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

[NAG1]

The problem that i have with the development of casement is who is going to take responsibility for the upkeep of St. Tiernachs park. The ulster council have not given any indication of what they intend doing , Monaghan co board will more than likely move their county ground to blaney when their development is complete, Clones club are engaged in a new development of their own which is more suitable for a club to maintain plus there is no way a small club can pay for the upkeep of a 38,000 capacity stadium.

If it was done fairly. In my opinion a 30k stadium should have been built with the 60 odd million from the British govt. The remaining 15 million should have been put into scaling down and refurbishing Clones into a 20k stadium.

This was an impossibility for this particular investment.

Hows that? The British Govt are giving 65 million and the GAA are stumping up 15 million for the Casement project. What I was referring to was putting the 15 million into the refurbishment and down-scaling of Clones.

The GAA had to provide 'match' funding for the project so therefore it had to be in the wee six and any money to be invested into Clones would have to be a complete separate fund from Ulster GAA.

The 65m wouldn't come without the 15m from the GAA.

[johnneycool]

Its hard to fathom there's a south Derry man about who doesn't understand how Sports funding in NI works.

Did you miss Gooseys 'workshop'?

[OakleafCounty]

Now that it's happening we'll be consigned to days attending matches, but so much of the fun will be lost. Two articles written by a Fermanagh man and a Tyrone man, highlight how the GAA suits don't get it.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2010/0814/opinion/breathing-a-sigh-of-freedom-127775.html

http://ulsterherald.com/2013/06/07/more-than-just-the-game/

Two superb articles that hit the nail on the head. I have so many fond memories of Clones outside the stadium whereas Casement is in a suburban area with nothing to offer outside the ground. I don't think I'll be too fussed on going to Ulster Finals in Casement somehow.

[western exile]

Did Clones only become the venue for the Ulster Final when the "troubles " started ?

yes, The Ulster Final was hosted in Clones every year from 1970 until 2004: prior to this, Casement Park was the venue.

[snoopdog]

Now that it's happening we'll be consigned to days attending matches, but so much of the fun will be lost. Two articles written by a Fermanagh man and a Tyrone man, highlight how the GAA suits don't get it.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2010/0814/opinion/breathing-a-sigh-of-freedom-127775.html

http://ulsterherald.com/2013/06/07/more-than-just-the-game/

Two superb articles that hit the nail on the head. I have so many fond memories of Clones outside the stadium whereas Casement is in a suburban area with nothing to offer outside the ground. I don't think I'll be too fussed on going to Ulster Finals in Casement somehow.

While soaking up the pre and post match atmosphere is a part of the day, is the main reason for attending an Ulster Final not to go to watch the football finals?

[Maguire01]

Did Clones only become the venue for the Ulster Final when the "troubles " started ?

yes, The Ulster Final was hosted in Clones every year from 1970 until 2004: prior to this, Casement Park was the venue.

Wrong and wrong. Clones has had Ulster Finals since 1905. Between 1940 and 1970 Clones had 18 Ulster Finals - in the same period Belfast had 7 (there was no 'permanent' venue). And Belfast had its most recent final in 1971.

[FarneyMan]

Going to watch the football is of course the main reason most people attend a match, but this experience can be greatly enhanced by the atmosphere provided by its location....

I've always found Casement park to be severely lacking when it comes to "atmosphere"........and this all new purpose built stadium isn't going to improve things.
Casement is after all located in a city where the Ulster final will be viewed on as just another entertainment event. Stewards will be tasked with getting people in and out as quickly as possible with as little hassle and disruption caused to the already busy city life.  Whereas when it is staged in Clones it is an all consuming showpiece and takes over the entire town and hinterland making it more of a footballing festival than a one off event.....

An old picture of St. Tiernachs park before the redevelopment, the Hill used to be a some sight when full to capacity on a big match day http://t.co/K6EtDtfUvY

I suppose the decision has been made now but I will definitely miss Ulster Finals in Clones, and outside of my county making the odd appearance in the decider I greatly doubt if ill be interested in a day out to the new Casement for an annual event......

[Jeepers Creepers]

Jeepers Creepers lads, give it a chance. You never know, it might be good 

[Applesisapples]

Reading those articles and seeing the picture of the old clones brings back memories of the magic of Ulster Final, crossing the border and the sense of coming home for a catholic brought up in the North of the '60's. But times change and my kids wouldn't understand the head down mentality we had as kids in the 60's and 70's. Going to Clones was of it's time. More recently as an Armagh man I'd have preferred it to the Athletic Grounds as a home ground. But Belfast is the second city, GAA games are no longer the poor relations we are right to develop our own stadium in the Province's Capital (9 County). Clones needn't lose out either. It is time all Ulster Championship Games were played at neutral venues, where Clones could still play host to high profile games.

[Maguire01]

Reading those articles and seeing the picture of the old clones brings back memories of the magic of Ulster Final, crossing the border and the sense of coming home for a catholic brought up in the North of the '60's. But times change and my kids wouldn't understand the head down mentality we had as kids in the 60's and 70's. Going to Clones was of it's time. More recently as an Armagh man I'd have preferred it to the Athletic Grounds as a home ground. But Belfast is the second city, GAA games are no longer the poor relations we are right to develop our own stadium in the Province's Capital (9 County). Clones needn't lose out either. It is time all Ulster Championship Games were played at neutral venues, where Clones could still play host to high profile games.

All games at neutral venues? Are you having a laugh? Just watch the attendance plummet. And when would the likes of Ballybofey or Celtic park ever be used?

[Maguire01]

The problem that i have with the development of casement is who is going to take responsibility for the upkeep of St. Tiernachs park. The ulster council have not given any indication of what they intend doing , Monaghan co board will more than likely move their county ground to blaney when their development is complete, Clones club are engaged in a new development of their own which is more suitable for a club to maintain plus there is no way a small club can pay for the upkeep of a 38,000 capacity stadium.

If it was done fairly. In my opinion a 30k stadium should have been built with the 60 odd million from the British govt. The remaining 15 million should have been put into scaling down and refurbishing Clones into a 20k stadium.

This was an impossibility for this particular investment.

Hows that? The British Govt are giving 65 million and the GAA are stumping up 15 million for the Casement project. What I was referring to was putting the 15 million into the refurbishment and down-scaling of Clones.

The GAA had to provide 'match' funding for the project so therefore it had to be in the wee six and any money to be invested into Clones would have to be a complete separate fund from Ulster GAA.

The 65m wouldn't come without the 15m from the GAA.

Never heard any mention of a match funding requirement. It's my understanding that the GAA has decided on the extra funding to build the stadium they want. There was no stipulation for them to build one with 40,000 capacity for example.

[armaghniac]

All games at neutral venues? Are you having a laugh? Just watch the attendance plummet.

The highest attendances have been at neutral venues.

The attendance at Casement last week wasn't a great advertisement for home venues or the location of the uber stadium. In Belfast even the players are not interested in football.

[Leo]

Whiter than white white elephant.
Maybe one game a year with about 30,000. Maybe.
Rock concerts for the rest - locally opposed.
A monument to some ego in a dread suburban mishmash.
Ego project funded by our taxes.

[cluaineois]

Whiter than white white elephant.
Maybe one game a year with about 30,000. Maybe.
Rock concerts for the rest - locally opposed.
A monument to some ego in a dread suburban mishmash.
Ego project funded by our taxes.

Does any body in their right mind think that rock concerts will be held in an area where you are not going to have at least 50% of your market excluded because of location. It is one thing building this white elephant but it is the supporters and the clubs that will have to foot the bill for its long term upkeep.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Very early plans had a bridge over the motorway and that would have helped ''neutralise'' the venue somewhat but as it stand I agree a large % of the population would feel uncomfortable going to Casement to watch a concert. That is probably my main concern over the site much of the other negative comments are rubbish you only have to look at the success of Croke park. A stadium squeezed into a tight site with few links in what was a run down part of town