Cork - Light Rail [route options identification and initial design underway]

What is your proposal? Just CPO as shown and compensate the landowners accordingly? The thing is it is already know that the club itself already oppose that and huge significant support from the local community. Just pushing on regardless is almost certain to result in legal challenges and possible political resistance. Basically, that causes difficulties for the project which should be avoided. Trying to hand wave it away by saying "there's a gate so the Luas tracks wouldn't be dividing the club at all" is counterproductive.

The best way to avoid these issues is by offering to resolve the concerns as best as possible. If the club still aren't happy, TII are at least in a stronger position to push it ahead both in the actual courts and the court of public opinion.

Don't forget, Bishopstown has an older demographic who considered themselves "middle class" and living in one of the "posh areas" of Cork city. They are used to getting their way in the past. They have realised that their cosy little kingdom is being interrupted and "that won't do!". They'll clutch their pearls until they get their way as they are Bishopstown (as happened before).

Yeas ago (oh, at least 40 years ago), there was a plan to build a western end of a city ring road, from the proposed south city ring road junction with Bandon Rd and drive north up Melburn Rd and cross the Lee in the Lee Fields (a bit like the southside version of the North Ring Rd). The locals didn't want it and "someone" got planning to build houses on the proposed route, thereby killing the proposed road.

There's no metro planned for Finglas, it's a surface luas route running through and beside multiple playing fields. There's no pushback, people want the improved public transport service. At the moment it's roughly 50,000 people depending on 3 bus routes that might turn up or might not depending on what Dublin Bus feel like at that exact moment.

Just out of curiosity would it be possible (like physically possible, not asking if it's practical or not) to do a cut and cover under that area kind of like what the did here on the Luas:

Google Maps

I lived in Kenley 10 years ago. Even then, there was rat runs and crazy traffic. I found it a lot quicker to walk to Wilton or Dunnes to do shopping than drive, much to neighbours confusion. There were neighbours who were still in the mindset of "posh Bishopstown" and a lot were centered in a tight geographical radius around the clubs.

They don't realise the massive reduction in car traffic to the area and the jump in property values.

"Significant support from the local community"

What's the indicator for this ?

So by your own admission a minority.

Is that hotel comment a rumour or just a joke? It always seemed like a mad spot for a training pitch to me - especially for their country bumkin footballers from West Cork.

It's only idle speculation. Nothing more. A lot of people saw the CPO/handover at the time as being a lang grab for a hotel.

The 4G pitch is well used, but it's just being rented out to all sorts of groups, it's not a relation of a real "centre of excellence". Its value in the long run will probably be greater as a hotel like at Croke Park. I would genuinely expect a hotel there in my lifetime. But I have heard absolutely no solid plans for now so pure speculation from me.

I think some underage teams do use it yep. But there's lots of other activities booked in there too (other sports). It's used for revenue generation more so than as a centre of excellence. I wouldn't worry about the six rows of seats etc, they're used for barbecues and cocktails and so on now, and any hotel development would likely have a reasonable gap between the buildings, so it'd still be usual. Long story short: don't think too much about it, it'll be a long way in the future if/when it happens.

I read before the cork senior footballers stopped training there due to the amount of serious injuries, especially hamstring injuries

My two cents were, (1) now that the tram is turning towards the CUH halfway down Melbourn road through BCS, Highfield, Bishopstown GAA club etc, it should keep going pas the back of the hospital and come out halfway down Wilton Road. Going back to CUH-Wilton Shopping centre junction and Wilton rouandabout is a very "bendy" way of getting into town quickly. (2) I would still like to see the tram go past the UCC entrance on College Road outside the Boole Library, rather to Western Road Gates through Victoria Cross. I wonder did they ever consult UCC about cutting through the college?

PS Highfield & Bishopstown GAA concerns should be addressed where possible, but there isn't a club in the country that wouldn't want this level of public transport connectivity and you get the feeling that it's car parking spaces (and their rental) that is driving their objections. A result of the baneful effect the car sales lobby have had on this country since 1961.

Leeuas

Cork absolutely needs its own brand. Good to see some suggestions.