary when they are seeing soccer or rugby, a game they've frequently seen before, but put the combination of the stadium together with a unique sport to them and they will remember both aspects. I've seen visitors in awe at games that the likes of ourselves would know to have been not particularly great. I immediately think to myself "What would their reaction be if they saw a good match?" A real cracker of a match, in a full Croke Park would really blow their minds.

We have something special here both with Croke Park and our sports, and I am proud to tell people about it. As you said yourself, you were a bit over-cynical, so you know exactly what we are talking about. You put it beautifully in saying "it is a historically unique cathedral of sport and we rightly see it through rose-tinted spectacles" so try as you could, you couldn't even convince yourself otherwise.:) Even without rose-tinted spectacles, it is still something special.

Costigan

Daysha wrote: »

It's my favourite stadium in the world. Enough said really.

No offense to the rest of the GAA folk here, but I have never experienced at atmosphere like that at Croker before in my life. It was absolutely phenomenal, something I'll never forget.

Fair play to the groundsmen though, the pitch was immaculate.

It is a great stadium indeed. I have also been to twickenham and Wembley which are comparible in my opinion because of the additional stuff they have in the concourse and the like. Old Trafford or the Emirates just don't compare though. Celtic Park on a European night does however.

Personally I think that before the recent all irish rugby game the rugby lot bring a muted atmosphere and don't do the place justice. The atmosphere was good on Saturday but it will never compare to an All Ireland final. The supporters don't have the passion in them that the GAA crowd do IMHO.

zenmonk

Disagree here lads.
Was at the game on Saturday and was down at the endline and saw f all. Was there in the Davin last Feb and saw f all. The atmosphere at Croker is often very poor. Would rather Thurles or Paircui Chaoimh anyday or Thomond for that matter. Croker is a nice looking stadium - no atmosphere there - too big and open.

Marse

Carroller wrote: »

Cant wait for Dublin vs Meath

Should be some atmosphere

Me too, Living for this. Hope it's a good match and a fine day!!!

Marse

zenmonk wrote: »

Disagree here lads.
Was at the game on Saturday and was down at the endline and saw f all. Was there in the Davin last Feb and saw f all. The atmosphere at Croker is often very poor. Would rather Thurles or Paircui Chaoimh anyday or Thomond for that matter. Croker is a nice looking stadium - no atmosphere there - too big and open.

Croker was built for GAA, as the rugby field is much smaller, there will always be parts of the ground with restricted viewing!!

Grudaire

Marse wrote: »

Me too, Living for this. Hope it's a good match and a fine day!!!

... and Dublin win! (Or several suspensions might also be entertaining:pac:)

zenmonk wrote: »

Disagree here lads.
Was at the game on Saturday and was down at the endline and saw f all. Was there in the Davin last Feb and saw f all. The atmosphere at Croker is often very poor. Would rather Thurles or Paircui Chaoimh anyday or Thomond for that matter. Croker is a nice looking stadium - no atmosphere there - too big and open.

It's called the Canal End...

IIMII

Daysha wrote: »

No offense to the rest of the GAA folk here, but I have never experienced at atmosphere like that at Croker before in my life. It was absolutely phenomenal, something I'll never forget.

Maybe it's just your own team's supporters lack of atmosphere that is the problem there..

J-Fit wrote: »

I can't say I agree with this. I've been in both stadiums at capacity and Old Trafford was head and shoulders above Croker which was still good itself. I'm not a Man United fan and I can't stand soccer so I'm not saying it for that reason. Old Trafford was like a cauldron of noise, Croker was like just another stadium. I think sometimes we (not specifically you) can get a little too congratulatory at how great Croker is. No doubt it is a good stadium, but Stade de France, the Millenium Stadium and the Nou Camp regulars would equally strike a blow for their own patch. I noticed this with one of the rugby or soccer teams that came here (can't remember - possibly French rugby?) and a local reporter asked the now obligatory "What do you think of our great stadium?", only to be met with relative indifference. The Welsh and the English don't keep asking us what do you think of the Millenium/Wembley/Twickenham, come on, what do you think? Essentially fishing for compliments. To these guys, its another run of the mill superdome that will fade off into the memory with every other stadium they ever played in. To us Irish, it is a historically unique cathedral of sport and we rightly see it through rose-tinted spectacles but atmosphere wise it's just a stadium. Wow, that went on way longer than intended!

Don't worry, the soccer and rugby crowd only have it on loan

mikemac

Cliste wrote: »

It's called the Canal End...

What's wrong with calling it the Davin Stand? That's the proper name, no?

Grudaire

mikemac wrote: »

What's wrong with calling it the Davin Stand? That's the proper name, no?

Officially yes - but I've grown up with it as the Canal End.

It feels wrong calling it the Davin stand (not to mention I actually have to mentally work out that its the Canal End). To the ordinary GAA man its known as the Canal end, and I'll not be having any rugby supporters changing that:p

Daysha

IIMII wrote: »

Maybe it's just your own team's supporters lack of atmosphere that is the problem there..

Haha, well played sir

In my defence, I'm usually too nervous in a Championship game to soak up an atmosphere. Just talking to a few mates about the AI last year, they were telling me the atmosphere even before the match was useless because they were drowning out the crowd with some Irish music over the speakers, and I couldn't even remember that. At least I could enjoy it last Saturday.

Danakin

I have been in Croker on many,many occasions in the past including a few All-Irelands and I have to say that the atmosphere on Saturday was in a different league. I have no preference for rugby over football or hurling but there was a passion and fervour to the support which I havent experienced at any GAA match.

The culture of singing at rugby matches I always think adds to the atmosphere and Dublin aside it is something that you do not really see at GAA matches. I am no Dub but certainly the only days when we see atmospheres anywhere near the rugby on Saturday are Dublin matches.

J-Fit

IIMII wrote: »

Maybe it's just your own team's supporters lack of atmosphere that is the problem there..


Don't worry, the soccer and rugby crowd only have it on loan

Are you following me?

ProperDeadly

I have worked in Croker (All-Ireland Finals, Concerts, Soccer, Rubgy, the lot!) for the past 4 years.
Without a doubt, the best atmosphere is always at the rugby matches!
There is really no comparison between them and the GAA matches.

conorlechance

great stadium alright definetly exagerrated in the minds of irish though. i mean i wonder do barca natives proclaim that their region has one of the most historic and best stadiums in the world. actually they probably do.

but the olympicstadion by european standards is the most interesting stadia in europe. similar to croker in that the north stand is unique.

grenache

Croker is a terrific stadium no doubt, but i can't say i look forward to ever going there, its normally just to see Limerick get beat. And the odd rubgy game of course, but GAA there is way more special.

NinjaSkrtel

Croke Park is amazing,especially the first few times you go and will always be very special to me but imo the nicest stadium structurally and facility wise is Benfica's Estadio da Luz and atmosphere wise nothing comes even close to anfield on a european night.

flas

besides the dubs there is no singing except a little chant here and there,european parkhead nights,different story,even any importnat game in the league is a different story,so much singing its unreal and croke park cant come close to that,i wish it could but it really cant...and if you look over my postd il say how good croke park is but compared its dead in the water...

ardmacha

s an absolutely savage stadium,but its not even in the top ten biggest in europe,sure it has a big capacity but not when you take out the terracing and put in the seats it falls down the attendance charts rapidly...still love the place doh,best atmosphere ever seen there was armagh dublin semi-final 2002 when ray cosgrove hit the post to miss the chance of drawing the game level...

it is in the ten biggest in Europe, who cares what the capacity is without terracing.

Being of an Armagh persuasion the Armagh/Dublin Sf in 2002 and the Armagh/Tyrone Sf in 2005 stand out. 2002 had everything, the first full house in the new Croker, sunshine, Armagh getting a goal and Whelan storming down the field to get one back and the last minute free.

cruiserweight

ardmacha wrote: »

it is in the ten biggest in Europe, who cares what the capacity is without terracing.

Fourth biggest in terms of capacity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_European_stadia_by_capacity If you look through the list the GAA is doing very well in terms of pretty large capacity stadia

Looking at the list I have been to games in 6 of the top 10 but only 8 of the top 20

flas

if you put in seats in the hill then itill not in the top ten,number four with the terracing,you cant compare it to all seaters,im not knockin the stadium,think it looks well and all like...dont get me wrong like...

Browney7

grenache wrote: »

Croker is a terrific stadium no doubt, but i can't say i look forward to ever going there, its normally just to see Limerick get beat. And the odd rubgy game of course, but GAA there is way more special.

+1 on that.

2007 against Waterford was the exception though. Best atmosphere at a limerick game I ever experienced:D

Daysha

flas wrote: »

if you put in seats in the hill then itill not in the top ten,number four with the terracing,you cant compare it to all seaters,im not knockin the stadium,think it looks well and all like...dont get me wrong like...

I don't think that makes it any less of a stadium though. Sure it was barely 15 years ago most British grounds had terraces.

I think it's around 69,000 with the bucket seats in, which is still very impressive for an amateur organisation.

Browney7 wrote: »

2007 against Waterford was the exception though. Best atmosphere at a limerick game I ever experienced:D

Oh yeah, fcuking fantastic :rolleyes:

Browney7

Daysha wrote: »

Oh yeah, fcuking fantastic :rolleyes:

That it was Daysha. That it was:D:D Twas just just aswell Monaghan lost that day because there was only ever going to be one shock on the day.

Can't wait for the Munster championship:D

Johnnyjump

I've been to Old Trafford, San Siro and The Nou Camp. Croker leaves them all in the shade. I suppose the feeling of pride that it's OUR stadium probably helps.

Trained Monkey

flas wrote: »

besides the dubs there is no singing except a little chant here and there,european parkhead nights,different story,even any importnat game in the league is a different story,so much singing its unreal and croke park cant come close to that,i wish it could but it really cant...and if you look over my postd il say how good croke park is but compared its dead in the water...

The only reason that people sing at soccer and rugby games is that the entertainment level is so low. The fans are bored so they start a big sing along and the players continue going through the motions. Sad that people spend so much money following these franchises and PLCs. Atmosphere? Genuine emotion?

flas

obviously the genuine football fans do feel gebuine emotion,were not all customers at the end of the day...

Noffles

It's a good stadium but sadly the terraces just make it look 3/4 built and thus the give it a higher capacity... And you can't even have a beer when at your seat, that's just stupid.

Now the Millennium, that's "finished" and really is the business and you can take plenty of beer to your seat.

Rowley Birkin QC

Haven't read the whole thread but as good as Croker is, and it is pretty special, nothing beats Semple Stadium on Munster Final Day.

The atmosphere, both in the square in Thurles beforehand and inside the stadium, epitomises the GAA.

newman10

Little Shyte wrote: »

Its great when you aren't there with the ignorant Kerry fans. They don't believe that football exists outside the Kingdom.

At Least we know how to get there.........:D

fullstop

Little Shyte wrote: »

Its great when you aren't there with the ignorant Kerry fans. They don't believe that football exists outside the Kingdom.

Best Stadium in Europe by a long shot and it makes Wembley look like Dalymount

I loled

NinjaSkrtel

Trained Monkey wrote: »

The only reason that people sing at soccer and rugby games is that the entertainment level is so low. The fans are bored so they start a big sing along and the players continue going through the motions. Sad that people spend so much money following these franchises and PLCs. Atmosphere? Genuine emotion?

Someones clearly never been to a proper FOOTBALL game then:rolleyes:

Ive been to Heineken Cup Finals & Semis,loads of All Ireland finals in hurling and football and loads of Liverpool matches and I can tell you right now that anfield pisses all over the rest in terms of atmosphere,colour,knowledgable fans and passion.Hands down.And if you think otherwise youre kidding yourself.

Im a munster man and the atmosphere is manufactured-everyone in all the latest jerseys,free plastic flags etc.Where were all these fans 10 years ago when we were ****e?Ive no problem with that though-its a complete different culture to that of football which is fine-each to their own.But to say the atmosphere at a rugby match is so much better than football is laughable frankly.The teams dont even have their own songs for christ sake."MUUUUUNSTEEER","LUUUUNSTER"(Repeat 10 times)........yeah-better atmosphere than "You'll never walk alone any day":rolleyes:;)

Daysha

NinjaSkrtel wrote: »

Someones clearly never been to a proper FOOTBALL game then:rolleyes:

Ive been to Heineken Cup Finals & Semis,loads of All Ireland finals in hurling and football and loads of Liverpool matches and I can tell you right now that anfield pisses all over the rest in terms of atmosphere,colour,knowledgable fans and passion.Hands down.And if you think otherwise youre kidding yourself.

Im a munster man and the atmosphere is manufactured-everyone in all the latest jerseys,free plastic flags etc.Where were all these fans 10 years ago when we were ****e?Ive no problem with that though-its a complete different culture to that of football which is fine-each to their own.But to say the atmosphere at a rugby match is so much better than football is laughable frankly.The teams dont even have their own songs for christ sake."MUUUUUNSTEEER","LUUUUNSTER"(Repeat 10 times)........yeah-better atmosphere than "You'll never walk alone any day":rolleyes:;)

Bit of a generalisation don't you think? I'm sure you know that not all football matches are like at Anfield, just like not all rugby matches are like Heineken Cup day in Thomond Park.

Anyway, apart from the odd one or two by Dubliners, GAA fans don't have traditional songs to sing either. I've been going to GAA matches for years and I've never heard anything other than a "Waaherfur *clap clap clap* Waaherfur *clap clap clap* etc for us. But that doesn't detract from the atmosphere.

NinjaSkrtel

Daysha wrote: »

Bit of a generalisation don't you think? I'm sure you know that not all football matches are like at Anfield, just like not all rugby matches are like Heineken Cup day in Thomond Park.

Anyway, apart from the odd one or two by Dubliners, GAA fans don't have traditional songs to sing either. I've been going to GAA matches for years and I've never heard anything other than a "Waaherfur *clap clap clap* Waaherfur *clap clap clap* etc for us. But that doesn't detract from the atmosphere.

Point taken-Im trying to say thomond park is widely regarded as the best atmosphere in european rugby (and rightly so) and anfield is considered the best atmosphere in european football (and rightly so)....Ive experienced both on numerous occasions and thomond does not even come remotely close.Thats fine-its a completely different fan culture-and Im not trying to boast about Anfield-but I just found it humourous that all the people on here are so convinced and proud of the rugby atmosphere and looking down on other sports when in fact it doesnt even compare to the atmosphere at one of the epic Cork/Waterford games or Liverpool v Everton etc....


If you take the average atmosphere at a football match and compare it to that at your average rugby match,football will win 95 times out of 100.

Flukey

I mentioned this earlier, but the reason you get big atmospheres at soccer matches in England, like in Anfield, is because the vast majority of fans are supporting one team. You just have a small away crowd in them. If the away team score those places go pretty quiet, and the cheering for one small corner in the ground sounds unreal, and makes a very weird atmosphere. Even at Dublin games (although Croke Park isn't their home ground) there is a great atmosphere provided by both sets of supporters, from all over the ground. There is a significant enough amount of non-Dublin fans to make an impact. Having no segregation also helps the atmosphere. Imagine a soccer match where there was equal representation from both sets of supporters and they were all segregated, and what the atmosphere would be like when one team scored.