Antrim Hurling

[Jeepers Creepers]

Championship games aside , I cannot remember a decent crowd for a county league match in Casement. The idea of playing in an empty stadium is not a new thing.

[btdtgtt]

Championship games aside , I cannot remember a decent crowd for a county league match in Casement. The idea of playing in an empty stadium is not a new thing.

That's true - but the millions and the delays around it are very new!
For young lads, playing there was still a great carrot and attraction to GAA - we may well lost that.
Slightly insular perhaps - but Belfast needs all the help it can get with hurling (and football) and a meaningful stadium would certainly help.

[NAG1]

Championship games aside , I cannot remember a decent crowd for a county league match in Casement. The idea of playing in an empty stadium is not a new thing.

That's true - but the millions and the delays around it are very new!
For young lads, playing there was still a great carrot and attraction to GAA - we may well lost that.
Slightly insular perhaps - but Belfast needs all the help it can get with hurling (and football) and a meaningful stadium would certainly help.

Fair to say that 85% plus of West Belfast have no connection or affinity to the GAA?
Plonking a stadium in there will have limited impact on that percentage of the population.

[imtommygunn]

Championship games aside , I cannot remember a decent crowd for a county league match in Casement. The idea of playing in an empty stadium is not a new thing.

Late 80s and early 90s when we first got into division 1 there were good crowds at games. I remember good crowds at Tipp, KK, Waterford games etc. I don't mean the entire banks were full but the stand was full I think. League games there, football or hurling, this last 10 years have been more like a morgue.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

i rem going to the games in the 90's and playing the likes of Limerick, Kilkenny, Cork etc. there wasnt massive crowds at the game even then. The stand was full and part of the side terraces had a crowd but on a whole it was a poor turn out.

I dont see that changing in Div 3 of the football league or Div2 in the hurling.

[Gizzy15]

Only ever played in casement at u16 in a football tournament though trained there a few times. This was a small tournament without big clubs in it and it was a memory will stick with me. That kind of thing looks like it won't happen again

It has become so polticial and i am not convinced anything good is coming out of it for our county.

So why are we being harangued into supporting this, when no one seems to want to answer the questions that are vital to us as club members within Antrim county.

Is it still going to be 'our' stadium?

If you ask these questions, which i have done you are seen somehow as being a troublemaker or in some way anti casement. its still a bullying thing, if you dont put #buildcasement or shout from the rooftops GET IT BUILT then your not in the real GAA circle

[Jesusjones]

Where do you folks get the crystal balls? I'd imagine no matter what was proposed for the new stadium you find something to object too.

[theskull1]

A very well timed response there JJ. Proving Gizzy's point. 

Not allowed to develop conversations which mightn't suit those who have a different agenda/want

Well I'm firmly in the #itwontsuitAntrim camp for the following reasons

• 
  I've thought about the terrible atmosphere that there'd be for National League and Antrim Club SF/Finals and came to conclusion that I wouldn't want to watch the matches I'd want to watch in such a facility.
  
• I think both supporters and players alike will grow to dislike going there.
  
• I've thought about what we do need and have concluded that a more centralised Owenbeg sized stadium is more suitable for our needs.
  
• I've thought about PR machine driving what they want and not much consideration for anyone with a different perspective and think its quite sinister. This recent consultation exercise is just a PR stunt. Fully expect the response to be akin to "The people have told us to build casement exactly how we planned to build it in the first place"
  
• I've thought about the money on the table to build this behemoth and can only assume GAA political influence is clouding good judgement amongst the power brokers here who should have Antrims best interest at heart
  

Now if Ulster GAA want this, work away if it can be delivered, but I'd like Antrim to go off with their own plans to do something (with the $upport of Ulster GAA/Croke Park) to create what we need for our games to flourish.

[btdtgtt]

A very well timed response there JJ. Proving Gizzy's point. 

Not allowed to develop conversations which mightn't suit those who have a different agenda/want

Well I'm firmly in the #itwontsuitAntrim camp for the following reasons

• 
  I've thought about the terrible atmosphere that there'd be for National League and Antrim Club SF/Finals and came to conclusion that I wouldn't want to watch the matches I'd want to watch in such a facility.
  I think both supporters and players alike will grow to dislike going there.
  I've thought about what we do need and have concluded that a more centralised Owenbeg sized stadium is more suitable for our needs.
  I've thought about how big stadiums are run, and the running cost arguments used not to open. No reason to think this stadium will be any different come the time
  I've thought about PR machine driving what they want and not much consideration for anyone with a different perspective and think its quite sinister. This recent consultation exercise is just a PR stunt. Fully expect the response to be akin to "The people have told us to build casement exactly how we planned to build it in the first place"
  I've thought about the money on the table to build this behemoth and can only assume GAA political influence is clouding good judgement amongst the power brokers here who should have Antrims best interest at heart
  

Now if Ulster GAA want this, work away if it can be delivered, but I'd like Antrim to go off with their own plans to do something (with the $upport of Ulster GAA/Croke Park) to create what we need for our games to flourish.

Not necessarily in disagreement Skull - and maybe Dunsilly will one day be that.
But the point is that the decision to separate Casement from Antrim.
Should never have happened.

[Gizzy15]

Where do you folks get the crystal balls? I'd imagine no matter what was proposed for the new stadium you find something to object too.

Sure just get it built then. you shouldnt need an ff'ing crystal ball but it should be in black and white what the stadium will be used for and what it wont be. and someone at the consultation should have been able to tell me the answer and not faff about if's, but's and maybe's.

There will be a Min of 20 Days dedicated to school blitzes
20 free weekends free for club championship games (no more than 2 adult games in one day)
12 coaching/ fun days (one per month)
10 free Sundays for underage county finals
5 Concerts (Max)

All above are guarenteed and other dates may be negiciated on a case by case basis

Why cant somthing like this be added. i would feel far safer if there were guarentees of acitvity that WILL benifit the youth and club player were given. Not blindley following like sheep and tweeting Build Casement. i want to see casement built as much as anyone. i played on it well into the twenty odd time bracket(Mostely underage) and lived close enough to call in and practice on it before Vinty would chase you off if he was worse for where. But i want it built for all the right reasons and for that you need guarentees on paper not a Get it built and we will work it out then approach.

[btdtgtt]

Championship games aside , I cannot remember a decent crowd for a county league match in Casement. The idea of playing in an empty stadium is not a new thing.

That's true - but the millions and the delays around it are very new!
For young lads, playing there was still a great carrot and attraction to GAA - we may well lost that.
Slightly insular perhaps - but Belfast needs all the help it can get with hurling (and football) and a meaningful stadium would certainly help.

Fair to say that 85% plus of West Belfast have no connection or affinity to the GAA?
Plonking a stadium in there will have limited impact on that percentage of the population.

No.
Where'd u get that figure from?
Your back side obviously.
And you have neither any evidence of a stadium there for decades being "plonked" nor that a redevelopment will not have an impact. But I certainly think a waste ground or social housing - will definitely not help.
Sorry but that's an absolute nonsense post NAG.

[theskull1]

Did we agree what 'the point' was? I missed that meeting 

Should never have happened and but with a mixture of PR spin, apathy, lack of due diligence it was railroaded though. The leaders of the GAA in Ulster have their agenda and thats the one everyone has followed. Ask an awkward question and you get a 'look the moneys on the table for this project and nothing else so it would be a shame if we didnt spend it, so .......?' response

[theskull1]

There will be a Min of 20 Days dedicated to school blitzes
20 free weekends free for club championship games (no more than 2 adult games in one day)
12 coaching/ fun days (one per month)
10 free Sundays for underage county finals
5 Concerts (Max)

I would HATE to watch club championship matches in a 38000 seater stadium. This is my main gripe. The lack of atmosphere will kill the occasion and in the long run the enthusiasm for our games.

[Gizzy15]

There will be a Min of 20 Days dedicated to school blitzes
20 free weekends free for club championship games (no more than 2 adult games in one day)
12 coaching/ fun days (one per month)
10 free Sundays for underage county finals
5 Concerts (Max)

I would HATE to watch club championship matches in a 38000 seater stadium. This is my main gripe. The lack of atmosphere will kill the occasion and in the long run the enthusiasm for our games.

Fully agree with your point although i dont think it will be a 38,000 seater it would still be too big(for atmosphere) at 25,000+. all atmosphere aside i would still like the option rather than the gates being locked on antrim clubs. dont tell me it wouldnt be a big day for an u-12 or u-14 to run out and play a final or a blitz in such a stadium but this needs to be guarenteed. weather the stadium was ever needed and the likes is now almost irrevelant as its at the planning stage all im saying at this moment is that if/when it's built we need guarentees that its out countys stadium and owned by everyone from within antrim gaa.

[NAG1]

Championship games aside , I cannot remember a decent crowd for a county league match in Casement. The idea of playing in an empty stadium is not a new thing.

That's true - but the millions and the delays around it are very new!
For young lads, playing there was still a great carrot and attraction to GAA - we may well lost that.
Slightly insular perhaps - but Belfast needs all the help it can get with hurling (and football) and a meaningful stadium would certainly help.

Fair to say that 85% plus of West Belfast have no connection or affinity to the GAA?
Plonking a stadium in there will have limited impact on that percentage of the population.

No.
Where'd u get that figure from?
Your back side obviously.
And you have neither any evidence of a stadium there for decades being "plonked" nor that a redevelopment will not have an impact. But I certainly think a waste ground or social housing - will definitely not help.
Sorry but that's an absolute nonsense post NAG.

I wasnt claiming to be totally accurate, my point being that you have a population that in the main do not come out to support the county or their own clubs in any sort of numbers. You have clubs struggling to get under age teams out even in amalgamations.

Setting a stadium in there that has no relevance to them will not change this. Yes the stadium has been there for decades and yes for decades the local population have largely ignored what happened inside the gates.

A provincial stadium does not cater for Antrim's needs. So what are the ulterior motives for building this stadium if it is not for the betterment of Antrim GAA?