GAA Infastructure

Yes, for their new stadium.

Louth GAA chiefs have been left stunned by the news that their long-awaited stadium project in Dundalk will not receive any money from the Government’s Large Scale Sport infrastructure Fund (LSSIF), announced this morning.

It’s understood that the Louth County Board had applied for a €7.2m grant, but was not included amongst the 35 projects announced in the pre-election cash splurge.

Louth is planning a 14,000-capacity stadium on the Inner Relief Road in Dundalk, and after raising €14.8m though the now defunct Immigrant Investor Programme and over €1m through a successful house draw, the stadium committee had hoped to receive another cash injection from the LSSIF.

Louth GAA officials were quietly confident they would receive some measure of Government support for their project which, according to the most recent estimates, was expected to cost in the region of €23.5m.

However, the funding list announced by Sports Minister Thomas Byrne only included one Louth project – a €7.2m multi-purpose basketball arena at St Oliver’s Community College in Drogheda.

It’s understood members of the stadium committee were aware that a number of ‘Centre of Excellence’ projects planned in other counties were ahead of them on the GAA’s priority list for a grant allocation, but that they were top of the list when it came to stadium developments.

Despite this, the redevelopment of Kerry’s Fitzgerald Stadium – which already boasts a capacity of 39,000 – was allocated €6m. Austin Stack Park in Tralee can accommodate 15,000.

In total, there were ten GAA-specific grants announced in the scheme ranging from €650,000 up to €7m.

The grant snub is just the latest twist in what is becoming an increasingly complicated saga for the Louth County Board.

After receiving planning permission in 2020, the stadium was initially expected to cost in the region of €12m.

Covid-19 halted the project for a time, and inflation in the construction sector since then saw the overall cost balloon to €25m.

However, the project appeared to be firmly back on track when the €14.8m IIP funding was announced.

Former Louth GAA chairperson, Peter Fitzpatrick, who had been the driving force behind the project from the beginning, controversially resigned from the stadium committee last year, over what he perceived to be a lack of support from Croke Pa

They raised that money themselves by taking the initiative and using a scheme to attract foreign international investors.

It's seriously bad form that the government didn't grant them some money for their stadium when you see some of the stuff that got funds ahead of them.

Roscommon got 5.5m for a Centre Of Excellence.

Its a government scheme and they got 14m off it. All they done was asked and they got it same as the other groups asked this time and got it.

I don't see why Roscommon don't deserve that money on comparison.

That money didn't come from the Irish government, you do understand this right?

Also I think priority should be given to getting decent suitable grounds in all counties rather than building a COE in a county which already has a suitable ground.

Louth does not have a ground worthy of the name, they had to play their championship games in Inniskeen, which is only the third ground in Monaghan. Now this may reflect a lack of endeavour in the past, but that's the situation now.

The "passport money" did not come directly from the Irish government.

The ground is of a size where it will be well used and its location makes it suitable as a neutral venue. This is not adding on space in Killarney to be used every two or three years.

There is a broader point here, on a political basis can the government refuse money to Louth while giving a pot of money for a stadium in Antrim?

Should we be guessing? The criteria should be transparent and perhaps they are, but they should be publicly known.

Killarney Will happen though superb location, 10 min walk from.the town center. Between, hotels guesthouses, BnB, holiday homes it's has 30-40k spaces within a 30-40 minutes

Killarney has one stand and will always have the terrace on the hospital side. Thenplan is to have a stand that wraps around the ends.

The beds are for music events and coferences

Morton would probably suit them better in that regard.

Below is another article about casement. Its really just a rehash of various articles. I am still at a loss to what a change in fitout can save costs without a change to the main structure and still hold 30k.

Jarlet burns seams to indicate they will tender with the planning they have. Again i cant see without major changes to the over all fabric of the stadium they can get major saving by just a fitout change.

https://www.coliseum-online.com/casement-park-rebuild-plans-scaled-back

Mayo GAA may be about to get in on the act of raising money from hosting other sports and events in MacHale park. This is following an approach from Connacht Rugby. The Mayo board was recently gifted a large land bank from a landowner in Bohola and this may be a way to raise funding to develop a long overdue centre of excellence.

https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2024/10/22/mayo-gaa-set-to-develop-multi-million-euro-facility-on-donated-site-sources/

https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2024/11/18/dillon-welcomes-mayo-gaa-stadium-being-opened-up-to-other-codes/

Quite a needless sneering comment.

Connacht Rugby were the ones that approached Mayo and the Mayo news podcast has confirmed that the board have received the go ahead from the clubs to get approval from Croke Park.

You've clearly got a major chip on your shoulder based on those angry comments so I'm not bothered with whatever you say.

This is a GAA infrastructure thread and the posted information is for other more mannerly thread followers who may or may not be interested in the plans.

Hopefully it goes ahead. A chance for the cash strapped board to advance the COE and for connacht Rugby to promote the game outside Galway. Win win for both sports.

Irish mirror says the rugby game would take place between the end of the league and the start of connacht championship.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/gaa/connacht-rugby-could-way-home-34137337