Galway GAA discussion thread

FlashR2D2

MfMan wrote: »

I wouldn't like to see Pearse go into decline as it did before as it's a decent enough venue with a fine stand in itself, but location plus a surface unsuitable (for the moment) for hurling mitigates against it.

I think they should let it go, divert the cash into slowly renovating two modest grounds over a long term plan, ( Tuam definately for the footballers, Athenry or Ballinasloe for the hurlers).

Hulk Hands

T0001 wrote: »

The hurling home games will be played in Kenny Park for the duration of the National League with the Football home game sbeing played in Tuam Stadium for the duration of the National League. For the hurlers Ballinasloe would be a better option especially convienient for the visitors not having to travel to Athenry

The playing surface in Athenry is far superior to Ballinasloe though, so that was probably a factor. Athenry is also as close to most hurling strongholds as Ballinasloe is, but crucially is much closer to any fans who want to travel out from Conemara or the city.

If only Pearse Stadium had been rezoned and sold in the bubble, we'd have been in the money and been able to develop the other stadiums. As it is, Athenry is a good venue for club games if its a dry day. A half arsed development began in Tuam before the arse fell out of it. Again ok for club games and league games. I was in Ballinasloe for the first time in a few years late last year and to say its been let go downhill is an understatement. The pitch is still reasonably good but in terms of spectators its a disaster.

Really all those who gave the go ahead for Pearse Stadium to be re-developed should be ashamed of themselves. If someone was looking for permission to build a shed around there they'd make them jump through ridiculous hoops but this was rammed through with no concern as to how it might be a viable entity. The stadium itself is ok but the facilities around the stadium aren't suitable and no plan has been put in place on big match days to try and make it suitable.

With all the politics involved in this I don't think we'll ever get a satisfactory resolution to this.

windy shepard henderson

T0001 wrote: »

Here we are givin' out about management and only across the border Davy has managed to loose 3 great hurlers!

true but in fairness cathal mac and sean collins would probably make a bigger impact playing football then hurling ,in terms of football on his day cathal is as good a forward as you would find anywhere , and while he is a very good hurler he has being finding it tough going trying to nail down a full time position with the hurlers

podge was never going to chose hurling on its own , not after the scapegoating he got all year not just from davy but from the likes of the sunday game and raido annalists which his father was furious about , and i doubt he was too happy himself about it

sean had played for the footballlers for a number of years before giving hurling a go, good hurler and on the basis of his club fourm this year he would be pushing for a starting place next year , i think you could take elements of both podge and cathals reasoning's for his own decision in choosing football

TCDStudent1

Pearse Stadium should never have been re-developed. Tuam should have been the one re-developed at the time but we are where we are now. People argued at the time that it would promote GAA in the city which was supposedly the main reason it was developed instead of Tuam. There could be an argument that this has actually happened as you have both St. James & St. Michaels in far better places than they were at the beginning of the 00's.

I dont really see the merits of putting money into Tuam now that Pearse is there. I think that any money into Tuam should be put players facilities (there have been well documented problems with dressing rooms etc.).

Do not forget that people in charge of Tuam stadium actually made their ground worse by demolishing the terrace the town side of the stand. That was the best location to watch a match and most spectators used to congregate there. So Tuam are every bit to blame with the current situation as anybody who advocated Pearse at the time.

Unfortunately, the scope of developing Tuam is now much more limited than it was 10/15 years ago. There are now houses directly behind the side opposite the stand and behind the Corofin end. So you only have scope at the town end and where the current stand is. I doubt that would allow enough space to create anything better than Pearse.

Sure, you can argue that attendances would be better for football matches in Tuam. I have no doubt that they would be slightly better. But not significant enough to pump millions into some re-development project. I think county finals should definitely be played in Tuam (more often than not, the teams are from around the Tuam area) but Pearse should be used for inter-county championship matches.

threeball

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

Pearse Stadium should never have been re-developed. Tuam should have been the one re-developed at the time but we are where we are now. People argued at the time that it would promote GAA in the city which was supposedly the main reason it was developed instead of Tuam. There could be an argument that this has actually happened as you have both St. James & St. Michaels in far better places than they were at the beginning of the 00's.

I dont really see the merits of putting money into Tuam now that Pearse is there. I think that any money into Tuam should be put players facilities (there have been well documented problems with dressing rooms etc.).

Do not forget that people in charge of Tuam stadium actually made their ground worse by demolishing the terrace the town side of the stand. That was the best location to watch a match and most spectators used to congregate there. So Tuam are every bit to blame with the current situation as anybody who advocated Pearse at the time.

Unfortunately, the scope of developing Tuam is now much more limited than it was 10/15 years ago. There are now houses directly behind the side opposite the stand and behind the Corofin end. So you only have scope at the town end and where the current stand is. I doubt that would allow enough space to create anything better than Pearse.

Sure, you can argue that attendances would be better for football matches in Tuam. I have no doubt that they would be slightly better. But not significant enough to pump millions into some re-development project. I think county finals should definitely be played in Tuam (more often than not, the teams are from around the Tuam area) but Pearse should be used for inter-county championship matches.

People lose their will to live travelling in and out of Galway 5 days a week. The last thing anyone wants to do is head back in on a saturday or sunday to watch a match especially in the wet and wind of salthill to watch games that are barely watchable due to the weather and watch the tumble weeds roll by in a stadium that was designed for the once in 5yr sell out against mayo in a CFinal.

If there was a nice 8-10,000 seater stadium in tuam with nice facilities and some half time kiosks I could see the place having 5 or 6,000 at league games regularly. I think most fathers would love to take their kids and have a day out on a sunday that would be atmospheric, entertaining and comfortable unlike what most counties serve up which is miserable, hypothermic, endurance events where both the fare on offer to both the players and the fans is sub standard.

TCDStudent1

threeball wrote: »

People lose their will to live travelling in and out of Galway 5 days a week. The last thing anyone wants to do is head back in on a saturday or sunday to watch a match especially in the wet and wind of salthill to watch games that are barely watchable due to the weather and watch the tumble weeds roll by in a stadium that was designed for the once in 5yr sell out against mayo in a CFinal.

If there was a nice 8-10,000 seater stadium in tuam with nice facilities and some half time kiosks I could see the place having 5 or 6,000 at league games regularly. I think most fathers would love to take their kids and have a day out on a sunday that would be atmospheric, entertaining and comfortable unlike what most counties serve up which is miserable, hypothermic, endurance events where both the fare on offer to both the players and the fans is sub standard.

Yeah, I could see potential for a development like that there. And I think Tuam should have more league matches.

The problem is I doubt Tuam would ever do a small development like that. They will continue as it is in the hope that one day, they will get the big championship games back from Pearse. I think those days are gone. I would love to see 30000 people in Tuam for a Galway - Mayo match. Many of my favourite childhood days were going to Tuam for those matches. I loved it. But I can never see it happening again in the future.

realweirdo

Surely the 8-10,000 development would have been in Galway at Pearse Stadium and the 30,000 stadium in Tuam.

It seems the powers that be in Galway have or had no real concept of the traditions of Galway football.

The heartland of Galway football for most of its history is in the North-East centred around Tuam. The city has really no tradition worth talking about.

TCDStudent1

realweirdo wrote: »

Surely the 8-10,000 development would have been in Galway at Pearse Stadium and the 30,000 stadium in Tuam.

It seems the powers that be in Galway have or had no real concept of the traditions of Galway football.

The heartland of Galway football for most of its history is in the North-East centred around Tuam. The city has really no tradition worth talking about.

Thats what should have happened. But we are where we are. And thats lumbered with a 30000 stadium in Pearse thats a nightmare to get to!

gordongekko

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Really all those who gave the go ahead for Pearse Stadium to be re-developed should be ashamed of themselves. If someone was looking for permission to build a shed around there they'd make them jump through ridiculous hoops but this was rammed through with no concern as to how it might be a viable entity. The stadium itself is ok but the facilities around the stadium aren't suitable and no plan has been put in place on big match days to try and make it suitable.

With all the politics involved in this I don't think we'll ever get a satisfactory resolution to this.

Yuan has worse facilities around the ground than pearse and a worse route network to the ground

threeball

realweirdo wrote: »

Surely the 8-10,000 development would have been in Galway at Pearse Stadium and the 30,000 stadium in Tuam.

It seems the powers that be in Galway have or had no real concept of the traditions of Galway football.

The heartland of Galway football for most of its history is in the North-East centred around Tuam. The city has really no tradition worth talking about.

Imo only a handfull of counties should have Stadiums capable of holding 30k plus. One in each province and all championship matches that justify the crowd would be played there. AI quarter finals also. Every other stadium should be 12k or less but high quality. Theres no justification for these monstrosities. Vanity project, mickey comparing bs. Look at the atmosphere in the sportsgrounds last night

threeball

gordongekko wrote: »

Yuan has worse facilities around the ground than pearse and a worse route network to the ground

There are no facilities in pearse. You can't even go for a pint. and you'd get in and out of tuam alot handier than that other kip.

gordongekko

threeball wrote: »

There are no facilities in pearse. You can't even go for a pint. and you'd get in and out of tuam alot handier than that other kip.

There are bar facilities in the arus

threeball

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

Yeah, I could see potential for a development like that there. And I think Tuam should have more league matches.

The problem is I doubt Tuam would ever do a small development like that. They will continue as it is in the hope that one day, they will get the big championship games back from Pearse. I think those days are gone. I would love to see 30000 people in Tuam for a Galway - Mayo match. Many of my favourite childhood days were going to Tuam for those matches. I loved it. But I can never see it happening again in the future.

Thats always been Tuams problem. The shams running it genuinely believe its one of the greatest places on earth and would never see the bigger picture and develop something small as they'll never get the big one again if they did that. They'd rather get the 20,000 once every 3 yrs rather than 4,000 people 4 times a year every year

T0001

Didn't realise Mulhollond was 2/9 favourite to replce Kevin McStay as RTE pundit next year if he got the Mayo job. Ah, well always next year!!

TheCoolWay

Galway City is geographically the most central location in the county and so is the best location as Galway's main GAA grounds, whether for football or hurling.

Being centrally located gives a far fairer opportunity to ALL residents of Galway to attend a game. As much as it may surprise you, people from Carraroe and Clifden attend hurling matches and people from Kinvara and Portumna attend football matches too

Yes I agree where Pearse Stadium is located is nowhere near ideal and I agree with all the other complaints about this. It would have been easier to have something more out of town but I feel strongly that it is the better of a bad pair.

Next time you go to a league football game in Tuam, remember that it takes someone from Carna 2 hours to get there assuming traffic is ok. Even if the game is in Pearse, a Tuam resident would still get there before them with 30 mins to spare.

TheCoolWay

TheCoolWay wrote: »

Galway City is geographically the most central location in the county and so is the best location as Galway's main GAA grounds, whether for football or hurling.

Being centrally located gives a far fairer opportunity to ALL residents of Galway to attend a game. As much as it may surprise you, people from Carraroe and Clifden attend hurling matches and people from Kinvara and Portumna attend football matches too

Yes I agree where Pearse Stadium is located is nowhere near ideal and I agree with all the other complaints about this. It would have been easier to have something more out of town but I feel strongly that it is the better of a bad pair.

Next time you go to a league football game in Tuam, remember that it takes someone from Carna 2 hours to get there assuming traffic is ok. Even if the game is in Pearse, a Tuam resident would still get there before them with 30 mins to spare.

In all fairness, the numbers going to football matches from hurling areas is small and vice versa (unless it comes to All-Ireland semi finals or finals). Bottom line is a game that is held in Athenry is nearby to 95%+ of hurling supporters. For football, this argument has some merit as there is a somewhat more even split.

For a lot of people it isn't that the games are in Salthill its that the decision was taken without consultation and the general feeling I find is that people regard Pearse Stadium being redeveloped as stitching up the ordinary supporter.

TCDStudent1

TheCoolWay wrote: »

Galway City is geographically the most central location in the county and so is the best location as Galway's main GAA grounds, whether for football or hurling.

Being centrally located gives a far fairer opportunity to ALL residents of Galway to attend a game. As much as it may surprise you, people from Carraroe and Clifden attend hurling matches and people from Kinvara and Portumna attend football matches too

Yes I agree where Pearse Stadium is located is nowhere near ideal and I agree with all the other complaints about this. It would have been easier to have something more out of town but I feel strongly that it is the better of a bad pair.

Next time you go to a league football game in Tuam, remember that it takes someone from Carna 2 hours to get there assuming traffic is ok. Even if the game is in Pearse, a Tuam resident would still get there before them with 30 mins to spare.

Just because a place is geographically the central does not mean it is the best place. As everybody knows, the majority of football followers are in North Galway. I know that is hard on Connemara football fans but thats just the way it is. This has been reflected in attendances we see at Galway league matches in Tuam v Pearse. I would love to see some official figures on this as I can only go on what I have witnessed while being at these matches. Tuam is actually the most geographically central for the majority of football fans.

It does not take 2 hours to drive from Carna to Galway. Just checked this on Google Maps and it says 1 hr 19 minutes which seems roughly accurate to me. Also, if Galway are playing a championship match in Pearse, it usually means that they are playing a Connacht team. This means that all of the opposition traffic approaches the city from the same direction. So I think you are being a little unfair on how "easy" it is for Tuam people to get to Pearse. Believe me, on championship match day v Mayo in Pearse, I'd would much prefer to approach the city from the Carna side!

In saying all that, we have Pearse now and that's it. It should be used. It would be nice if Tuam could be developed into a nice small seater stadium with floodlights and potential for Saturday night league matches - similiar to Parc Ui Rinn (but nicer). I do not see the point of developing Tuam up to Pearse's standard so we have 2> 30000 stadia which are very rarely filled.

I think the argument about Pearse Stadium goes beyond being a GAA question.

The main problem with Pearse from what I can see is the added traffic hassle getting across town before and after the games.

The Government were supposed to build the bypass years ago and if it was built the commute to the ground wouldn't be as bad.

One day it will be built and the location will be a lot better for it.

If even that aside the argument is still the games should be moved closer to the county towns I'd still stick to my guns and say the county grounds should remain in the largest town in the county.
Just because there aren't any strongholds for either code in the opposite strongholds, doesn't mean the fans that are in those areas should have an extra slog.
I'd have no problem with them moving league games(or lesser championship games) to the county town locations but Championship games should always be played in the city IMO.

threeball

gilberto_eire wrote: »

I think the argument about Pearse Stadium goes beyond being a GAA question.

The main problem with Pearse from what I can see is the added traffic hassle getting across town before and after the games.

The Government were supposed to build the bypass years ago and if it was built the commute to the ground wouldn't be as bad.

One day it will be built and the location will be a lot better for it.

If even that aside the argument is still the games should be moved closer to the county towns I'd still stick to my guns and say the county grounds should remain in the largest town in the county.
Just because there aren't any strongholds for either code in the opposite strongholds, doesn't mean the fans that are in those areas should have an extra slog.
I'd have no problem with them moving league games(or lesser championship games) to the county town locations but Championship games should always be played in the city IMO.

Tuam will be linked by motorway in two years and become an even better location for our counties stadium and if a bypass does happen then then the lads out in connemara will be over to it in another 20 mins. The vast majority of Galway supporters live about 15km either side of the N17. If you want support you have to cater to them.

TheCoolWay

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

Just because a place is geographically the central does not mean it is the best place. As everybody knows, the majority of football followers are in North Galway. I know that is hard on Connemara football fans but thats just the way it is. This has been reflected in attendances we see at Galway league matches in Tuam v Pearse. I would love to see some official figures on this as I can only go on what I have witnessed while being at these matches. Tuam is actually the most geographically central for the majority of football fans.

It does not take 2 hours to drive from Carna to Galway. Just checked this on Google Maps and it says 1 hr 19 minutes which seems roughly accurate to me. Also, if Galway are playing a championship match in Pearse, it usually means that they are playing a Connacht team. This means that all of the opposition traffic approaches the city from the same direction. So I think you are being a little unfair on how "easy" it is for Tuam people to get to Pearse. Believe me, on championship match day v Mayo in Pearse, I'd would much prefer to approach the city from the Carna side!

In saying all that, we have Pearse now and that's it. It should be used. It would be nice if Tuam could be developed into a nice small seater stadium with floodlights and potential for Saturday night league matches - similiar to Parc Ui Rinn (but nicer). I do not see the point of developing Tuam up to Pearse's standard so we have 2> 30000 stadia which are very rarely filled.

2 hours from Carna to Tuam I said.

TheCoolWay

gilberto_eire wrote: »

I think the argument about Pearse Stadium goes beyond being a GAA question.

The main problem with Pearse from what I can see is the added traffic hassle getting across town before and after the games.

The Government were supposed to build the bypass years ago and if it was built the commute to the ground wouldn't be as bad.

One day it will be built and the location will be a lot better for it.

If even that aside the argument is still the games should be moved closer to the county towns I'd still stick to my guns and say the county grounds should remain in the largest town in the county.
Just because there aren't any strongholds for either code in the opposite strongholds, doesn't mean the fans that are in those areas should have an extra slog.
I'd have no problem with them moving league games(or lesser championship games) to the county town locations but Championship games should always be played in the city IMO.

Having the games in Pearse should be marketed more in the long term to encourage people from 'non' strongholds to take an interest in the games, and hencce, grow the GAA's following.

Overall, attendances are down due to a combination of economic and lack of silverware reasons for both codes.

I guess success would welcome more non traditional fans...

threeball

TheCoolWay wrote: »

Having the games in Pearse should be marketed more in the long term to encourage people from 'non' strongholds to take an interest in the games, and hencce, grow the GAA's following.

Overall, attendances are down due to a combination of economic and lack of silverware reasons for both codes.

I guess success would welcome more non traditional fans...

Its a stadium thats 3 times too big, with crap facilities, crap playing surface, horrendous weather conditions and crap access. You could put coca colas advertising budget into marketing it and it still wouldn't make a difference. People don't attend league games cos the product and the atmosphere are crap. You don't get good games on soggy undulating surfaces with 50 lads and a couple of dogs in a 30,000 capacity stadium

TheCoolWay

threeball wrote: »

Its a stadium thats 3 times too big, with crap facilities, crap playing surface, horrendous weather conditions and crap access. You could put coca colas advertising budget into marketing it and it still wouldn't make a difference. People don't attend league games cos the product and the atmosphere are crap. You don't get good games on soggy undulating surfaces with 50 lads and a couple of dogs in a 30,000 capacity stadium

You did in the mid noughties. Remember 33,000 at a Connacht Final there

threeball

TheCoolWay wrote: »

You did in the mid noughties. Remember 33,000 at a Connacht Final there

I think you should read the post again. It specifically said league game. Once in a blue moon champo games are not the criteria you should use when deciding on appropriately sized stadia

TheCoolWay

threeball wrote: »

I think you should read the post again. It specifically said league game. Once in a blue moon champo games are not the criteria you should use when deciding on appropriately sized stadia

Well no team bar the Dubs / recent all ireland winner get an anywhere near a full stadium for league matches

Condenser

TheCoolWay wrote: »

Well no team bar the Dubs / recent all ireland winner get an anywhere near a full stadium for league matches

That would depend on the size of the stadium, wouldn't it? If the big wigs weren't so obsessed with massive white elephants then there might be a few quid to be used more constructively elsewhere

Condenser

TheCoolWay wrote: »

Well no team bar the Dubs / recent all ireland winner get an anywhere near a full stadium for league matches

That would depend on the size of the stadium, wouldn't it? If the big wigs weren't so obsessed with massive white elephants then there might be a few quid to be used more constructively elsewhere

TCDStudent1

TheCoolWay wrote: »

2 hours from Carna to Tuam I said.

Aah ok, sorry I misread that. I thought you must have been one of those crazy frustrating slow drivers!

FlashR2D2

When are they making decision on the football manager? Was under the impression it was tonight?