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

[THE MIGHTY QUINN]

Is this about the residents or the closing of a social club?

[orangeman]

Incredible the goings on now.
The GAA have sent letters threatening to bring GAA members such as Antrim's only All Star in Football to court within 14 days.
And this is for what?
Free money because people suffered and many died and now we are going to climb up on the backs of the dead and the long term injured to suit ourselves and damage the lives of others including our own long term members - a wrong thing to do.
And this is what the GAA has become in order to be benefit claimants?
Disgusting what some people will do for free money.
Disgusting.

There's a lot in your post. An awful lot. This has the potential to turn really nasty. What happened the overtures that Ulster council were beginning it make or was that just good PR ?

[orangeman]

It's made the BBC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-26629092

Members of a social club who are trying to stop their premises being demolished to make way for a new Gaelic Athletic Association stadium have been warned that they owe thousands to the GAA.

Casement Park social club is based within the GAA's existing Casement Park sports grounds in west Belfast.

The club was to be demolished as part of a £76m redevelopment of the stadium, but members are fighting it in court.

Members have received letters claiming they owe over £36,000 in unpaid bills.

The solicitors' letters were sent to individual members of the social club on behalf of the Antrim County GAA board, which owns Casement Park grounds.


Casement Park social club member

'Unpaid rent'

The correspondence, sent by O'Hare Solicitors in the city, was obtained by Belfast newspaper, the Irish News.

The letters state: "Since the 7 August 2013 your club has been continuing to occupy our client's premises without paying rent, rates or electricity charges.

"As of 31 December 2013, the amount due to our client is £36,552.50.

"This figure is increasing all the time and it is anticipated that by 31 March 2014 the amount will have increased by a further £6,500 approximately."

Casement Park social club, which is more than 50 years old, has been involved in a long-running legal dispute with Antrim County GAA board.

Club members officially severed their links with the board last December.


The solicitors' letters warn that responsibility for the social club's debt "lies with all of the individual members of the club and all are jointly and severally liable".

The correspondence adds that, following a court judgement in their favour, Antrim County GAA board, would retain the option of "pursuing those it thinks most liable to meet the debt".

Jude Whyte, who has held Casement social club membership for 25 years, said he was "shocked beyond words" when he read the solicitors' letter.

He told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme that the correspondence had been sent to club members who were elderly, disabled and, in some cases, deceased.

Construction work on the planned 38,000-seat stadium is due to get under way in April
Mr Whyte said the letters had caused great distress and annoyance.

"Over the years, this club has actually donated over one million pounds for the development of Antrim football and hurling squads," Mr Whyte said.

He said the club was the "heart and soul" of the GAA in Belfast and the £36,552.50 bill was a "very dear pint of beer".

"And apparently, if you don't drink it by the end of March, it's going to go up another £6,500," Mr Whyte added.


He said the social club members were "decent people who will pay any bill and all bills within 10 days, when we're asked".

However, he said they could not query the bill at present as they had to fight the GAA in court for access to the club's accounts books.

Tim Attwood, who is an SDLP councillor in the area, said the GAA's threat of legal action was "not the way to do business".

He called on the GAA to sit down with club members and residents and take on board their concerns about the redevelopment.

Casement Park is the GAA's main sports venue in Ulster and work on transforming the ground into a 38,000-seat stadium is due to get under way in April.

However, the plans have been met with strong opposition from some residents, who have staged several protests against the redevelopment.

The residents are concerned that the height of the new structure would cast their houses into permanent shadow and have described the proposed new stadium as a "monstrosity".


Last summer, Casement Park Social Club went to court to stop its premises being shut down.

A confidential settlement was reached in that case with the Antrim County GAA board.

However, the social club instructed lawyers again following an incident earlier this year when its electricity supply was disconnected.

Although that issue has been resolved, the demolition injunction application has been listed for hearing later this month.

The BBC contacted the GAA's media representatives and the Antrim County GAA board for a response.

A GAA spokesman said as the social's club's legal action was before the courts, it would not be appropriate to comment.

[THE MIGHTY QUINN]

     

[orangeman]

   

Don't start that again. 

[Wildweasel74]

How where they not paying rent etc in the first place should have been looked at by the antrim board years ago if they see themselves a s a seperate entity

[Wildweasel74]

Hardstation u seem to be a bit in the know about this, whats the rental agreement with this club if the land been redeveloped or do they just have to shift>?

[armaghniac]

"Over the years, this club has actually donated over one million pounds for the development of Antrim football and hurling squads,"

Not a very successful investment.

[babarino]

Hardstation u seem to be a bit in the know about this, whats the rental agreement with this club if the land been redeveloped or do they just have to shift>?

There ain't one that I know of. They want rid of the club.

What kind of a club is it? Do they field football or hurling teams? Or is it a drinking/social club?

[babarino]

Seems bizarre that Antrim Co. Board won't give an itemised bill.

[T Fearon]

GAA in ULster now rivalling the IFA for incompetence and balls ups.Alienating residents now suing fellow GAA members?

[johnneycool]

Fuckin hell, where are Kieran Mulvey and Richard Haas when you need them?

[THE MIGHTY QUINN]

Apart from the 300 drinkers does anyone give 2 damns

[armaghniac]

Apart from the 300 drinkers does anyone give 2 damns

or 2 drams, perhaps.

[T Fearon]

Surely the whole Casement Park development project depends on the removal of the social club so a lot of people should give a damn