Another there that could recall this incident

thesultan

Never heard of it before..

carter10

If that was Tipp v Galway semi final in 88- I was there on canal end and it was bedlam. I went out to the toilet at half time and couldn't get back on the terrace, was stuck on the steps back up to the terrace for the 2nd half

thesultan

carter10 wrote: »

If that was Tipp v Galway semi final in 88- I was there on canal end and it was bedlam. I went out to the toilet at half time and couldn't get back on the terrace, was stuck on the steps back up to the terrace for the 2nd half

Was it everyone went into the one area?

padd b1975

The canal end for the football final in 89 was very dangerous too, a couple of tough enough guys that I know ended up basically being wedged about six inches off the ground.
They were certain it was going to be another Hillsborough and pretty much ended up not worrying about how the match was going, it was all about survival.

There was also problems in 93 and they had to open the gates to relieve the pressure.

Exiled1

How there were not huge casualties at some games in the old Croke Park remains a mystery.
From the 1960/61 games featuring Offaly to the final demise of the Canal Terrace in 1994, there have been several really difficult circumstances. My father began the 1961 All Ireland football final mid way up the Hill. He finished on the pitch. For a hardy man who was never scared of anything, he always ran for an exit in the last minute of big games thereafter. He particularly hated the Canal End.
Personally I will never forget the narrow lane exit from the Canal End. After big games, it was not unusual to be in danger of the early stampede to leave the area, with no barriers to filter the crowd. After that you were squeezed tight in a narrow laneway, Croke Park on one side, the Railway wall on the other. I will never forget the poor lad who managed to climb onto the wall (1973/4 hurling final). He then fell down onto the rail tracks and broke his leg ( we could see the damage). Somehow he was rescued. Generally the crush was so serious that it deterred either 'shovers' or messers from exacerbating the problem because all realised the danger.
No wonder women would no two to games (apart from the grotty/non availability of toilets for them).

There were many many unreported incidents at the rear exits/entrances at the Hill. After one particularly bad one in 1984, Liam Mulvihill began to speak strongly about the need to rebuild. It was fortunate that GAA had Peter Quinn who masterminded the business end of the new development and Danny Lynch who kept the peace with the residents during the development.
Certainly Croke Park would have been shut down in the early nineties with the arrival of the H&S (1989) Act. The Taylor report came just in time for them too.

Centrepassage

Back in the late eighties and early nineties you could get away with giving cash at the turn stiles . On the day of that Galway game it was particularly bad.

Clonmel1000

carter10 wrote: »

If that was Tipp v Galway semi final in 88- I was there on canal end and it was bedlam. I went out to the toilet at half time and couldn't get back on the terrace, was stuck on the steps back up to the terrace for the 2nd half

Well Tipp and Galway didn’t play in the 88 semi.

Fr Tod Umptious

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

Well Tipp and Galway didn’t play in the 88 semi.

I always thought that incident was an All Ireland final, probably 1988.

At the time kids could be lifted over turnstiles for free.

I think this incident put an end to that.

Poor_old_gill

I was at a Kerry v Cork Munster final back in the mid to late 90's (cant remember the exact year as I was only a kid) where the crowd had spilled onto the pitch and had to be moved when people were taking line balls.

I can remember it happening more than once to be honest- it's funny how you look back on those things and think that they were just accepted as (relatively) normal back then.