Casement Park in line for major overhaul - 40,000 all seater Stadium.

[93-DY-SAM]

People who want the Ulster final to remain in Clones need their heads examined.

Town = dump
Ground = dump
Roads = crap

That about sums Clones up.

Not to highjack this thread, from our own point of view Celtic Park is fast becoming a Clones like ground. I don't mind going to games in Celtic Park but the Derry County Board need to be putting a plan in place to modernise the place or bring Owenbeg up to a bigger capacity.

The best time to plant a tree was 50 years ago, the next best time is now!

[clonian]

People who want the Ulster final to remain in Clones need their heads examined.

Town = dump
Ground = dump
Roads = crap

No matter what happens casement, there shouldn't ever be a final in Clones again. What a complete kip of a place.

Dark ages stuff here. Imagine not wanting a top class stadium in the country's second biggest city. Corrigan is there for the smaller games and crowds. Though I'm sure an agreement can be made to hold the county finals there in a 90% empty stadium like it always did in the past.

People are simpletons.

But it was great craic in the 90s...

I honestly couldn't believe how bad it was when I went last year having not been there for a few years. Taking kids to places makes you look at everything differently too. Casement was better before it was closed down ffs - at least the pathways are bitmac/concrete

[RedHand88]

Brolly called Clones the Bangladesh of Ulster.

[Dreadnought]

It's not Leo's money.

It's not but at least his government has been generating surpluses to be in a position to do so. There's not one vote for Irish gov in 26 for any of this. This €800m is on top of €50m already signed off on for Magee, paying to keep North in Erasmus, €10m to fund nursing places, €200m contribution to EU peace fund, and of course a lot of work to keep North in EU customs union which provides free access to lucrative EU market for farmers and business while 26 is a net contributor not to mention letting EU raid our seas for the privilege. And I was and am a strong supporter of Dublin funding Casement as can be seen earlier in this thread.

I'd disagree there. The 600m on roads will benefit the people of Donegal and such who will use that road. While in a roundabout way the 50m for Casement will benefit the 3 Ulster counties not in the North. h emay get a few votes on the back of it

It will great for the whole country to have a top class GAA stadium in Belfast and a safe motorway connecting Derry to Dublin. I doubt it's a vote winner in 26 but you never know. I wouldn't think Clones will be too happy if Ulster Finals move on a permanent basis to Belfast. That's revenue shift for local business.

Well my outlaws are North Donegal, so likes of those might see benefit of the road is all

[Dreadnought]

People who want the Ulster final to remain in Clones need their heads examined.

Town = dump
Ground = dump
Roads = crap

I completely 100% agree. But there is still something about that place on Ulster final day...

It should indeed move though, times move on

[tiempo]

Off topic but would the Antrim SHC final be worth attending for the experience/atmosphere, heard it can be great fayre, are they days of it in Ballycastle/Dunloy over?

[Pub Bore]

Off topic but would the Antrim SHC final be worth attending for the experience/atmosphere, heard it can be great fayre, are they days of it in Ballycastle/Dunloy over?

Championship wise Antrim hurling has been dominated by Dunloy, Loughgiel and Cushendall for more than 30 years.  Apart from O'Donovan Rossa of Belfast who won in 1988 and 2004, the other 3 have won every championship since 1986.  That was the year that Ballycastle last won...believe it or not.

[Sportacus]

The money isn't there.  Just a wing and a prayer as things stand. A holy disgrace that Antrim gaels have had no stadium in the meantime and an absolute fiasco from the Ulster Council who continue to queue up to have their photo taken as if it's some sort of success story. Pull the plug and build an Athletics Ground stadium that will have a good atmosphere.

[armaghniac]

The money isn't there.  Just a wing and a prayer as things stand. A holy disgrace that Antrim gaels have had no stadium in the meantime and an absolute fiasco from the Ulster Council who continue to queue up to have their photo taken as if it's some sort of success story. Pull the plug and build an Athletics Ground stadium that will have a good atmosphere.

They could do that and ask the Irish government to spend the money on Clones instead.

[93-DY-SAM]

The money isn't there.  Just a wing and a prayer as things stand. A holy disgrace that Antrim gaels have had no stadium in the meantime and an absolute fiasco from the Ulster Council who continue to queue up to have their photo taken as if it's some sort of success story. Pull the plug and build an Athletics Ground stadium that will have a good atmosphere.

They could do that and ask the Irish government to spend the money on Clones instead.

Feck no. Investing that amount of money into Clones would be utter madness.

[armaghniac]

The money isn't there.  Just a wing and a prayer as things stand. A holy disgrace that Antrim gaels have had no stadium in the meantime and an absolute fiasco from the Ulster Council who continue to queue up to have their photo taken as if it's some sort of success story. Pull the plug and build an Athletics Ground stadium that will have a good atmosphere.

They could do that and ask the Irish government to spend the money on Clones instead.

Feck no. Investing that amount of money into Clones would be utter madness.

So where do you hold Ulster finals?

[6th sam]

I think it's time to step back and re-calibrate. There has been negativity around casement from the start, and my own views have changed over the years.
I think any criticism of the ulster council has to be tempered by the fact that they were breaking new ground on a mammoth project and experience and knowledge were thin on the ground .the lack of consideration of residents was a big weakness , and unfortunately has given the whole project a bad rep.
However there is no doubt that an anti-GAA agenda has been pro-actively negative from the start. This anti-GAA element, incredibly, is not just from unionists.

Genuine concerns must be addressed but there are overwhelming positives to this project:
For everybody including Stormont government : economic spin-off and feel good factor for Belfast with big games, events , and impressive aesthetics .
For GAA: second best stadium in second biggest city. Worldwide recognition , income generation
For Antrim: a state of the art venue for their games and their promotion of the gAA

The GAA have secured 50k from Southern government , and will perhaps increase its own contribution via internal and external funding to make it happen .

The precedent has been set by its ambition in re-building Croke Park 30 years ago, benefitting the GAA and everybody else in terms of economic /tax benefits .


The British government and stormont will have to stump up a significant sum but they'll get it back in droves in terms of economic and social benefit.
The initial planned outlay must be significantly increased due to inflation and cost of labour and materials , alone .

Those of an "Irish" background should be careful not to support vexatious concerns from anti-gaa , anti-Irish sources .

Casement must happen because:
1. Genuine Concerns can be addressed.
2. Antrim GAA people deserve it
3. Ulster GAA people deserve it
4. West belfast deserves it
5. Belfast and the neglected 9 counties of Ulster deserve it.
6. The Euros has presented an opportunity
7. Shared future by benefitting all
8.  Not allowing further DUP bullying and lack of generosity to hold us back

[JoG2]

The money isn't there.  Just a wing and a prayer as things stand. A holy disgrace that Antrim gaels have had no stadium in the meantime and an absolute fiasco from the Ulster Council who continue to queue up to have their photo taken as if it's some sort of success story. Pull the plug and build an Athletics Ground stadium that will have a good atmosphere.

That's the kind of forward thinking we need right there! 

[marty34]

I can't believe the lads in the photo op are the lads who messed up during the Casement fiasco....and they're still there.

[seafoid]

Brolly called Clones the Bangladesh of Ulster.
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Brolly called Clones the Bangladesh of Ulster.

Clones ran the Ulster final no matter how bad things got in the north. It always happened even during the worst years.