Walsh Park - 29th best GAA county ground in Ireland

MRnotlob606

According to a poll by Balls.ie, Walsh Park in Waterford city is the 29th best county ground in Ireland, an abysmal position, and seemingly disproportionate considering we are the 5th biggest city in the republic.

I think Walsh Park should be redeveloped, It might attract more opportunities for Waterford.

Should Walsh Park be redeveloped ?

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

barneystinson

Patww79 wrote: »

Do they ever fill the current one? Aughrim was even lower on the list but it's half empty for league games and club games and will never host a proper championship game, so there's little point in doing anything with it. I'd nearly assume Waterford would be similar.

If you build it they will come

TheQuietFella

A new stadium should be developed with proper car/bus parking facilities
to host at least Munster Finals and some concerts but all this SHOULD have
been done YEARS ago but the idiots in charge at local level couldn't see too
far forward or even look westward towards Cork and the see what they were doing with Páirc Uí Chaoimh. http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/sisk-contractors-confirmed-for-70m-pairc-ui-chaoimh-development-365562.html

Too many heads stuck in 1959!

MRnotlob606

TheQuietFella wrote: »

A new stadium should be developed with proper car/bus parking facilities
to host at least Munster Finals and some concerts but all this SHOULD have
been done YEARS ago but the idiots in charge at local level couldn't see too
far forward or even look westward towards Cork and the see what they were doing with Páirc Uí Chaoimh. http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/sisk-contractors-confirmed-for-70m-pairc-ui-chaoimh-development-365562.html

Too many heads stuck in 1959!

If Nolan Park can get Bruce Springsteen then we are surely missing out.It's not just in regards to the GAA grounds, but we have been missing a good quality entertainment venue too since the forum was turned into a zoo for octogenarians Bingo hall.

Wanderer78

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

If Nolan Park can get Bruce Springsteen then we are surely missing out.It's not just in regards to the GAA grounds, but we have been missing a good quality entertainment venue too since the forum was turned into a zoo for octogenarians Bingo hall.

fair point but would we really support it if it was capable of putting on concerts? business owners in this town have tried and failed!

Digital Solitude

Can't add anything but can I get a link to the poll op, can't find it on the site

dastardly00

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Can't add anything but can I get a link to the poll op, can't find it on the site

Here you go:
http://www.balls.ie/gaa/poll-rank-every-gaa-county-ground-in-the-country-to-find-the-nations-favourite/314477

TheQuietFella

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

If Nolan Park can get Bruce Springsteen then we are surely missing out.It's not just in regards to the GAA grounds, but we have been missing a good quality entertainment venue too since the forum was turned into a zoo for octogenarians Bingo hall.

I would agree! The Quays are lying idol with a bus depot, a train station, plenty of hotels and a motor way running close enough to it.
Surely the City should have enough clout to get something built to facilitate the construction of such?

deadybai

Walsh Park is the worse County ground I was ever in.

The wit sports campus should be given have a stadium built around it and just knock Walsh Park altogether

Wanderer78

deadybai wrote: »

Walsh Park is the worse County ground I was ever in.

The wit sports campus should be given have a stadium built around it and just knock Walsh Park altogether

thats a good idea actually at least the locals wouldnt be plagued with traffic issues during games. maybe another use for walsh park could be found

obezyana

Wanderer78 wrote: »

thats a good idea actually at least the locals wouldnt be plagued with traffic issues during games. maybe another use for walsh park could be found

Apartments for the Syrians.

robtri

Should be leveled and sold off... re build some where beside the motorway, with plenty of parking..... nothing too outrageous, a nice 30,000 seater be good
as other s said, if the likes of Nowlan Park can get some big names for concerts, why should Waterford City be missing out.....
some high profile GAA games could be held..

dzilla

Shoud it be redeveloped? Maybe, concrete the terraces and make it safe standing, maybe add some bucket plastic and remove wooden seating.

Knock it and rebuild it? No way, sure wed hardly get over 12k people at a league match and with regards hosting munster championship games, if we concreted all the terracing we could get the capacity up to 16k and have a home and away agreements with neigbouring counties. For instance if you look at Waterford v Clare v Limerick v Cork in munster 1/4 and semi finals i dont think they broke 15000 attendance.

For concerts etc i think the focus should be on a proper venue on the north quays etc, but cant see this happening.

Bonniedog

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

If Nolan Park can get Bruce Springsteen then we are surely missing out.It's not just in regards to the GAA grounds, but we have been missing a good quality entertainment venue too since the forum was turned into a zoo for octogenarians Bingo hall.

Nowlan Park is excellently situated for access and closeness to city centre. It also has great atmosphere. Only been in Walsh Park twice for Dub hurlers and it has none of the above. Am I correct in thinking it is more or less in middle of a housing estate?

All of the top grounds picked are within a few minutes walk of town centres. Other than Salthill which can be a nightmare to get in and out of traffic wise, and I've only been there for league games with 3/4,000. Must be absolute hell on big days.


My worst would be Casement. Awful dump, terrible to get in and out of, and not a decent pub within miles.

OldMrBrennan83

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Bonniedog

Patww79 wrote: »

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Be hard to tell

I thought that the redevelopment plan had been stalled?

But you are correct, it is in terrible location, with basically only the Falls/Anderstown Road to get in and out by. Not the friendliest of people either and always found the local pubs and eateries to be kips. Perhaps they just don't like Dublin hurling people. Thankfully we are unlikely ever have to visit in foreseeable future

And not being Antrim by the way as Ballycastle, where we often played them up to the 1980s, is beautifully located and locals are sound hurling people.

dzilla

Bonniedog wrote: »

Be hard to tell

I thought that the redevelopment plan had been stalled?

But you are correct, it is in terrible location, with basically only the Falls/Anderstown Road to get in and out by. Not the friendliest of people either and always found the local pubs and eateries to be kips. Perhaps they just don't like Dublin hurling people. Thankfully we are unlikely ever have to visit in foreseeable future

And not being Antrim by the way as Ballycastle, where we often played them up to the 1980s, is beautifully located and locals are sound hurling people.

Casement is gone to rack and ruin at the moment. Im really surprised at what happened in Belfast, massive funding to develop windsor park, raven hill and casement park. i thought it would have been a great opportunity to build one world class 45 -55000 seater stadium for all sports with conference facilities and corporate boxes like the aviva and have the ability for massive concerts that would outweigh the demand of the odyssey arena. as it stands the redevolpnents of ravenhill and windsor has not had a massive bearing on capacity.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

blue note

I think we should look at what the cost of building a modern, reasonably sized stadium would be and look at how much we could get for the sale of walsh Park. We should make plans and then at the last minute spend all of the money on minor upgrades to walsh Park and fraher field, so that we can continue to play two matches in walsh Park each year at 25% capacity and one in fraher field at about the same. And the odd football championship match in fraher that would fit in the wit sports campus.

It's the only logical thing to do.

looder

Tipp & Cork, and Tipp & Limerick have home and away arrangements. Cork & Limerick probably do too.

Semple Stadium is the number 2 stadium in the country (officially as far as I know).

The Gaelic Grounds is capable of holding a Munster Final.

Pairc Ui Chaoimh is currently being redeveloped.

That's 3 40k+ stadiums in Munster for a tournament with 5 teams.

Is Ennis capable of holding a Munster Championship game? I don't think so so that rules them out of a home & away arrangement.

Could Waterford justify having a stadium that would host a game or two max each year with an anyway decent capacity?

The Co Board are broke. Ye sent players back to their clubs 18 months ago as ye couldn't afford to train. Where does the money come from?

As far as I know Walsh Park cannot be redeveloped. There just isn't the land there to do it. It would have to move, but where to? Carriganore is way too far out. There isn't a site feasible within walking distance of the City.

How many concerts would be there? One per year? Two, max? Waterford people are terrible at supporting live music. There's a reason The Forum is now a bingo hall. The Co Board would lose less money if they subsidised a bus to Croker for their concerts each year than built a stadium to host one of their own.

How many would you fit in Walsh Park for a concert? 15k?

PTH2009

looder wrote: »

Tipp & Cork, and Tipp & Limerick have home and away arrangements. Cork & Limerick probably do too.

Semple Stadium is the number 2 stadium in the country (officially as far as I know).

The Gaelic Grounds is capable of holding a Munster Final.

Pairc Ui Chaoimh is currently being redeveloped.

That's 3 40k+ stadiums in Munster for a tournament with 5 teams.

Is Ennis capable of holding a Munster Championship game? I don't think so so that rules them out of a home & away arrangement.

Could Waterford justify having a stadium that would host a game or two max each year with an anyway decent capacity?

The Co Board are broke. Ye sent players back to their clubs 18 months ago as ye couldn't afford to train. Where does the money come from?

As far as I know Walsh Park cannot be redeveloped. There just isn't the land there to do it. It would have to move, but where to? Carriganore is way too far out. There isn't a site feasible within walking distance of the City.

How many concerts would be there? One per year? Two, max? Waterford people are terrible at supporting live music. There's a reason The Forum is now a bingo hall. The Co Board would lose less money if they subsidised a bus to Croker for their concerts each year than built a stadium to host one of their own.

How many would you fit in Walsh Park for a concert? 15k?

even waterfords own Gilbert O Sullivan wont play in waterford because he cant get the numbers to support a gig here hes one of irelands best known and highest selling musicans). The only music event to sell out in Waterford over the last few years is when smash hits play crystal niteclub. Even Daytripper struggles to sell tickets. Anyone remember the Waterford music fest out in the RSC ???. as many people were across the road at the pc world car park and surrounding areas than there was at the show itself id say lol.

Im a huge gig goer and there are many avid gig goers from Waterford that attend gigs all over ireland

O Riain

PTH2009 wrote: »

even waterfords own Gilbert O Sullivan wont play in waterford because he cant get the numbers to support a gig here hes one of irelands best known and highest selling musicans). The only music event to sell out in Waterford over the last few years is when smash hits play crystal niteclub. Even Daytripper struggles to sell tickets. Anyone remember the Waterford music fest out in the RSC ???. as many people were across the road at the pc world car park and surrounding areas than there was at the show itself id say lol.

Im a huge gig goer and there are many avid gig goers from Waterford that attend gigs all over ireland

I don't think it's as simple as blaming Waterford people. Gigs in Dublin and Cork absolutely rely on people from all over the country coming and adding to the numbers, people from places like Waterford. They have the infrastructure to get people people there and allow people to stay over night cheaply if needed. Me and my friends would have always stayed in a hostel in cork or Dublin for a gig and it would have allowed us to afford the whole thing. You can't do that here.

Even in Kilkenny if you go to a gig you can stay in a hostel. Also it comes down to attractiveness. A few years ago, nobody would have come here (we have a bad rep, or no rep) but the city has transformed and I think people are starting to recognise that.

PTH2009

O Riain wrote: »

PTH2009 wrote: »

even waterfords own Gilbert O Sullivan wont play in waterford because he cant get the numbers to support a gig here hes one of irelands best known and highest selling musicans). The only music event to sell out in Waterford over the last few years is when smash hits play crystal niteclub. Even Daytripper struggles to sell tickets. Anyone remember the Waterford music fest out in the RSC ???. as many people were across the road at the pc world car park and surrounding areas than there was at the show itself id say lol.

Im a huge gig goer and there are many avid gig goers from Waterford that attend gigs all over ireland

I don't think it's as simple as blaming Waterford people. Gigs in Dublin and Cork absolutely rely on people from all over the country coming and adding to the numbers, people from places like Waterford. They have the infrastructure to get people people there and allow people to stay over night cheaply if needed. Me and my friends would have always stayed in a hostel in cork or Dublin for a gig and it would have allowed us to afford the whole thing. You can't do that here.

Even in Kilkenny if you go to a gig you can stay in a hostel. Also it comes down to attractiveness. A few years ago, nobody would have come here (we have a bad rep, or no rep) but the city has transformed and I think people are starting to recognise that.[/quote/]

True do we even have many hostels in Waterford. Compare the city centre to other major Irish cities u could walk ours in under 10 mins. Would an idea like the marquee in cork work in Waterford where medium to major acts can play here. At the site of the demolished gasworks on the quays would be good

O Riain

PTH2009 wrote: »

O Riain wrote: »

I don't think it's as simple as blaming Waterford people. Gigs in Dublin and Cork absolutely rely on people from all over the country coming and adding to the numbers, people from places like Waterford. They have the infrastructure to get people people there and allow people to stay over night cheaply if needed. Me and my friends would have always stayed in a hostel in cork or Dublin for a gig and it would have allowed us to afford the whole thing. You can't do that here.

Even in Kilkenny if you go to a gig you can stay in a hostel. Also it comes down to attractiveness. A few years ago, nobody would have come here (we have a bad rep, or no rep) but the city has transformed and I think people are starting to recognise that.[/quote/]

True do we even have many hostels in Waterford. Compare the city centre to other major Irish cities u could walk ours in under 10 mins. Would an idea like the marquee in cork work in Waterford where medium to major acts can play here. At the site of the demolished gasworks on the quays would be good

Size doesn't matter, you could walk across Galway and limerick in 10 minutes too. And now we don't have any genuine youth hostels. Portree says its a hostrl but seems more like a b n b

MRnotlob606

PTH2009 wrote: »

even waterfords own Gilbert O Sullivan wont play in waterford because he cant get the numbers to support a gig here hes one of irelands best known and highest selling musicans). The only music event to sell out in Waterford over the last few years is when smash hits play crystal niteclub. Even Daytripper struggles to sell tickets. Anyone remember the Waterford music fest out in the RSC ???. as many people were across the road at the pc world car park and surrounding areas than there was at the show itself id say lol.

Im a huge gig goer and there are many avid gig goers from Waterford that attend gigs all over ireland

Pity we can't get Gilbert to pay in his own hometown !:(

obezyana

Jesus this thread went downhill fast.

BBM77

I must admit I’m not that big into the Hurling/Football. However the standard of Walsh Park is something that has always bugged me. For somewhere the size of Waterford to have such a poor GAA ground is truly embarrassing. What kind of impression of Waterford does it give to people from around the country coming down to games to walk into that place? It’s certainly not a good one anyway!

O Riain

BBM77 wrote: »

I must admit I’m not that big into the Hurling/Football. However the standard of Walsh Park is something that has always bugged me. For somewhere the size of Waterford to have such a poor GAA ground is truly embarrassing. What kind of impression of Waterford does it give to people from around the country coming down to games to walk into that place? It’s certainly not a good one anyway!

No not a good one. We need a championship standard stadium in the city centre. The benefits to hotels, bars, restaurants etc. will follow then soon after. I know the practicality of putting it outside the centred is very attractive but we can say goodbye to any benefit to the centre of town if it goes outside.

blue note

BBM77 wrote: »

I must admit I’m not that big into the Hurling/Football. However the standard of Walsh Park is something that has always bugged me. For somewhere the size of Waterford to have such a poor GAA ground is truly embarrassing. What kind of impression of Waterford does it give to people from around the country coming down to games to walk into that place? It’s certainly not a good one anyway!

The size of waterford? Remember it's a county ground, not a town one. And we're about the 20th biggest county, so shouldn't expect an above average sized ground. And we are keeping two county grounds, not one, so it's understandable that we can't afford a decent one.

obezyana

blue note wrote: »

The size of waterford? Remember it's a county ground, not a town one. And we're about the 20th biggest county, so shouldn't expect an above average sized ground. And we are keeping two county grounds, not one, so it's understandable that we can't afford a decent one.

Sure the soccer team only use one ground and there is no issue. The GAA and the Waterford setup would be well served by a bigger better stadium. A 25000 seater stadium would be plenty for GAA needs. Fraher Field is there purely to keep the west of the county happy which imo is a silly thing to be doing. One less ground to look after if Fraher was sold on. The money from the sale and maybe a grant from GAA Hq might just go a long way to redevelop Walsh park or maybe build another stadium.

blue note

obezyana wrote: »

Sure the soccer team only use one ground and there is no issue. The GAA and the Waterford setup would be well served by a bigger better stadium. A 25000 seater stadium would be plenty for GAA needs. Fraher Field is there purely to keep the west of the county happy which imo is a silly thing to be doing. One less ground to look after if Fraher was sold on. The money from the sale and maybe a grant from GAA Hq might just go a long way to redevelop Walsh park or maybe build another stadium.

Sure Martin Cullen had money set aside for Waterford to build a stadium, but the county boards couldn't agree to build one in the city in Case it would affect the usage of fraher field. Either dungarvan gets a stadium too or neither gets one.

The argument that some from the west make is that the stadium should be in dungarvan because it's in the centre of the county. So lads from places like ballyduff lower and tallow wouldn't have to drive 45 minutes to attend a game.

To be honest I think it's a selfish and stupid reason to want the stadium in dungarvan and everyone has suffered as a result. But at least we have a choice of two sh1t stadiums to play our league games in instead of one decent one. And instead of having home and away arrangements in munster so getting to play every second game in Waterford, less than half an hours drive for probably 80% of the population and less than an hour for the other 20%, we get to play most of our games in Thurles, Cork or limerick, a further drive for the vast majority of the county.

Some of those gombeens should hang their heads in shame, but in reality they're probably proud of what they've blocked and would reference it when asking people to vote them back in.

obezyana

Don't Cork only use one stadium same with Tipp Galway Kilkenny and they are all bigger than Waterford so the 2nd field thing is crazy. I suppose it's a pointless discussion as we will never get a new or even refurbished stadium in Waterford.

blue note

obezyana wrote: »

Don't Cork only use one stadium same with Tipp Galway Kilkenny and they are all bigger than Waterford so the 2nd field thing is crazy. I suppose it's a pointless discussion as we will never get a new or even refurbished stadium in Waterford.

Cork use 2. But there are 19 counties bigger than waterford in size and population, and I'd say about 15 of those make do with 1. I think most of waterford agree 1 is more desirable, but can't agree on where it should be so it's a stale mate and we're going to stick with 2 rather than make up our minds.

TheQuietFella

On the whole then we don't have a decent GAA Stadium.

We have a hole of a GAA stadium!

obezyana

TheQuietFella wrote: »

On the whole then we don't have a decent GAA Stadium.

We have a hole of a GAA stadium!

Pretty much. I remember as a kid standing on the embankment on many a wet day thinking why won't my cheap skate of a father just pay into the seated area for once. The place needs to be knocked and a fully seated stadium put in its place.

PTH2009

obezyana wrote: »

Pretty much. I remember as a kid standing on the embankment on many a wet day thinking why won't my cheap skate of a father just pay into the seated area for once. The place needs to be knocked and a fully seated stadium put in its place.

for the county final 2005 de la salle vs ballygunner the place was like a death trap.i think we had heavy rain the days leading to the game and the terrace was so muddy and slippy you could barly walk. saw loads of people slip. being going there for a good while now and i think its ok now but not good enough for a city like waterford. I know cusack park in ennis is being upgraded with a new stand, so that means we have the worst stadium in munster.

obezyana

PTH2009 wrote: »

for the county final 2005 de la salle vs ballygunner the place was like a death trap.i think we had heavy rain the days leading to the game and the terrace was so muddy and slippy you could barly walk. saw loads of people slip. being going there for a good while now and i think its ok now but not good enough for a city like waterford. I know cusack park in ennis is being upgraded with a new stand, so that means we have the worst stadium in munster.

Yeah you would want football boots on ya when up there in the rain :-D

Bonniedog

obezyana wrote: »

Pretty much. I remember as a kid standing on the embankment on many a wet day thinking why won't my cheap skate of a father just pay into the seated area for once. The place needs to be knocked and a fully seated stadium put in its place.

Waterford is never going to get Munster games so would be idea to reduce capacity of Walsh Park and turn it either into all seater or at least properly terrace and cover all parts of the ground.

Pairc Úi Rinn and Parnell are good examples of smallish grounds (around 10,000) that have great atmosphere when even half full and are ideal for all Cork league games and Dublin hurling. Also great venues for county finals. That's what Waterford should be aiming at imho.

tomwaterford

Bonniedog wrote: »

Waterford is never going to get Munster games so would be idea to reduce capacity of Walsh Park and turn it either into all seater or at least properly terrace and cover all parts of the ground.

Pairc Úi Rinn and Parnell are good examples of smallish grounds (around 10,000) that have great atmosphere when even half full and are ideal for all Cork league games and Dublin hurling. Also great venues for county finals. That's what Waterford should be aiming at imho.

Personally I'd rather see the money spent at developing the game in the underage and not end up like cork
(Will there hurlers reach a Munster final for PUC in the next ten years???)


But there must be something done with the bank....as I was at a match there last year and visibility is terrible off it since it was "upgraded" is terrible
Possible raised elevation??

comeraghs

blue note wrote: »

Sure Martin Cullen had money set aside for Waterford to build a stadium, but the county boards couldn't agree to build one in the city in Case it would affect the usage of fraher field. Either dungarvan gets a stadium too or neither gets one.

The argument that some from the west make is that the stadium should be in dungarvan because it's in the centre of the county. So lads from places like ballyduff lower and tallow wouldn't have to drive 45 minutes to attend a game.

To be honest I think it's a selfish and stupid reason to want the stadium in dungarvan and everyone has suffered as a result. But at least we have a choice of two sh1t stadiums to play our league games in instead of one decent one. And instead of having home and away arrangements in munster so getting to play every second game in Waterford, less than half an hours drive for probably 80% of the population and less than an hour for the other 20%, we get to play most of our games in Thurles, Cork or limerick, a further drive for the vast majority of the county.

Some of those gombeens should hang their heads in shame, but in reality they're probably proud of what they've blocked and would reference it when asking people to vote them back in.

Firstly, it kind of shows your ignorance of the county when you can't tell Ballyduff Upper from Ballyduff Lower, & that's not to mention not knowing driving distances & times.

& secondly nobody in the western board objected to developing Carriganore as a county stadium. That's just a stupid excuse. Carriganore is the logical place for Waterford to build a new ground, Walsh Park is too limited in area to ever be any good.
Building a huge stadium makes no sense with Waterford GAA's current financial woes so it's not going to happen for at least 10 years.

Walsh Park has seen some work done over the last few months & is fine for what we need it for the moment, Our league match v Kilkenny on Feb 14th will attract 10,000 max & Walsh Park can hold that comfortably!