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

[Rossfan]

The 40k Stadium didn't happen due to planning
The 34k Stadium is not happening due to delays and resultant inflation/costs etc

Reality - build what can be built for the money available.

[illdecide]

We can go back over 100's of pages of who said what and just copy and paste all our same comments over and over and over again but History tells us that this project did not happen because of bigotry and nothing else.

Did the GAA make a balls of it?. YES!!!
Did the DUP stop this project because of Bigotry?. YES!!!
Was/Is the money there for the project?. YES!!! but how dare the GAA get more than soccer and rugby. Doesn't matter who was gonna cough up, the bottom line is this stadium would have been built and the money would have been found somewhere if there had of been no objections from DUP.
There was similar funding for an Ice Rink in Dundonald, let that sink in.
We can't even put Irish signs in the fecking train station without the Country going into meltdown, that's it in a nutshell.
As someone stated earlier, the stadium and Euro's would have been great for the economy and for years to come. I'm sure if N Ireland wanted to play a big game there in a stadium like that it would have been great for Belfast and the two communites to mingle together but there are certain parties not interested in that but just keep them apart or they become extinct.

But they are getting more than soccer or rugby. An additional £130 million has been put on the table for the GAA. And still they're hoping to just throw together a county ground.
Whether Unionists are bigoted or not, they are 100% correct to oppose a blank cheque to bail this mess out. Even the GAA themselves aren't willing to commit any further funding to the project. That gives an insight into their view of it.
I think people rushing to land this at Unionist bigotry's door are exposing their own inherent bigotry. Nolan show victims.

Well you are entitled to your opinion. If Ravenhill or Windsor Park could have been transformed into a big enough stadium(s) with the infracture avaialble to host big events or games I would not have cared less if they got additional funding to support this. Belfast missed the boat big time here.
Would Wales be similar size to here?. Look what stadiums they have

[playwiththewind1st]

1 great thing about Wales is they don't have the DUP.

[seafoid]

The 40k Euros Stadium didn't happen due to planning
The 34k Ulster Final Stadium is not happening due to delays and resultant inflation/costs etc

Reality - build what can be built for the money available.

Wait for people to start asking for money to upgrade Clones. The GAA will have to pony up. No need for the fancy video with the inspirational music. Will there be a cultural section in the reduced
 Stadium?


https://youtu.be/KFSp3g9gquA?is=1F_sT_1-aS3aEAhJ

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

1 great thing about Wales is they don't have the DUP.

They probably didn't employ a bundle of amateur cowboys to manage their projects either.

[Tony Baloney]

Anyhow... all chat about the DUP and Euros should have been moot as the stadium would have been built and in full operation if the authorities in charge were any way competent. We're talking about 15 years since this started formally, and I'm sure there were a couple of years of early planning and discussions with Stormont prior to that...

The Original Proposal & Legal Blocks (2011–2015)

2011: The Northern Ireland Executive commits £62.5 million as part of a Regional Stadia Programme to upgrade Casement Park alongside football's Windsor Park and rugby's Ravenhill.

2012: Concept and detailed design phases begin, with global architecture firm Populous appointed to design a 38,000-capacity flagship provincial stadium.

2013: The stadium officially closes its doors to competitive sports in June to prepare for construction; the final 38,000-seat design is formally submitted and granted planning approval.

2014: Local residents successfully challenge the scale of the venue via a judicial review, resulting in the High Court quashing the planning approval and forcing a complete project halt.

2015: The project remains deadlocked as Ulster GAA assesses options to restructure the development team and address community environmental concerns.

Redesign & Planning Approval (2016–2022)

2016: A new design phase commences; a massive 32-week community consultation takes place to design a scaled-back 34,500-capacity stadium.

2017: The newly amended, lower-capacity design is officially submitted to planners in February.

2021: Following years of assessment and pandemic-related delays, Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon officially grants planning permission for the 34,500-capacity venue in July.

2022: The planning approval survives further legal opposition after a final High Court challenge by a local residents' group is dismissed, securing the project's legal clearance.

The Euro 2028 Bid & Funding Volatility (2023–2024)

2023: Casement Park is officially selected as one of the ten host venues for the joint UK and Ireland UEFA Euro 2028 football tournament, triggering a requirement to upgrade the stadium specification to meet strict UEFA guidelines.

2024 (February): The Irish Government pledges €50 million (£42 million) towards the construction costs to help bridge the funding gap.

2024 (March): Initial site clearance and minor grandstand demolition begin under contractor Heron Brothers.

2024 (September): The UK Government announces it will not fund the inflated UEFA-compliant specification (which surged past £400 million). Due to the strict summer 2027 completion deadline, Casement Park is officially removed from Euro 2028 hosting duties.

Re-alignment & Phased Scaling (2025–2026)

2025 (September): With Euro 2028 off the table, the project is officially refocused back toward its original ambition: a provincial, fit-for-purpose GAA stadium.

2026 (January): Pre-enabling and formal site demolition works officially resume on-site under Heron Brothers to tear down the old stands before the 2021 planning permission expires in July.

2026 (July): Confronting a remaining £90 million deficit despite commitments from Stormont (£62.5m+), Dublin (£42m), and Westminster (£50m), Ulster GAA confirms it is reviewing a phased approach. This indicates a plan to scale back the project to a smaller capacity that aligns with the existing budget.

[armaghniac]

1 great thing about Wales is they don't have the DUP.

They probably didn't employ a bundle of amateur cowboys to manage their projects either.

Given the DUP and the general state of the North, the GAA should have been careful to appoint suitable people for this project. They entirely failed to do so.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

1 great thing about Wales is they don't have the DUP.

They probably didn't employ a bundle of amateur cowboys to manage their projects either.

Given the DUP and the general state of the North, the GAA should have been careful to appoint suitable people for this project. They entirely failed to do so.

Yes, you're correct. It was obvious from the beginning that the DUP might voice objection to additional funding as the project entered its 13th year so the GAA should have considered that when appointing their team. But, then again, were the GAA aware at that time that they too would be completely opposed to giving additional funding to the project?

The DUP being involved in a conversation about Casement Park is nothing more than deflection from our own failings.

[tonto1888]

We can go back over 100's of pages of who said what and just copy and paste all our same comments over and over and over again but History tells us that this project did not happen because of bigotry and nothing else.

Did the GAA make a balls of it?. YES!!!
Did the DUP stop this project because of Bigotry?. YES!!!
Was/Is the money there for the project?. YES!!! but how dare the GAA get more than soccer and rugby. Doesn't matter who was gonna cough up, the bottom line is this stadium would have been built and the money would have been found somewhere if there had of been no objections from DUP.
There was similar funding for an Ice Rink in Dundonald, let that sink in.
We can't even put Irish signs in the fecking train station without the Country going into meltdown, that's it in a nutshell.
As someone stated earlier, the stadium and Euro's would have been great for the economy and for years to come. I'm sure if N Ireland wanted to play a big game there in a stadium like that it would have been great for Belfast and the two communites to mingle together but there are certain parties not interested in that but just keep them apart or they become extinct.

But they are getting more than soccer or rugby. An additional £130 million has been put on the table for the GAA. And still they're hoping to just throw together a county ground.
Whether Unionists are bigoted or not, they are 100% correct to oppose a blank cheque to bail this mess out. Even the GAA themselves aren't willing to commit any further funding to the project. That gives an insight into their view of it.
I think people rushing to land this at Unionist bigotry's door are exposing their own inherent bigotry. Nolan show victims.

Well you are entitled to your opinion. If Ravenhill or Windsor Park could have been transformed into a big enough stadium(s) with the infracture avaialble to host big events or games I would not have cared less if they got additional funding to support this. Belfast missed the boat big time here.
Would Wales be similar size to here?. Look what stadiums they have

they have 2 professional soccer teams and the rugby team play in Wales. The Irish rugby team doesnt play in Belfast

[seafoid]

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/why-downscaled-casement-park-presents-major-problems-for-more-than-just-the-gaa/a/158306306.html

It's a disaster for GAA in Ulster, but it's also deeply worrying news for Irish League football.

I share NI Football League chief Gerard Lawlor's concerns that no further funding for Casement is likely to have a negative impact on the NI Football Fund, such is the nature of how things work up on the hill.


DfC Minister Gordon Lyons appears keen to push on with things, but the process is painfully slow, with the joint legal challenge by Crusaders and Derry City – who are seeking a judicial review into the initial process that saw just 20 of the 41 applicants progress to the second stage – dragging on.

Irish League clubs will also have to wrestle with the same problem that has dogged Ulster GAA: holding ambitious plans while the cost of construction spirals and the public purse strings are tightened.


We still don't know how much money is in the NI Football Fund pot, but I dare say some very difficult decisions will need to be made, with several more disappointed clubs.

Whether you're a GAA head or an Irish League fanatic, it's hard not to feel let down by a system that struggles to deliver for sport.

[seafoid]

Aside from political inadequacies and the GAA's incompetence, anyone want to hazard a guess how this pans out in the next 5 years?

No progress given the way of things in the North.

[rodney trotter]

https://www.northernsound.ie/news/study-how-much-money-does-the-ulster-final-generate-285962


"One of the businesses told us that the Ulster Final is three months takings in one day."

A study has found that the Ulster Final generated €1.5 million for Clones, and €2.1 million for Co. Monaghan.

Croke Park have been investigating the Economic and Social Value of Gaelic Games on the Island of Ireland.

As part of their study, they analysed the 2024 Ulster Senior Football Championship Final between Donegal and Armagh in St. Tiernach's Park.

Yesterday, delegates from GAA HQ presented their findings to Monaghan County Council.

During the study, local business owners told researchers that takings are up 300% on Ulster Final Day.

Dublin native Cian Murphy is a Communications Officer at Croke Park

Speaking to Northern Sound, he said that there is "hard independent data" that shows the impact the Ulster Final has on Clones.

Cian explained: "We interviewed businesses, supporters, the work force. One of the businesses told us that the Ulster Final is three months takings in one day.

"What happens then, people get employed and get over time- that's extra money. They spend that money in the area that they live. That's the ripple effect."

Research also found that Gaelic Games have a substantial cultural impact on Irish society.

Cian believes, that financial investment in the GAA is a solid investment.

"Health and wellbeing, the wider societal benefit- that's all wrapped up in that figure

"You have to take away, there is a negative when people get injured. It isn't just looking for the good news story all the time, the figures have to be robust enough to take into account someone getting injured, and not being able to go to work.

"It is a phenomenal figure. For an athlete return: Every €1 invested gets a return of €2.30."

Clones native, Cllr. Pat Treanor welcomed the findings of the study.
Speaking to Northern Sound, he explained how Monaghan County Council are investing in Clones, in order to improve the matchday experience.

"The Chief Executive [Robert Burns] gave a report that he is already working with Clones GAA and the County Board at trying to bring a good investment to the community sector around St. Tiernach's Park.

"We are also working on a connecting road at the N54, across to the Roslea Road, somewhere out passed Feldhues. That too would assist spectators and traffic going to St. Tiernach's Park," Cllr. Treanor explained.

[seafoid]

It's bigger than Casement and the GAA

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/sports-minister-gordon-lyons-outlines-why-he-remains-fully-committed-to-rolling-out-vital-ni-football-fund-cash-despite-ongoing-legal-challenge/a/157887931.html

Sports Minister Gordon Lyons has reaffirmed his commitment to seeing the long-awaited Northern Ireland Football Fund cash rolled out and the National Football Centre take shape. 

In September 2025, Lyons announced 20 clubs across Northern Ireland would move to the next round of the process of acquiring funding from the £36.2m set aside, with three different tiers of funding available. 

The 20 successful projects had a total estimated departmental cost of "just over £82m", significantly higher than the £36.2m which was announced in 2011. 

Glentoran and Cliftonville are the two clubs who were successful in progressing in the third and most expensive tier, with funding applications of more than £6m. 

Twenty clubs received resource funding to help them prepare their business cases for the next step of the Fund. 

In March, Lyons announced £9m of funding for grassroots football facilities in Northern Ireland, however a legal challenge brought by Crusaders and League of Ireland club Derry City – who missed out on funding – is ongoing. 

[marty34]

It's bigger than Casement and the GAA

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/sports-minister-gordon-lyons-outlines-why-he-remains-fully-committed-to-rolling-out-vital-ni-football-fund-cash-despite-ongoing-legal-challenge/a/157887931.html

Sports Minister Gordon Lyons has reaffirmed his commitment to seeing the long-awaited Northern Ireland Football Fund cash rolled out and the National Football Centre take shape.

In September 2025, Lyons announced 20 clubs across Northern Ireland would move to the next round of the process of acquiring funding from the £36.2m set aside, with three different tiers of funding available.

The 20 successful projects had a total estimated departmental cost of "just over £82m", significantly higher than the £36.2m which was announced in 2011.

Glentoran and Cliftonville are the two clubs who were successful in progressing in the third and most expensive tier, with funding applications of more than £6m.

Twenty clubs received resource funding to help them prepare their business cases for the next step of the Fund.

In March, Lyons announced £9m of funding for grassroots football facilities in Northern Ireland, however a legal challenge brought by Crusaders and League of Ireland club Derry City – who missed out on funding – is ongoing.

Can GAA clubs apply for this funding?

[NAG1]

It's bigger than Casement and the GAA

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/sports-minister-gordon-lyons-outlines-why-he-remains-fully-committed-to-rolling-out-vital-ni-football-fund-cash-despite-ongoing-legal-challenge/a/157887931.html

Sports Minister Gordon Lyons has reaffirmed his commitment to seeing the long-awaited Northern Ireland Football Fund cash rolled out and the National Football Centre take shape.

In September 2025, Lyons announced 20 clubs across Northern Ireland would move to the next round of the process of acquiring funding from the £36.2m set aside, with three different tiers of funding available.

The 20 successful projects had a total estimated departmental cost of "just over £82m", significantly higher than the £36.2m which was announced in 2011.

Glentoran and Cliftonville are the two clubs who were successful in progressing in the third and most expensive tier, with funding applications of more than £6m.

Twenty clubs received resource funding to help them prepare their business cases for the next step of the Fund.

In March, Lyons announced £9m of funding for grassroots football facilities in Northern Ireland, however a legal challenge brought by Crusaders and League of Ireland club Derry City – who missed out on funding – is ongoing.

Can GAA clubs apply for this funding?

No this was an uplift to soccer clubs because of the costs of Casement going up.