The OWC mask slips - read and feel the hatred

[GalwayBayBoy]

Mooretwin, Sickboy, Roger to name but three

Ach Mooretwin isn't so bad. Just a bit of an anorak. Used to be funny when he got so worked up over people calling the Irish football team "Ireland" and him refusing to use to term "Ireland" despite everyone pointing out to him that was the official name of the country as per the constitution. He used to be good value on here as Proud to be Gay.

The other two are bitter bollixes alright.

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

Strikes me, whilst there are a few in 'the other place' who have morally questionable viewpoints about the GAA and/or the stadium, there's more of them who aren't happy with an Englishman running local soccer.

It seems their organisation is in disarray and some OWCers are almost jealous of how well run/politically astute the GAA is.

[snatter]

The latest installment.

Have the whole thing collapse, blame the GAA and then get a purpose built stadium.


The people making the decisions should be directed to the OWC chatrooms prior to making any decisions

I'd say the conspiracies have gone to Bangor Boy's head at this stage.  Of course there is the salient fact that many on that discussion board firmly believed that the GAA only got involved to veto the whole thing and sew it into Northern Irish soccer.   Lately that has lost currency to the belief that the GAA are in cohoots with the Shinners to get a terrorist shrine.

It's takes years of dellusional paranoia to get that level.    I've no doubt if that this issue, and many other issues were divvied up by the DUP and Shinners before they go into government.  Naturally Poots can't say that but in the end the DUP probably conceeded the "terrorist shrine" and the stadium location long since.   Eventually they'll realise it's the DUP not the GAA that's running this show.

/Jim.

That being said, does anybody else distrust the shinners on this one?
Are they motivated by whats best for the GAA or with getting a H block preserved?
Their form says the latter - they didn't give a stuff about the GAA re the Casement charade.

The SDLP have been very quiet on this one.
Alisdair McDonnell even supports the Ormeau development when it plainly isn't big enough to accommodate gaelic games.

Is either nationalist party batting for the GAA?
With the BBC choosing not to carry Murphy's statement, I reckon unionists are manoeuvring to try and blame the GAA when it all goes pear shaped.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

That being said, does anybody else distrust the shinners on this one?
Are they motivated by whats best for the GAA or with getting a H block preserved?
Their form says the latter - they didn't give a stuff about the GAA re the Casement charade.

I would say on balance the Shinners would be more worried about getting their museum than the overall good of the GAA.

/Jim.

[T Fearon]

A few clarifications

A UVF Wing of the Maze is being preserved as well as an IRA one, but as I understand it, when entering the stadium your gaze need not fall on either, unless you wish to go out of your way to be offended. You would think that the so called "shrine" was being built in the centre circle.

As you can see it is a convenient smoke screen to oppose sharing anything with themmuns

Alastair Mc Donnell is a typical SDLP toadie, who stands for nor believes in anything, other than garnering unionist votes to keep his Westminster seat in South Belfast, dependent as he is on a split unionist vote.

[GweylTah]

Snatter, Do you not think it is more likely to go pear shaped because it is a ridiculous idea that would cost mega millions which would be much better spent on important things that are necessary and would represent better value for taxpayers money?

[Yer Ma]

I don't think there is too much new on that thread from what we already know or could guess -

1. NI supporters don't want the Maze
2. The GAA would prefer the Maze
3. Therefore NI supporters are unhappy that the GAA won't support a Belfast development

There's nothing else too scandalous there, just an angry reaction as would expected, as much pointed at the IFA and Howard Wells as the GAA.

[snatter]

Snatter, Do you not think it is more likely to go pear shaped because it is a ridiculous idea that would cost mega millions which would be much better spent on important things that are necessary and would represent better value for taxpayers money?

In general, I think it would be more economical to build one high quality stadium, shared by all three sports.

If all three sports can't agree, then either
1. Don't give any further state aid to any of them, and let them pay their own way - you would appear to support this when you say that money would be "much better spent on important things that are necessary and would represent better value for taxpayers money"
OR
2. Grant aid all three, but ensure that any allocation is done by need, ie the grants given should ensure that a specator at each venue enjoys the same level of comfort, regardless of which sport he /she follows. Not good enough to give 20M to each sport - rugby and soccer fans would have roofs and seats, most of our fans would still be standing on cold terraces.
Important that GAA fans are not discriminated just because they follow a much better atteneded sport.
Not my preferred option, I'd have to say -
a. too much unionist aggro when they reaise we'd get moer money than soccer or rugby.
b. money wouldn't be enough to create three grounds with facilities equal to one shared stadium.

[nifan]

The whole point is that they don't want to share anything with the GAA/Fenians (insert your own term).

yes tony "they" dont want to share with fenians.

[GweylTah]

Snatter,

The Maze Stadium (stadium itself, infrastructure to and from it, clean-up costs, on-going maintenance and running costs) is going to cost hundreds of millions of pounds, in addition to the taxpayer losing out on the value of the land there which could be sold to private developers for hundreds of millions of pounds, too.

Sorry, but you won't convince me and a large number of others that this would represent good valiue for money when there are finite resources and any number of more deserving and/or viable causes.

The three could make excellent use of, say, £30m at each of their main grounds in NI.  In fact, there would also be money available for grass roots sport and other sports, too, which are being ignored in all this.

Affordable housing at the Maze and possibly the RUAS moving there (they seem enthusiatic where the GAA, IFA and IRFU are at best luke-warm) with the Balmoral Show are much better ideas.

Whether they keep something to do with the Maze Prison and Long Kesh camp is neither here nor there with me, as long as its not tasteless.

[snatter]

Snatter,

The Maze Stadium (stadium itself, infrastructure to and from it, clean-up costs, on-going maintenance and running costs) is going to cost hundreds of millions of pounds, in addition to the taxpayer losing out on the value of the land there which could be sold to private developers for hundreds of millions of pounds, too.

Sorry, but you won't convince me and a large number of others that this would represent good valiue for money when there are finite resources and any number of more deserving and/or viable causes.

The three could make excellent use of, say, £30m at each of their main grounds in NI.  In fact, there would also be money available for grass roots sport and other sports, too, which are being ignored in all this.

Affordable housing at the Maze and possibly the RUAS moving there (they seem enthusiatic where the GAA, IFA and IRFU are at best luke-warm) with the Balmoral Show are much better ideas.

Whether they keep something to do with the Maze Prison and Long Kesh camp is neither here nor there with me, as long as its not tasteless.

30M each gets you guys and rugby a 25k/ 20k all seater stadium suitable for your much smaller crowds.

If you're getting all seated stadiums for your crowds then we would be entitled to much more to get a 35/40k all seater of our own.
No second class citizenship any more mate.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Snatter,

The Maze Stadium (stadium itself, infrastructure to and from it, clean-up costs, on-going maintenance and running costs) is going to cost hundreds of millions of pounds, in addition to the taxpayer losing out on the value of the land there which could be sold to private developers for hundreds of millions of pounds, too.

Sorry, but you won't convince me and a large number of others that this would represent good valiue for money when there are finite resources and any number of more deserving and/or viable causes.

The three could make excellent use of, say, £30m at each of their main grounds in NI.  In fact, there would also be money available for grass roots sport and other sports, too, which are being ignored in all this.

Affordable housing at the Maze and possibly the RUAS moving there (they seem enthusiatic where the GAA, IFA and IRFU are at best luke-warm) with the Balmoral Show are much better ideas.

Whether they keep something to do with the Maze Prison and Long Kesh camp is neither here nor there with me, as long as its not tasteless.

GweylTah,

All very reasonable points.  However it seems to me the bone of contention here is that members of OWC website seem to think the GAA are maliciously involved in this scheme.  Of all the bodies involved it would appear that the GAA arrived at a late stage so can hardly be responsible for concocting the scheme (maliciously or benignly).  Also given their previous success in capital development throughout the island, they would also be the best position to take and handout and go it alone.

The pervailling view in the thread linked here is that the GAA and Sinn Féin jointly engineered the whole thing to have a get a shrine and also have a dig at "Protestant games".  The case for that appears just a tad tenous in fairness.

/Jim.

[nifan]

I would say more are of the impression that SF is driving the GAA on this, rather than being joint partners.

While i have no doubt that SF is more than happy to use/manipulate sporting groups I think that the GAA are also capable fo making their own decisions.

From what the GAA representative has said Ive no doubt that SIB misinformation is stirring the pot here - interestingly the GAA hasnt ruled out belfast contrary to what whitehead (and jug ears) hae said. Id be interested if there are any belfast locations the GAA board would actually consider.

[GweylTah]

Snatter, I am not 'a guy' unless you meant that as a general 'you guys' term and wouldn't have any desire to be fairer or less fair to any sports, except game sprts and maybe fishing.

What;s with this 'second class citizens' stuff?  That's very 1970s - OK, rugby is a more middle class sport but soccer is played by all sorts.  Is GAA not cross-comunity then, is that what you mean? Why is that?

I know that gaelic games need bigger pitches, but a bigger stadium?  How many stadia does the GAA need?  Has the GAA actually promised to play any big games at any Maze stadium, in fact, ANY new stadium?

A new stadium isn't needed at all - health service in crisis, schools closing, water infrastructure poor with charges to come.  A shiny stadium that will hardly ever be used, no thanks.

[T Fearon]

nifan< for your info Sinn Fein has no influence on GAA affairs< unlike Unionist Party members and unionist Paramilitary members who are on the Boards of various Irish League clubs

Also what do you make of the shrine to UVF terrorism to be preserved at the Maze and why does this not attract any ire on the OWC website?