Biggest share of Maze stadium money 'to go the GAA'

[snatter]

Nobody should be shocked by the amount we're in line for.
In a normal society, everybody would expect Govt aid for spectator accomodation to be in line with demonstrable need.

Gaelic football is NI's most attended sport, and it is only right that it gets the lion's share of stadium funding.
The GAA agreed to bring 150,000 fans per year to the Maze stadium (55% of total attendance).
Soccer agreed to bring 80,000 (30% of total), while rugby would have brought 40k (15% of total).

The anticipated funding is roughly in line with this - 50% for the GAA, 30% for the IFA and 20% for Ulster Rugby.
Nothing controversial to any fair minded individual, but expect some dissent from backwood anti-gaa bigots.

The GAA will need to act fast and smart to get this money though - my fear is that some trickery by senior mandarins in the NI civil service could see the IFA get their money first, only for the fund to be frozen before we get ours.

[illdecide]

1 million of it is heading to Lurgan

[Hardy]

Why no outrage from the usual suspects about the partitionist nature of this funding? Where's Cork's share, for instance. Where's the lad in the Celtic jerrsey with the "No foreign money" placard?

[longrunsthefox]

Why no outrage from the usual suspects about the partitionist nature of this funding? Where's Cork's share, for instance. Where's the lad in the Celtic jerrsey with the "No foreign money" placard?

What is partitionist about it? I'm sure it will go to the Ulster council and not Ulster as Willie Frazier defines it!

[Bud Wiser]

Why no outrage from the usual suspects about the partitionist nature of this funding? Where's Cork's share, for instance. Where's the lad in the Celtic jerrsey with the "No foreign money" placard?

Leave them have it Hardy, next year is the 30th Anniversary of the Hunger Strikers and the format for the annual remembrance day in Casement Park can be changed to provide more facilities to cater for a more nationwide event.  Car parking for us Mexicans travelling up etc..  If an upgrade was done before 5th May it would be great if the Ulster Championship could start on that weekend and incorporate the 1981 Hunger Strike intyo the same event. 

Or have the boys handing out the money done the job for the Ulster Council by saying that in accepting the garnt it is given soley for the purpose of Gaelic Games?

[armaghniac]

Where's Cork's share, for instance.

It certainly should not go to Cork, a profoundly partitionist place. The press release for the new Páirc Uí Chaoimh development referred to Cork as the "second biggest city in the country".

[longrunsthefox]

Where's Cork's share, for instance.

It certainly should not go to Cork, a profoundly partitionist place. The press release for the new Páirc Uí Chaoimh development referred to Cork as the "second biggest city in the country".

aye and the O'hailpin pay for play boys would be looking a slice of it as well

[Premier Emperor]

Leave them have it Hardy, next year is the 30th Anniversary of the Hunger Strikers and the format for the annual remembrance day in Casement Park can be changed to provide more facilities to cater for a more nationwide event.  Car parking for us Mexicans travelling up etc..  If an upgrade was done before 5th May it would be great if the Ulster Championship could start on that weekend and incorporate the 1981 Hunger Strike intyo the same event. 

What has the hunger strike got to do with the GAA?

[andoireabu]

Saw this story on newsline yesterday right after a report about a primary school in Belfast where the chuldren had to make do with damp mobile units to learn in.  they were in line for a grant but this has been pulled by the education minister and now they will get nothing.  instead of using this spare money to help them it is being passed around three sports that are not that strapped for cash.  surely the GAA could be persuaded to help in the interests of grassroots support for football, hurling and camogie at school level.