Plans For New Stadium In Connacht

WillieMason · 27-09-2018 6:46pm #1

Talks the GAA want each province to have a landmark stadium Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Croke park, Casement Park and now a Connacht GAA headquarters in Galway city. GAA top brass are waiting on news of the Galway outer bypass route and hope to build along the river Corrib working along side the Government's new Land Development Agency in a massive redevelopment plan for the Dyke Road area.The GAA want a fully covered stadium holding between 20 and 30 thousand people and will be used to promote high quality league games in dry conditions.

http://www.hoganstand.com/Forum/Details/106295?Latest=1#Latest

flazio · 27-09-2018 10:31pm

Tuam stadium is in an ideal location for expansion and access from the motorway.

ratracer · 27-09-2018 10:33pm

flazio wrote: »

Tuam stadium is in an ideal location for expansion and access from the motorway.

Tuam based co councillors will probably vote against it....

witnessrenegade · 28-09-2018 7:50am

Would be great if all codes could come together and build 1 sporting ground for both GAA and Rugby, but I guess that is wishful thinking?

How often are the main county GAA pitches used per year for matches/training, Gaelic Grounds, McHale Park, Semple Stadium, etc, etc

biko · 28-09-2018 10:01am

Galway city - > GAA
When this moves from talks to actual plans changing the layout of the city then post in Galway city can be made.

crusier · 28-09-2018 10:26am

flazio wrote:

Tuam stadium is in an ideal location for expansion and access from the motorway.

As long as they incorporate the current stand into the plans

crusier · 28-09-2018 10:27am

biko wrote:

Galway city - > GAA When this moves from talks to actual plans changing the layout of the city then post in Galway city can be made.

Why?

theoneeyedman · 28-09-2018 10:31am

crusier wrote: »

As long as they incorporate the current stand into the plans

Galway GAA are up to their Boll1x in debt after borrowing something like 3 million for a farm that's now worth 750 K. Is this a way to bail them out? Yea lads, let's reward these nuts with more money, they have a good record of fiscal good governance and project delivery.

I don't care how well its covered, a white elephant ground on the Atlantic coast a la Pearses stadium is crazy.

leestone · 28-09-2018 11:48am

Not the best idea Galway city is not centrally located in Connacht, Roscommon town more suited few miles from
East Galway and few more from Mayo border Sligo and Leitrim both 30 mins away. Roscommon town is very close to Athlone and Longford so the midlands nearby etc.
can be used as a Connacht venue but also a venue other parts of the country can access more freely

biko · 28-09-2018 12:07pm

crusier wrote: »

Why?

The OP is a copy/paste of a post from another discussion forum. It has no credible value that anything actually will happen.
As you see the first responses immediately start on locations outside the city.
There is no connection here to the city other than the guesses of the OP/hoganstand poster.

Me, I'd say to build a landmark GAA stadium in Anthenry, if it happens.

The Lost Sheep · 28-09-2018 12:13pm

biko wrote: »

The OP is a copy/paste of a post from another discussion forum. It has no credible value that anything actually will happen.
As you see the first responses immediately start on locations outside the city.
There is no connection here to the city other than the guesses of the OP/hoganstand poster.

Me, I'd say to build a landmark GAA stadium in Anthenry, if it happens.

Why Athenry?
I would have any stadium in city. It just seems crazy to not have largest stadium i the major population hub of the county

crusier · 28-09-2018 12:41pm

If ever a a topic was relevant to Galway city this certainly is. Maybe it's a dislike of all things GAA that's your issue? You have expressed and opinion yet won't leave it for debate in the Galway forum.

Fingal Raven1 · 28-09-2018 1:01pm

After the debacle of the stadium in Cork I cant see the govt funding this one

does anybody know what grants the various county boards got over the last 20 years for stadium upgrades

Connaught rugby need a new stadium

biko · 28-09-2018 1:01pm

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Why Athenry?
I would have any stadium in city. It just seems crazy to not have largest stadium i the major population hub of the county

The traffic is mayhem as it is and it's good to spread the business to nearby locations.

crusier wrote: »

If ever a a topic was relevant to Galway city this certainly is. Maybe it's a dislike of all things GAA that's your issue? You have expressed and opinion yet won't leave it for debate in the Galway forum.

For the city it is interesting when it actually happens as it will affect traffic etc
Until anything happens it is just talk and since GAA forum exists it is better suited for the "what if's".
If a similar discussion happened around soccer or rugby the thread would be moved to their respective forums too.

There is no other sources that the GAA actually wants this, just a post on hoganstand.
Is it even true?

The Lost Sheep · 28-09-2018 1:11pm

biko wrote: »

The traffic is mayhem as it is and it's good to spread the business to nearby locations.

The population base and everything else for getting to games makes the city as the logical place for any stadium especially for concerts being held there

Coillte_Bhoy · 28-09-2018 1:19pm

Ridiculous waste of money. Surely Pearse and McHale park could be upgraded to all seater stadia with all the attendant facilities if they wish

Fingal Raven1 · 28-09-2018 1:22pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Ridiculous waste of money. Surely Pearse and McHale park could be upgraded to all seater stadia with all the attendant facilities if they wish

did the state contribute towards McHale park?

The Lost Sheep · 28-09-2018 1:26pm

biko wrote: »

The traffic is mayhem as it is and it's good to spread the business to nearby locations.

For the city it is interesting when it actually happens as it will affect traffic etc
Until anything happens it is just talk and since GAA forum exists it is better suited for the "what if's".
If a similar discussion happened around soccer or rugby the thread would be moved to their respective forums too.

There is no other sources that the GAA actually wants this, just a post on hoganstand.
Is it even true?

It would be a huge waste of money to build some stadium in Athenry with Salthill and Tuam already there.

ted1 · 28-09-2018 1:29pm

witnessrenegade wrote: »

Would be great if all codes could come together and build 1 sporting ground for both GAA and Rugby, but I guess that is wishful thinking?

How often are the main county GAA pitches used per year for matches/training, Gaelic Grounds, McHale Park, Semple Stadium, etc, etc

Ticket master or live nation should get on board too.

Coillte_Bhoy · 28-09-2018 1:30pm

Sorry OP but where is all this coming from? id a look at the Hogan link but no there are no sources or quotes etc

yabadabado · 28-09-2018 1:34pm

Roscommon was chosen as provincial ground in the early 90s.

It got a semi decent upgrade at the time and then was forgotten about.I see very little has changed since so makes most sense to upgrade it again.

Not going to happen either way,it's a bull **** story.

Coillte_Bhoy · 29-09-2018 10:28am

yabadabado wrote: »

Roscommon was chosen as provincial ground in the early 90s.

It got a semi decent upgrade at the time and then was forgotten about.I see very little has changed since so makes most sense to upgrade it again.

Not going to happen either way,it's a bull **** story.

Was voted through by Ross, Sligo and Leitrim iirc. Mayo and Galway were totally opposed and went ahead with their own redevelopments

Hulk Hands · 29-09-2018 10:53am

leestone wrote: »

Not the best idea Galway city is not centrally located in Connacht, Roscommon town more suited few miles from
East Galway and few more from Mayo border Sligo and Leitrim both 30 mins away. Roscommon town is very close to Athlone and Longford so the midlands nearby etc.
can be used as a Connacht venue but also a venue other parts of the country can access more freely

Roscommon town has the distinct disadvantage of being in Roscommon however. Would be the same logic as having a Leinster stadium in Carlow as opposed to Dublin. Athenry as mentioned above does look a logical location

yabadabado · 29-09-2018 10:57am

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Was voted through by Ross, Sligo and Leitrim iirc. Mayo and Galway were totally opposed and went ahead with their own redevelopments

Mayo and Galway lost out and obviously weren't happy but Hyde park was still chosen by the majority.

Every CB knew what they were voting on and it should have gotten the support it was meant to.There was actually fairly impressive plans for it originally.

Roscommon is ideally situated to be upgraded.Centrally located and good access to the town.Its basically the centre point of the country so could be used for a lot more than just Connacht games.

yabadabado · 29-09-2018 11:00am

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Roscommon town has the distinct disadvantage of being in Roscommon however. Would be the same logic as having a Leinster stadium in Carlow as opposed to Dublin. Athenry as mentioned above does look a logical location

If you are going my that logic then any Connacht stadium should be built in Bekan. Iirc correctly that location was chosen for CoE as it was centrally located.

Why is Athenry a logical location?

Hulk Hands · 29-09-2018 11:03am

yabadabado wrote: »

If you are going my that logic then any Connacht stadium should be built in Bekan. Iirc correctly that location was chosen for CoE as it was centrally located.

Centrally located for what? Public transport links? Everyone to stay in Mary MC's B&B?

theoneeyedman · 29-09-2018 11:03am

yabadabado wrote: »

If you are going my that logic then any Connacht stadium should be built in Bekan. Iirc correctly that location was chosen for CoE as it was centrally located.

And Bekan has the distinct advantage of being in hje home parish of the individual with the keys to the pursestrings for connacht GAA. Had little to do with logic.

yabadabado · 29-09-2018 11:07am

And the same fella still has a major say in anything that happens in Connacht GAA.
Bekan should never have been built but there it is.

van_beano · 29-09-2018 11:18am

theoneeyedman wrote: »

And Bekan has the distinct advantage of being in hje home parish of the individual with the keys to the pursestrings for connacht GAA. Had little to do with logic.

Never presumed Eastern Gaels had any individual with such power in the Connacht camp, you sure it's not a Ballyhaunis individual?

Hulk Hands · 29-09-2018 11:18am

yabadabado wrote: »

Why is Athenry a logical location?

Because it's a thriving suburb to the main population centre of the province, on the instersection between two motorways and with ample public transport links. Not some random backwater.

Coillte_Bhoy · 29-09-2018 11:46am

yabadabado wrote: »

Mayo and Galway lost out and obviously weren't happy but Hyde park was still chosen by the majority.

Every CB knew what they were voting on and it should have gotten the support it was meant to.There was actually fairly impressive plans for it originally.

Roscommon is ideally situated to be upgraded.Centrally located and good access to the town.Its basically the centre point of the country so could be used for a lot more than just Connacht games.

Access, parking etc is terrible. Train station nearby alright.

Coillte_Bhoy · 29-09-2018 11:48am

yabadabado wrote: »

And the same fella still has a major say in anything that happens in Connacht GAA.
Bekan should never have been built but there it is.

Well he is the full time Secretary so yeah but why should it not have been built there?

yabadabado · 29-09-2018 12:18pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Well he is the full time Secretary so yeah but why should it not have been built there?

There is no need for it,most counties don't want to use it.
The money would have been better spent if it was divided up between each county.iirc 10m was the cost.

It's an excellent facility but unneccessary.A vanity project by Connacht GAA.

yabadabado · 29-09-2018 12:23pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Access, parking etc is terrible. Train station nearby alright.

How is parking terrible ?There is numerous places to park within a sort walking distance of the ground .

What do you see as the problems with access that make it terrible ?

yabadabado · 29-09-2018 12:31pm

Makes little difference as I can't see there being any great push to spend large sums of money on a ground in Connacht. Tried it in the 90s and when itvwasnt Mayonor Galway it died off very quickly.

Probably as well leave it as it is now.Play finals on a Rota basis.

grbear · 29-09-2018 2:32pm

Building a stadium like the one mentioned in the opening post wouldn't make much sense if it was built primarily as a stadium to host GAA matches.
It'd have to be built as a facility designed primarily to return a profit so concerts, possibly hosting Connacht Rugby's European matches, soccer exhibition matches etc. would have to make up a decent chunk of the stadiums calendar in order to generate a return. With those demands it'd need to be built in or near Galway City to have a population base in place that might turn a worthwhile profit.

I don't see much legs in the story until Casement Park gets done. Maybe if someone put in a big offer for Pearse Stadium things might change.

megadodge · 29-09-2018 4:40pm

It's hard to believe the sheer amount of ignorance that can be crammed into a few posts.

The thread is about a CONNACHT stadium. For CONNACHT. As in FIVE counties!!

And somebody laughably suggests Athenry? Of course Athenry, how come nobody thought of that before?
Somewhere not far from the very southern point of CONNACHT, with streets you could hardly fit an ass and cart through. As for parking? And don't worry about the distance every other county has to travel!

Meanwhile, by far the most central of the already existing stadia, in a town bigger geographically and population wise than Athenry, with eight access roads, a train station, ample parking and accommodation gets called a "random backwater"?????

If ignorance really is bliss, there are a few very happy posters on here.

Hulk Hands · 29-09-2018 5:52pm

Yeah let's stick it in some depopulated hell hole alright, where even the locals don't want to live and the highlight of the town is the local grease box of a chipper. I think some Connacht counties do forget there's actually a second sport in the GAA. Wouldn't make much sense having Wexford or Kilkenny fans trailing tractors on a single windy lane in Roscommon

megadodge · 29-09-2018 7:13pm

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Yeah let's stick it in some depopulated hell hole alright, where even the locals don't want to live and the highlight of the town is the local grease box of a chipper. I think some Connacht counties do forget there's actually a second sport in the GAA. Wouldn't make much sense having Wexford or Kilkenny fans trailing tractors on a single windy lane in Roscommon

People usually wait til Saturday night before they start drinking. Been a tough week love?

Hulk Hands · 29-09-2018 9:28pm

megadodge wrote: »

People usually wait til Saturday night before they start drinking. Been a tough week love?

Harder in Ros I'd say. I know really nice lad, happens to be homosexual and loves GAAl. Would he be allowed in your stadium after the that vote in 2015?

megadodge · 29-09-2018 9:33pm

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Harder in Ros I'd say. I know really nice lad, happens to be homosexual and loves GAAl. Would he be allowed in your stadium after the that vote in 2015?

I love your highbrow method of debating.

You're a classy individual.

threeball · 29-09-2018 10:09pm

leestone wrote: »

Not the best idea Galway city is not centrally located in Connacht, Roscommon town more suited few miles from
East Galway and few more from Mayo border Sligo and Leitrim both 30 mins away. Roscommon town is very close to Athlone and Longford so the midlands nearby etc.
can be used as a Connacht venue but also a venue other parts of the country can access more freely

Claremorris is actually the ideal location. Central to all connaught counties and good road access.

I've said the gaa should do this in the past but Galway city is the worst location for it. If it must be accessible to munster and Leinster then athenry is the place.

threeball · 29-09-2018 10:12pm

megadodge wrote: »

It's hard to believe the sheer amount of ignorance that can be crammed into a few posts.

The thread is about a CONNACHT stadium. For CONNACHT. As in FIVE counties!!

And somebody laughably suggests Athenry? Of course Athenry, how come nobody thought of that before?
Somewhere not far from the very southern point of CONNACHT, with streets you could hardly fit an ass and cart through. As for parking? And don't worry about the distance every other county has to travel!

Meanwhile, by far the most central of the already existing stadia, in a town bigger geographically and population wise than Athenry, with eight access roads, a train station, ample parking and accommodation gets called a "random backwater"?????

If ignorance really is bliss, there are a few very happy posters on here.

Athenry sits on two motorways genius. Everywhere from Dublin to Cork could access it easily and get away just as quick

road_high · 29-09-2018 10:13pm

Well hopefully tens of millions won’t be squandered on another white elephant in the wrong location ala Pairc ui Chaoimh.
Salt hill is a nuts location to put it

road_high · 29-09-2018 10:17pm

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Because it's a thriving suburb to the main population centre of the province, on the instersection between two motorways and with ample public transport links. Not some random backwater.

Athenry is a backwater. It just happens to be close to a motorway and a bigger town. But still an insignificant little country town

threeball · 29-09-2018 10:22pm

road_high wrote: »

Athenry is a backwater. It just happens to be close to a motorway and a bigger town. But still an insignificant little country town

Its gone from a backwater to probably the most accessible town in the country. It sits on the apex of two of the best road routes in the country

Mahogany Gaspipe · 29-09-2018 10:31pm

The only sport that could entice me to visit Roscommon would be Foxy Boxing.

Demonstrate to me that chicks in gloves will be hosted at a new faculty in any place other then Galway and I'll sign the petition

ProudDUB · 29-09-2018 10:34pm

road_high wrote: »

Athenry is a backwater. It just happens to be close to a motorway and a bigger town. But still an insignificant little country town

You have just contradicted yourself there. If Athenry is close to a motorway network, it is therefore not insignificant to the subject matter at hand. Access to and from a new stadia should be one of the main criteria in which to situate it. If Athenry scores highly on that score, it is therefore not insignificant. We are not talking about where to locate Facebook's new European HQ, or a hip, happening town to host the Grammy's. We're talking about a location where 30,000 odd people can get to & from with a modicum of ease.

leestone · 29-09-2018 11:09pm

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Yeah let's stick it in some depopulated hell hole alright, where even the locals don't want to live and the highlight of the town is the local grease box of a chipper. I think some Connacht counties do forget there's actually a second sport in the GAA. Wouldn't make much sense having Wexford or Kilkenny fans trailing tractors on a single windy lane in Roscommon

Roscommon town is 20 mins from middle of the country added it to been only a hour max from every county town Galway city castlebar Carrick Sligo plus the other main towns in those counties in the province of Connacht. Athenry is near the sounthern tip of the province over 2 hours plus from parts of mayo Sligo Leitrim, you mentioned Kilkenny Wexford Quicker for them to get to Roscommon than another 40 miles plus to athenry.

PARlance · 29-09-2018 11:28pm

ProudDUB wrote: »

You have just contradicted yourself there. If Athenry is close to a motorway network, it is therefore not insignificant to the subject matter at hand. Access to and from a new stadia should be one of the main criteria in which to situate it. If Athenry scores highly on that score, it is therefore not insignificant. We are not talking about where to locate Facebook's new European HQ, or a hip, happening town to host the Grammy's. We're talking about a location where 30,000 odd people can get to & from with a modicum of ease.

Those motorways service Leinster and Muster mainly so it really doesn't come into the equation if building a Stadium for Connacht.

Claremorris would be the best bet for me.

ProudDUB · 29-09-2018 11:42pm

PARlance wrote: »

Those motorways service Leinster and Muster mainly so it really doesn't come into the equation if building a Stadium for Connacht.

Claremorris would be the best bet for me.

But should it just be about Connacht GAA matches? It only has 5 counties. There are only so many matches, that will be played in Connacht, between Connacht counties, especially as ye all tend to travel to London & New York when you play them.

Factor in qualifier games, Super Eight games, league games, hurling and rugby matches (presuming a decent provincial venue for the rugby is also a consideration) where the opposition supporters will generally be coming from another province...and a wider, year round picture of what is needed starts to emerge imo.

Plans For New Stadium In Connacht

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