IRFU to buy Pearse Stadium Galway.

Michael Angelo.

Well folks this is doing the rounds in the west. Can anyone confirm or deny or even say they heard it too??

its_phil

Haven't heard it and hope to God it isn't true.

its_phil

its_phil wrote: »

Haven't heard it and hope to God it isn't true.

Why?.

Connacht may need a bigger ground in the future and the wind is as much of a factor in the Sportsground.
So I'm failing to see the bad point.

Peregrine

I'd like to see Galway build a municipal stadium for rugby and GAA.

But there are concerns over how much capacity it would need.

its_phil

gilberto_eire wrote: »

Why?.

Connacht may need a bigger ground in the future and the wind is as much of a factor in the Sportsground.
So I'm failing to see the bad point.

See Parc Y Scarlets, the Liberty Stadium, Thomond Park (for the "bad" games), and Cardiff City Stadium. Empty seats and dead atmospheres.

We don't need a big ground bigger than 10k, we need a stadium with 4 covered sides so we can sell out behind the goals and protect the on/off fans from the wind and the rain.

Pearse is a s***hole (just like the Sportsground to be fair) and very inaccessible for supporters.

errlloyd

Possibly buying it with a view to redevelop it over the next few years and move Connacht later? I'd hope so.

total former

I'm calling it right now; there is no truth in this "rumour".

Someone, somewhere, has confused the IRFU being granted access to Pearse for the world cup bid with the IRFU buying the place.

Robbo

Nim wrote: »

I'd like to see Galway build a municipal stadium for rugby and GAA.

But there are concerns over how much capacity it would need.

For years I've been saying that a municipal stadium would have to be the Sportsground. Only location that makes sense.

But yeah, not Pearse Stadium please. Too far out of town, too much goodwill squandered with local residents with ****ty parking policies and forged Garda signatures on planning applications, the ongoing (planning again) saga of their floodlights, the lack of transport links in the area...

Also, the IRFU would be well advised to not get financially involved in *another* stadium with a history of deeply undersold Bob Dylan gigs attached to it. The man's a curse.

Pearse is a nightmare for the local club championship matches I'd hate to see it for regular Pro 12 use.

too far from town, bad transport as said, no decent pubs near by, terrible parking facilities, pretty much all local residents hate whats there, I just don't see it happening

Larbre34

You'd have to imagine if McHale Park gets the nod to be the large Connacht based venue that they'll only need a 10-15k venue in Galway, i.e. a tarted up Sportsground. The dog track makes the pitch quite remote however.

The IRFU should buy out the dogtrack and move the stands nearer to the park great idea Larbre34 (I may be paraphrasing wildly mind)

wp_rathead

A trick was missed not getting a purpose built stadium built with the recent Galway Harbour Extension
Bang in centre of town

I don't believe these rumours for a second

its_phil

connemara man wrote: »

The IRFU should buy out the dogtrack and move the stands nearer to the park great idea Larbre34 (I may be paraphrasing wildly mind)

They've tried quite extensively but the greyhound board are a nightmare to deal with. One meeting with one set of people, the next one to build on talks with another set of people from greyhound board. Impossible to do business with from what I was told.

The docklands where the ocean race was is a brilliant site, but do we have the money for a brand spanking new 10-12k? Probably not

aimee1

its_phil wrote: »

They've tried quite extensively but the greyhound board are a nightmare to deal with. One meeting with one set of people, the next one to build on talks with another set of people from greyhound board. Impossible to do business with from what I was told.

The docklands where the ocean race was is a brilliant site, but do we have the money for a brand spanking new 10-12k? Probably not

I remember reading a few years back about a company in UK who can build 10-12k stadiums relatively cheaply. They are very basic and very meccano-esque but i think it was in relation to a league of ireland side [drogheda possibly]

oneofakind32

The irfu's money would be much better spent on buying out the sportsground, removing the dog track and extending/developing the clan stand and converting the greyhound stand in corp. boxes.

oneofakind32

It's about time the IRFU did something for Connacht. Munster's second ground(Musgrave) and Lienster's 3rd ground(Donnybrook) are both better facilities than the sports ground.

its_phil

oneofakind32 wrote: »

The irfu's money would be much better spent on buying out the sportsground, removing the dog track and extending/developing the clan stand and converting the greyhound stand in corp. boxes.

They have. The greyhound board are impossible to deal with. Cowboys.

Kenny B

Who owns Pearse Stadium?

Afaik it was bought in trust for the GAA, so I find it hard to believe it can be sold. (Or we want our 1950's £500 back).

The Lost Sheep

Michael Angelo. wrote: »

Well folks this is doing the rounds in the west. Can anyone confirm or deny or even say they heard it too??

Heard it from a few people but it isn't true at all.

connemara man wrote: »

The IRFU should buy out the dogtrack and move the stands nearer to the park great idea Larbre34 (I may be paraphrasing wildly mind)

Buying out the Greyhound board from the ground isn't really a possibility but could Connacht/IRFU not also look at putting in some form of terracing that could allow more capacity but also keep greyhound track?

Would turning the current back pitch into the main pitch and building stands either side of that and turning current main pitch into pitch for Boys Club, underage games be an option?
There is plenty room each side to build decent stands etc and then no worries about dogs etc and being close to the pitch??
I know this is quite unrealistic but would there be any hope of it?? Would require purchase of some houses at far end of second pitch but space would allow construction of a bigger stadium than whats there now

oneofakind32 wrote: »

It's about time the IRFU did something for Connacht. Munster's second ground(Musgrave) and Lienster's 3rd ground(Donnybrook) are both better facilities than the sports ground.

Donnybrook was originally built for Leinster but the pro team outgrew it. Leinster rent their primary ground and use IRFUs ground on occasion.. Other provinces have bigger budgets/bigger crowds which helps...

Cookiemunster

oneofakind32 wrote: »

It's about time the IRFU did something for Connacht. Munster's second ground(Musgrave) and Lienster's 3rd ground(Donnybrook) are both better facilities than the sports ground.

The IRFU had nothing to do with Musgrave Park. That was paid for by selling land and the naming rights. And I believe that the Leinster branch are still paying for the stand in Donnybrook.

Pete_Cavan

The best thing for Galway would be for the dog track to be incorporated into the race course like Dundalk Stadium and for the Sportsgrounds to be turned into a multipurpose venue for sports, concerts and other events. In an ideal world nobody would have to buy out the dogs, the government would just merge Horse Racing Ireland and Bord na gCon and the Sportsgrounds would be transferred to Galway County Council or whoever would control the venue. Would be great if this happened as part of a winning RWC2023 bid.I read recently that at Dundalk Stadium, the tote takes more money on 8 dog races at a dual race night than at 12 races on a dog only night, the dual stadium would also reduce overheads, allow I dont think the dog people are interested in listening to logic like that.

b.gud

I really doubt this rumour is true and as many people have pointed out it would not work for a number of reasons.
Having said that I really hope it happens because then I could get from my house to the games in about 30 seconds if I was taking it easy