Antrim Football Thread

[BigGreenField]

With so many different parties involved, when everyone is responsible then no-one is and everybody sails on.

The accountability and consequence gap is a permanent feature of life here across pretty much everything, no surprises it applies here.

[BigGreenField]

Is the county management team intact for next year?

[ck]

All of the above comments are accurate however I have sympathy for Antrim county board. They did what they believed was right at the time to progress the project. They were influenced by a number of people from Ulster council, one in particular, who is no longer working for Ulster GAA. This man single handedly made a mess of the relationship between the GAA and the local residents, was responsible for the early closure of Casement and made several very poor decisions.
He then jumped ship (perhaps was pushed) and now works elsewhere without a care in the world.

With the benefit of hindsight Antrim should never have handed over the keys without planning in place but key personnel in Ulster GAA should be held to account for presiding over a complete disaster of a process from the very start.

The Euros debacle will go down as a missed opportunity with unionists taking joy in cutting their noses off despite their faces (nothing new there) and the British Gov doing a U-turn on their support (nothing new there either!). Like most things in this failed statelet, we have to do them ourselves and not expect support from anyone which is the point we are back to again. 

Downsize, make sure it can hold Ulster Finals as a minimum and proceed with planning. A generation has been lost here, lets not lose another one!

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

All of the above comments are accurate however I have sympathy for Antrim county board. They did what they believed was right at the time to progress the project.

I don't. They were hateful hoors. They sent threatening letters from O'Hare solicitors to people, including many past players, officials, supporters and our only ever football all star for simply being a member of a social club that raised and continues to raise a lot of funds for Antrim GAA.
I think you are playing down their role in the terrible decision making and all round shithousery.

[Spike]

I think it highlighted the ineptitude of the county board at the time.  Ulster gaa have royally messed up the journey but Antrim gaa were incredibly naïve with handing over the keys.

What professionals were advising them at the time? What was the point of getting the cash at all if it cant hold Ulster finals - surely that was the whole point given ravenhill and windsor were upgraded? 

The figures still being discussed for this downgraded project are mindbogglingly high for what is essentially a simple construction project. The new stand being discussed must be a smaller version of the recently constructed Camp Nou given its purported cost!  At this rate the cost of designer and planners will be higher than construction costs.

The capacity of the old stadium with a 1950s stand and basic terracing was approximately 31,500 - surely a decent sized stand and the same terracing will achieve that otherwise the project team need to be held accountable.

1 stand and terracing at the figures mentioned is taking the proverbial. Again who is advising or guiding these people?

Would go down as one of the worst stadium value for money projects ever but at least it gives us something to play in.   







 

[johnnycool]

The GAA has a centralised command structure even moreso now since the debacle of Páirc Uí Chaoimh and with that every single deed of every single GAA property resides with Croke Park.

You can't do shit to your property if you're taking out loans without CP or Ulster Council approval, especially government grants.

Even the trustees for each club will include the county secretary and the provincial secretary.

As for Casement, it was really shoddily handled by a lot of people, some have rode off into the sunset and a certain Ryan from the Ulster council and a curly haired SF MLA need to take a lot of the blame for trying to push through a totally over the top stadium in an area it was totally unsuitable for.
The residents have probably did everyone a favour as their objections and delays ended up with the H&S issue coming to light.
Deciding to try and use a pathway down to the Kennedy way roundabout as one of the main routes out of the stadium was hardly a flyer.
We can blame unionist intransigence all we like and that didn't help get those listed above out of this mess of their own making but it's not the main reason the place is still a building site almost 20 years later.

[imtommygunn]

Exactly this. I think those two people were trying to make a name for themselves then rode off into the sunset. We shouldn't have given it away yes. It's just a complete shitshow with no sign of changing any time soon.

[Sportacus]

What really gets under my skin is the photoshoots and 'big talk' from GAA officials and politicians.  It really f**king irritates me. A generation of spoofers. Really is hard to believe here we are heading for 2027 and nothing to show for it.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

What might not be known to people, or what they might forget....

When was Casement Park signed over to Ulster GAA?

It was this side of Covid, if that helps.

A shameful day for our county.

Did anyone get an opportunity to discuss it? Were the trustees acting on our behalf? Is it acceptable that such a monetary asset/such a landmass at the heart of Antrim GAA is transferred to another's possession without discussion.

We have been had here. Or, at least, allowed ourselves to be had.
Embarrassing

[whatwillbwillb]

The GAA has a centralised command structure even moreso now since the debacle of Páirc Uí Chaoimh and with that every single deed of every single GAA property resides with Croke Park.

You can't do shit to your property if you're taking out loans without CP or Ulster Council approval, especially government grants.

Even the trustees for each club will include the county secretary and the provincial secretary.

As for Casement, it was really shoddily handled by a lot of people, some have rode off into the sunset and a certain Ryan from the Ulster council and a curly haired SF MLA need to take a lot of the blame for trying to push through a totally over the top stadium in an area it was totally unsuitable for.
The residents have probably did everyone a favour as their objections and delays ended up with the H&S issue coming to light.
Deciding to try and use a pathway down to the Kennedy way roundabout as one of the main routes out of the stadium was hardly a flyer.
We can blame unionist intransigence all we like and that didn't help get those listed above out of this mess of their own making but it's not the main reason the place is still a building site almost 20 years later.

" When the Axe came into the woods, many of the trees said, At least he's one of Us" , well said JC the list would be long and distinguished.

[Torcrua]

The GAA has a centralised command structure even moreso now since the debacle of Páirc Uí Chaoimh and with that every single deed of every single GAA property resides with Croke Park.

You can't do shit to your property if you're taking out loans without CP or Ulster Council approval, especially government grants.

Even the trustees for each club will include the county secretary and the provincial secretary.

As for Casement, it was really shoddily handled by a lot of people, some have rode off into the sunset and a certain Ryan from the Ulster council and a curly haired SF MLA need to take a lot of the blame for trying to push through a totally over the top stadium in an area it was totally unsuitable for.
The residents have probably did everyone a favour as their objections and delays ended up with the H&S issue coming to light.
Deciding to try and use a pathway down to the Kennedy way roundabout as one of the main routes out of the stadium was hardly a flyer.
We can blame unionist intransigence all we like and that didn't help get those listed above out of this mess of their own making but it's not the main reason the place is still a building site almost 20 years later.

" When the Axe came into the woods, many of the trees said, At least he's one of Us" , well said JC the list would be long and distinguished.

This is the part of the whole saga that doesn't get nearly enough attention.

Forget the politics and the planning for a minute. How does a county end up transferring control of its most valuable asset without a proper, transparent debate among the clubs? For something as significant as Casement, every club in Antrim should have known exactly what was being transferred, what guarantees were being secured in return, and what protections existed if the project stalled.

Instead, Antrim effectively gave away its biggest bargaining chip and became dependent on others delivering on promises. That's not hindsight—that's basic governance.

The biggest question remains unanswered: what legally binding safeguards did Antrim receive in exchange? If the answer is "very few", then it was one of the poorest governance decisions in the county's history.

Casement should still be Antrim's county ground. Partnership with Ulster GAA is one thing; surrendering control without robust protections is another altogether.

[JimStynes]

Can Ulster GAA not just give it back to Antrim

[bannside]

Wicklow went on to win the Tailteean Cup and you could see what it means to them. Could of/should have comes to mind - can we find 10% extra next year and have another proper rattle at it.

Unpopular as this might sound, but that and getting into Div 3 and staying there for a while is the height of our ambition for the forseeable future.

[Sportacus]

What might not be known to people, or what they might forget....

When was Casement Park signed over to Ulster GAA?

It was this side of Covid, if that helps.

A shameful day for our county.

Did anyone get an opportunity to discuss it? Were the trustees acting on our behalf? Is it acceptable that such a monetary asset/such a landmass at the heart of Antrim GAA is transferred to another's possession without discussion.

We have been had here. Or, at least, allowed ourselves to be had.
Embarrassing

Really? This just gets worse.

[imtommygunn]

Glenravel and sarsfields won so randalstown and money glass now in the final.