Another GAA-insider's view on the Maze Stadium

[Donagh]

You said:

"So basically anybody that agrees with Donagh is an insider and anyone who disagrees isn't."

followed up by:

"You said that the editor of Gaelic Life wasn't an insider".

It has been pointed out to you that I neither said anything of the sort.

As for the article I couldn't care less, but I wouldn't get your hopes up Kennedy, is as much an "insider" as I am and I doubt to many GAA people read that rag the article appeared in (Sunday Life, not Gaelic Life). I've said it before, if you want to know the general feeling of GAA people you don't have to look any further than this Board.

[SammyG]

You said:

"So basically anybody that agrees with Donagh is an insider and anyone who disagrees isn't."

followed up by:

"You said that the editor of Gaelic Life wasn't an insider".

It has been pointed out to you that I neither said anything of the sort.

No you changed the subject and started spouting shite about secret socities and conspiracy theories.

As for the article I couldn't care less, but I wouldn't get your hopes up Kennedy, is as much an "insider" as I am and I doubt to many GAA people read that rag the article appeared in (Sunday Life, not Gaelic Life). I've said it before, if you want to know the general feeling of GAA people you don't have to look any further than this Board.

So you're saying the vast majority don't give a fcuk either way, a small number are very pro-Maze and a small number are very anti-Maze. TBH that would be my reading of things as well, which is what makes the Ulster Councils attitude even more galling.

[GweylTah]

I have to agree entirely with what Maurice Kennedy has written. In my opinion the GAA is only supporting the new stadium as part of a PR exercise, to make it look to the outisde world that they can be friends with other sporting organisations. It will be an absolute disgrace if the GAA allow any big games be played in any proposed stadium wherever it is located. They have spent millions of euros on improving stadia. What sense would be to allow their games to be played in a stadium where they possibly would not get all the revenue from gate receipts? My own club's ground at Brewster Park has been given thousands of euro to install flooglights and improve facilities. We would hope to therefore stage more big games and if the GAA turn to the new stadium this will prevent us from availing from this oppurtunity. I agree with Maurice Kennedy, that the GAA's main provincial stadium has to be in the centre of Ulster not right up beside Belfast. It's over 70 miles to the maze from enniskillen and even further from other areas in west fermanagh and county cavan. What are you saying to these fans if the GAA play some of their big games at the maze?

Fair-play to you for articulating a decently thought-out opinion, rather than the endless side-tracking and white-washing of those who fill these threads without ever actually adding anything to debate, instead just playing the man or woman and demonstating an inability to debate at all - the internet version of grafittiing that mural in the Bogside last night.

[Solomon Kane]

I'm all for Long Kesk Pairc, particularly if it winds up owc.

That is in a nutshell the logic of those who wish to site a national stadium at the Maze. 

Bollix. Mine is the logic of one who wont support a british partionist team, and couldnt care less about the IFA. But I'm sure the Strategic Investment Board do care.

No-one gives a toss who you support or don't support, but for someone who "couldn't care less" you seem to take a bit of pleasure out of "winding up owc". Freud would have a field day with you.

[PadraicHenryPearse]

thanlks hardy i can contribute to this thread by cutting and pasteing, this pretty much how i feel


-   We don't realty need this stadium, so nobody is going to get very passionate about it.
-   We would be stupid to look then gift horse in the mouth if something is 'gettin gev out' for nothing.
-   If we are going to be involved, we need to state our baseline requirements (capacity, facilities, etc.) and our preferences (e.g. location). We've done that. If our requirements or preferences can't be met, it won't cost us a thought to walk away from it.
-   We wouldn't lose too much sleep over what those who pay for its construction choose to call it.
-   We are happy to let the management get on with it and negotiate whatever needs to be negotiated. Nobody cares enough to be worried about what deal they end up doing.

there have been quite a few threads on this subject, please owc members read above before starting anymore threads on this issue.

[The Gs Man]

I have to agree entirely with what Maurice Kennedy has written. In my opinion the GAA is only supporting the new stadium as part of a PR exercise, to make it look to the outisde world that they can be friends with other sporting organisations. It will be an absolute disgrace if the GAA allow any big games be played in any proposed stadium wherever it is located. They have spent millions of euros on improving stadia. What sense would be to allow their games to be played in a stadium where they possibly would not get all the revenue from gate receipts? My own club's ground at Brewster Park has been given thousands of euro to install flooglights and improve facilities. We would hope to therefore stage more big games and if the GAA turn to the new stadium this will prevent us from availing from this oppurtunity. I agree with Maurice Kennedy, that the GAA's main provincial stadium has to be in the centre of Ulster not right up beside Belfast. It's over 70 miles to the maze from enniskillen and even further from other areas in west fermanagh and county cavan. What are you saying to these fans if the GAA play some of their big games at the maze?

Fair-play to you for articulating a decently thought-out opinion, rather than the endless side-tracking and white-washing of those who fill these threads without ever actually adding anything to debate, instead just playing the man or woman and demonstating an inability to debate at all - the internet version of grafittiing that mural in the Bogside last night.

Would ye not have been safer quoting Hardy's contribution?  That seems to be the general consensus.

[Deal_Me_In]

I have to agree entirely with what Maurice Kennedy has written. In my opinion the GAA is only supporting the new stadium as part of a PR exercise, to make it look to the outisde world that they can be friends with other sporting organisations. It will be an absolute disgrace if the GAA allow any big games be played in any proposed stadium wherever it is located. They have spent millions of euros on improving stadia. What sense would be to allow their games to be played in a stadium where they possibly would not get all the revenue from gate receipts? My own club's ground at Brewster Park has been given thousands of euro to install flooglights and improve facilities. We would hope to therefore stage more big games and if the GAA turn to the new stadium this will prevent us from availing from this oppurtunity. I agree with Maurice Kennedy, that the GAA's main provincial stadium has to be in the centre of Ulster not right up beside Belfast. It's over 70 miles to the maze from enniskillen and even further from other areas in west fermanagh and county cavan. What are you saying to these fans if the GAA play some of their big games at the maze?

Inis Ceithleann,
If you were to look at it from a Geographically GAA point of view Dungannon/Ballygawley would be the most central location taking north Antrim, Ards Penensuila, South Down, Donegal, West Fermanagh and Cavan into consideration. The whole idea of the Maze is a shared stadium being provided by the British Government. The maze is approx 20-25 miles up a motorway from Dungannonn which is not exactly that far if travelling these distances already.

Sammy/Evil G etc.
Yes the GAA have adequate stadium but not in comparison to what is being proposed at the Maze. If the Maze is only going to be 35K (similar to capacity of Clones),the comfort and stadia facilities are by far superior and the GAA are being given the use of this. For the GAA to renovate Clones or any other Ulster stadium to this Comfort would cost £millions so the view of the majority of GAA fans i have been talking to about this is that if (and most have major doubts that it ever will) the maze is built why not make use when required but if not then we already have adequate infrastructure in place which can be upgraded.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

I've said it before, if you want to know the general feeling of GAA people you don't have to look any further than this Board.

Whatever about anything else, that is one dubious comment.  Most topics here betray more political viewpoints than any strawpoll of the GAA as a whole. Also it's important to realise that it's GAA members not GAA "people" who get to make decisions.

The GAA are in this for the PR of sporting cooperation and it's coming from the very top.  Speculation about Ulster Council, Sinn Féin etc. is ill-founded.  Central council are pushing this to keep in with governments and funding.  (as I would expect them to).

I just hope that they don't come out the fall guys because the soccer crowd want out.

/Jim.

[Donagh]

I've said it before, if you want to know the general feeling of GAA people you don't have to look any further than this Board.

Whatever about anything else, that is one dubious comment.  Most topics here betray more political viewpoints than any strawpoll of the GAA as a whole. Also it's important to realise that it's GAA members not GAA "people" who get to make decisions.

What's dubious about it Jim, surely you're not saying GAA members don't have political viewpoints?

[snatter]

Jim,

there's more than mere tokenism to the GAAs support of the Maze.

GAA HQ, in the strategic review report, recommended that Ulster, Munster and Connacht should each develop one high quality venue, 40k+, at least two thirds seated and covered.

Taking more games out of low quality county grounds into this major ground would give higher attendances, better spectator experience, and a much more impressive marketing/tv profile.

UCC economists independently reviewed this recommendation and agreed that it was affordable and desirable.

The Maze gives us this 40k stadium at no capital cost.

As deal_me_in says, the Maze is only a short motorway hop from our ideal location (somewhere around Dungannon).

Why spend 10's of millions devloping a high class stadium of our own, when we could use the Maze and spend the money on more useful things, such as getting GAA into our larger towns and cities where we're failing badly?

[his holiness nb]

thanlks hardy i can contribute to this thread by cutting and pasteing, this pretty much how i feel


-   We don't realty need this stadium, so nobody is going to get very passionate about it.
-   We would be stupid to look then gift horse in the mouth if something is 'gettin gev out' for nothing.
-   If we are going to be involved, we need to state our baseline requirements (capacity, facilities, etc.) and our preferences (e.g. location). We've done that. If our requirements or preferences can't be met, it won't cost us a thought to walk away from it.
-   We wouldn't lose too much sleep over what those who pay for its construction choose to call it.
-   We are happy to let the management get on with it and negotiate whatever needs to be negotiated. Nobody cares enough to be worried about what deal they end up doing.

there have been quite a few threads on this subject, please owc members read above before starting anymore threads on this issue.

Here here, thats it in a nutshell.
I can see why the NI fans are more animated about this issue as they are a lot more desperate than the GAA here.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

It's my view that the Ulster Council has played a blinder on this one...they backed the proposal long ago knowing it would never happen

[SammyG]

Sammy/Evil G etc.
Yes the GAA have adequate stadium but not in comparison to what is being proposed at the Maze. If the Maze is only going to be 35K (similar to capacity of Clones),the comfort and stadia facilities are by far superior and the GAA are being given the use of this. For the GAA to renovate Clones or any other Ulster stadium to this Comfort would cost £millions so the view of the majority of GAA fans i have been talking to about this is that if (and most have major doubts that it ever will) the maze is built why not make use when required but if not then we already have adequate infrastructure in place which can be upgraded.

That's not what is being proposed. The GAA won't have the option to use the Maze 'when required', they will be one of the anchor tennants and will be contracted to pay £750000 per year.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

What's dubious about it Jim, surely you're not saying GAA members don't have political viewpoints?

I'm sure they do Donagh.  I think that the views of many members of this  board lean towards the viewpoints that concur with a certain political party and I'm not sure that it is a true barometer of the GAA overall.

I think it's very dubious to hold this discussion board up as a measure of what GAA people in general think
/Jim.

[snatter]

Sammy/Evil G etc.
Yes the GAA have adequate stadium but not in comparison to what is being proposed at the Maze. If the Maze is only going to be 35K (similar to capacity of Clones),the comfort and stadia facilities are by far superior and the GAA are being given the use of this. For the GAA to renovate Clones or any other Ulster stadium to this Comfort would cost £millions so the view of the majority of GAA fans i have been talking to about this is that if (and most have major doubts that it ever will) the maze is built why not make use when required but if not then we already have adequate infrastructure in place which can be upgraded.

That's not what is being proposed. The GAA won't have the option to use the Maze 'when required', they will be one of the anchor tennants and will be contracted to pay £750000 per year.

Sammy,

have you any proof, links, etc to back that up?