Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

[sbgawa]

DCC youd imagine given they own Tolka and Shels are pretending to want to buy it will crack the whip but ante up for professional and expensive (but not in the context of aa 40m spend) pitch maintanance.
Unless Shels want to **** off the people who they want to tryto buy the ground from cheaply youd imagine it will suit everyone o a pragmatic basis

[culloty82]

Fingers crossed for all our Harps fans - even if the Examiner article on Stranorlar doesn't offer much grounds for optimism:

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41330911.html

[joey B]

Fingers crossed for all our Harps fans - even if the Examiner article on Stranorlar doesn't offer much grounds for optimism:

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41330911.html

The only feeling is trepidation now,hope or optimism is hard to come by…..

[Nesta99]

Fingers crossed for all our Harps fans - even if the Examiner article on Stranorlar doesn't offer much grounds for optimism:

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41330911.html

Sue the developer for breach of contract!! Would go good bit toward the shortfall. That is of course if there was a proper contract, no wink and nod opportunism deal that back fired on the developer though even an inferred agreement could hold weight in court. Why the re recosting? Thatd be 3rd or maybe 4th time and i doubt its inflation as these things from the Dept of Sport look to cost down. Is the original developer and or beneficiary of the original €1.2mil still involved in the project in any way? That would stick a spoke in any funding wheel over the years. Im presuming that a heads up has been provided on the funding decision. The grantee providing funding has been reduced and sometimes waived in more recent times, looking for about €1.2mil is clawing back imo but there are options to get thing over the line e.g the DoS backed Clan Credo (www.clanncredo.ie (http://www.clanncredo.ie)), if its life or death for Finn Harps then getting the new ground done, not waiting for community fundraising (unless funding is in place Nigel?) , the reasonable terms offered to borrow are not prohibitive and if the new facility can generate more income than Finn Park or fundraisers...no brainer!

[2 Year Contract]

Bray have announced a 23 year extension to their existing 35 year lease on the Carlisle Grounds

https://x.com/braywanderers/status/1757711835678056756?s=46

[A N Mouse]

https://www.derrycityfc.net/2024/02/stadium-work-to-start/

Confirmation prep starting work starting this week, taking 4-6 weeks. Then main works can start, no updated timescale on these though

[kingdomkerry]

The curved stand should have been extended all the way round. Would have looked class. Another stadium with each stand unique. Then you look abroad and all the stands are symmetrical. What is it in Ireland?

[nigel-harps1954]

The curved stand should have been extended all the way round. Would have looked class. Another stadium with each stand unique. Then you look abroad and all the stands are symmetrical. What is it in Ireland?

There's no way that would have worked though. The stand curved around the dog track and would have to take a significant turn to keep turning around the football pitch. The section being knocked was already miles away from the pitch.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Work on Casement due to start next week: https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2024/0215/1432515-casement-park-redevelopment-work-finally-set-to-start/

I wonder if the annoyance from elements of the unionist community would translate into anything more than boos at matches.

[Nesta99]

The terms of DCC giving the Tolka lease back to Shels are not cheap if reported accurately (havent seen them here?). €1m in 3 installments, 2 this year an one end of 2025. Committment of 2 community development officers/coaches for 5 years at a cost of €500k. Improvement works on the ground, no specified cost, but including new floodlighting, work to stand roofs among others and to be completed by December 2026 or Shels lose the lease. Huge drain on finances over just 2 years unless owners are willing to pony up. Its an odd one albeit the right way to go about ensuring committment to the club beyond a first team for generating a quick return on invstment. But will a backer commit to large near term spending the ground with risk of losing the lease in any way and potentially slowing the development of the main revenue generating and growth area of the club. Can see why Llicali left if this was mooted as a possibility previously. On tonights DCC agenda so will be interesting to see if there is progress and whats in the detail. Grants cant be applied for retrspectively and the timeframe is small to get necessary work done and applications in - potentially pay for something that grants could have reduced cost etc. Dont do it but lose the ground....maybe there is more to it and ther will be more wriggle room but either way thats bound to set Shels on pitch development back.

[pateen]

https://www.derrycityfc.net/2024/02/stadium-work-to-start/

Confirmation prep starting work starting this week, taking 4-6 weeks. Then main works can start, no updated timescale on these though

Looks nice

[2 Year Contract]

Yeah it looks well. Since the dog track was removed the shape of the stand looks bizarre and gives a strange angle to watch a game from at both ends. The knocking of blocks A and B will address that at one end. Any plans for a similar terrace at the opposite end of the ground or is either side of the Mark Farren stand next on the development agenda?

[brendy_éire]

Any plans for a similar terrace at the opposite end of the ground or is either side of the Mark Farren stand next on the development agenda?

Nothing for Showgrounds side yet. It's quite tight for space at that end, and realistically would mean getting rid of the access road into the Mark Farren stand. I presume it could be done, but not without reconfiguring the Showgrounds pitch/greyhound track area.

The next work due to start is Phase 2 of the Mark Farren stand. That's an extension either side of the existing stand, which would bring the total capacity up to 7,400 odd.
The money for that is in the sub-regional stadium funding. IL clubs are keen for that to be released, and the DUP DfC minister says he wants to get it out as soon as. Also tied up in that pot is the £62m for Casement. It's not enough to cover the whole cost, so there's a bit of politicking going on with that. The minister (and pretty much everyone else) wants to Brits to cough up for the extra cash. They've already hinted they would, and maybe Dublin will throw a few quid to the Ulster Council for it too. Once that's sorted, the money will be released.

7.4k would probably be enough for the club, so long as UEFA go through with the rumoured loosening of stadium requirements. If they didn't, I'm guessing they could squeeze in an extra 600 odd seats somewhere to bring it up to 8k.

[belfastman]

That looks good - how much is that costing ?

[EatYerGreens]

Work on Casement due to start next week: https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2024/0215/1432515-casement-park-redevelopment-work-finally-set-to-start/

I wonder if the annoyance from elements of the unionist community would translate into anything more than boos at matches.

Such as what? They're toothless tigers in the most part. Are you expecting Casement to be bombed or something?

[EatYerGreens]

The curved stand should have been extended all the way round.

That is hoestly a terrible idea. It would have wasted a load of space, and kept fans behind the goals furthest away from the action, for no genuine reason. Plus there isn't rhe room there anyway to do it.

I guess there's a good reason why most football grounds are essentially a rectangle of seats as near the pitch as possible.

[pateen]

https://www.derrycityfc.net/2024/02/stadium-work-to-start/

Confirmation prep starting work starting this week, taking 4-6 weeks. Then main works can start, no updated timescale on these though

With the NI assembly back up and running is there any plans to do a full length stand on the camera side of the ground?
Is there grant money even there for it?

[outspoken]

Sligo striping seats out of the section their ultras occupy to have a standing terrace area. They're obviously not planning on a return to Europe any time soon.

[D24Saint]

Sligo striping seats out of the section their ultras occupy to have a standing terrace area. They're obviously not planning on a return to Europe any time soon.

Was chatting to a few Sligo lads online about the work. The seats are staying in the away section according to them. I never thought of Europe, good point.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

The FAI made us remove them. Also we’re planning on redeveloping.

[outspoken]

The FAI made us remove them. Also we’re planning on redeveloping.

Why?..

[sbgawa]

Was chatting to a few Sligo lads online about the work. The seats are staying in the away section according to them. I never thought of Europe, good point.


UEFA are trialling safe standing areas i fully expect standing to be allowed in Europe within a couple of years...although contrary to what most people think safe standing doesnt increase capacity.

[brendy_éire]

That looks good - how much is that costing ?


£7m-ish was given at some point.

[brendy_éire]

UEFA are trialling safe standing areas i fully expect standing to be allowed in Europe within a couple of years...although contrary to what most people think safe standing doesnt increase capacity.

Maybe even this year, along with capacity, media, etc. requirements.
Safe standing can increase capacity of an area, but would require retrofitting exisitng seating areas for it to happen.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Why?..

Seats weren’t in great knick

[bohsmug]

..although contrary to what most people think safe standing doesnt increase capacity.

It can, it just depends what setup you're using. A purpose built terrace up to modern safety standards would generally hold more people than an equivalent sized seated stand. If it's a seated area converted to rail seating/terracing, in most cases, it seems clubs are keeping the same capacity. Most of the standing areas at top clubs in England seem to have the same capacity as an equivalently sized seated area.

It doesn't look like it will add capacity in Sligo though, unless they're planning on doing additional work and adding rows - which I doubt given the proposed redevelopment. I like the Showgrounds but that stand and the seats in it are in a bad way.
I saw this posted somewhere, not sure if it's been posted on foot.ie yet: https://www.independent.ie/regionals/sligo/news/sligo-rovers-apply-for-funding-under-immigrant-investor-programme-to-help-with-masterplan/a1030152820.html

[EalingGreen]

It can, it just depends what setup you're using. A purpose built terrace up to modern safety standards would generally hold more people than an equivalent sized seated stand. If it's a seated area converted to rail seating/terracing, in most cases, it seems clubs are keeping the same capacity. Most of the standing areas at top clubs in England seem to have the same capacity as an equivalently sized seated area.

It doesn't look like it will add capacity in Sligo though, unless they're planning on doing additional work and adding rows - which I doubt given the proposed redevelopment. I like the Showgrounds but that stand and the seats in it are in a bad way.
I saw this posted somewhere, not sure if it's been posted on foot.ie yet: https://www.independent.ie/regionals/sligo/news/sligo-rovers-apply-for-funding-under-immigrant-investor-programme-to-help-with-masterplan/a1030152820.htmlIn England, you can only install standing instead of seating on a strict 1:1 basis. They also require that if in operation for home fans, away fans must also be provided with standing too. I suspect that these are both influenced by post-Hillsborough concerns.

In Germany, however, the ratio of standing to sitting can be up to 1.8:1.

Either way, it's not just a question of how many people you could physically cram in standing in a given space, H&S requires that there be adequate access and egress in an emergency - turnstiles, exits, walkways, steps, concourses etc.

[redobit]

A bit of a sickner too see an Taiseach giving 50 million to Casement Park. At the end of the day this is money going into another state, unfortunately but be that as it may. But more of a sickner is that it is investment into the already well resourced Gaa.

The laughable bit about the 50 million allocation was that it was toward enabling works, which is basically a start and he was 'hopefull' of the Uk coming on board soon.

Imagine what 50 million would do if invested in the new Finn Harps stadium, The Showgronds and Weaver Park. It would be a game changer to football facilites in this country.

[EatYerGreens]

A bit of a sickner too see an Taiseach giving 50 million to Casement Park. At the end of the day this is money going into another state, unfortunately but be that as it may. But more of a sickner is that it is investment into the already well resourced Gaa.

The laughable bit about the 50 million allocation was that it was toward enabling works, which is basically a start and he was 'hopefull' of the Uk coming on board soon.

Imagine what 50 million would do if invested in the new Finn Harps stadium, The Showgronds and Weaver Park. It would be a game changer to football facilites in this country.

LOI fans need to be on to their TDs about this. Particularly the TDs from coalition parties. The obvious question being why are they funding sport in a different state in preference to football/soccer in their own jurisdiction?

There's council and European elections in the next couple of months, so use the heightened political sensitivity that creates to send a message to your TDs.

[joey B]

Funding a GAA stadium in Belfast is probably more politically advantageous than giving anything to the LOI,that’s just the way things are in this country…..

[Shinkicker]

A bit of a sickner too see an Taiseach giving 50 million to Casement Park. At the end of the day this is money going into another state, unfortunately but be that as it may. But more of a sickner is that it is investment into the already well resourced Gaa.

The laughable bit about the 50 million allocation was that it was toward enabling works, which is basically a start and he was 'hopefull' of the Uk coming on board soon.

Imagine what 50 million would do if invested in the new Finn Harps stadium, The Showgronds and Weaver Park. It would be a game changer to football facilites in this country.
My thoughts also. Give 20 clubs 2.5 million each to improve facilities. Not necessarily to increase attendances but to make the experience a better one for those who do go to games. If a club can increase attendances and improve facilities all the better. To give the money to the wealthiest sporting organisation in the country who are only providing 15 million of the funding is outrageous. If the GAA had put in several million each year over the years it wouldn't have been in the state it descended to.

[bohsmug]

The pressure on the state to assist with facilities does seem to have more weight attached to it these days though. I know we need to see real action in this regard and I may just be living in the LOI echo chamber but there's a flicker of light there. SDCC's commitment to Tallaght has hopefully paved the way for more successful public funding. Who knows... but I hope :confused:

[redobit]

Funding a GAA stadium in Belfast is probably more politically advantageous than giving anything to the LOI,that’s just the way things are in this country…..

Maybe. But the other side to being able to use capital investment for political gains is to provide the money into the cross border/ peace fund. Finn Harps, Sligo Rovers in this state and Derry, Ballinamallard, Newry up North are located in border counties. All would be rubber stamped for cross border initiatives.

Provide these clubs and communites with infrastrutural upgrades would see far more political gain that giving it to the Gah imho.

[EatYerGreens]

Funding a GAA stadium in Belfast is probably more politically advantageous than giving anything to the LOI,that’s just the way things are in this country…..

Are any FF, FG or Green voters really going to be that positive about a load of money given to a stadium in Belfast? At best I'd say they probably don't care. Though ones I know are starting to ask questions about it (especially when it's raised with them). €50m would build you more than 200 social housing apartments for a start (minus the land cost. But sure the State is sitting on a load of that). And that's before we get onto the LOI, and people like Damien Duff saying in the media that the money should have gone to domestic footbal/soccer instead.

[EatYerGreens]

Maybe. But the other side to being able to use capital investment for political gains is to provide the money into the cross border/ peace fund. Finn Harps, Sligo Rovers in this state and Derry, Ballinamallard, Newry up North are located in border counties. All would be rubber stamped for cross border initiatives.

Provide these clubs and communites with infrastrutural upgrades would see far more political gain that giving it to the Gah imho.

Since when was Sligo a border county? :D It's about as near to the border as North Meath is.

[ger121]

Allocating €50 million to fund a stadium in another jurisdiction, for a football tournament co hosted by a separate “country”, which post Euros will be then used by an organisation who generally don’t allow other games to be played in their stadia, has to be the most Irish solution to an Irish problem ever.

[EalingGreen]

A bit of a sickner too see an Taiseach giving 50 million to Casement Park. At the end of the day this is money going into another state, unfortunately but be that as it may. But more of a sickner is that it is investment into the already well resourced Gaa.

The laughable bit about the 50 million allocation was that it was toward enabling works, which is basically a start and he was 'hopefull' of the Uk coming on board soon.

Imagine what 50 million would do if invested in the new Finn Harps stadium, The Showgronds and Weaver Park. It would be a game changer to football facilites in this country.Not for me to determine how you should react in your jurisdiction over your money (obv), but yeah, it must stick in the craw.

While it's all part of another buggers' muddle on this side of the border, as follows:

When the £140m+ Maze Stadium (for GAA/IFA/IRFU shared use) collapsed under the weight of its own idiocy (the Finance Dept at Stormont accepted that it could never pay its way as originally promised), the money was reallocated to the three bodies thus:
1. IRFU to get £20m (I think) to rebuild Ravenhill;
2. GAA to get £62m to rebuild Casement, with £15m of their own = £77m;
3. Football to get equal funding to GAA, from which the IFA allocated £26m to rebuild Windsor, and when the 3 main projects were completed, the remaining £36m to go to "Sub-Regional" stadia (i.e. Irish League and Derry City etc).

Both IRFU and IFA rebuilt their stadia within budget, while the GAA screwed up right from the very start (design, Planning Permission, H&S, local opposition etc). This mixture of incompetence and vanity etc, along with Stormont getting suspended by both SF and DUP walkouts, meant that 15 years after it was promised, the IFA still hasn't seen its £36m second tranche received.

Meanwhile, the GAA is complaining that construction inflation means that the original £77m is now inadequate, so they are playing the poor mouth and demanding that somebody else must bale them out. That is, no way they'll increase their own £15m, naturally, nor any chance they'll scale back their plans to suit their budget. Regarding this latter, they originally demanded 40k capacity, since reduced to 32k as the maximum to receive PP, yet their own prospectus envisaged one, yes, one 32k sell-out GAA game per year, the Ulster Football Final. (Antrim currently play their county games at the 4k Corrigan Park, btw).

All of which means that if Football and Rugby don't at least get an equivalent increase to their £36m/£20m, then they will effectively be being punished for their own competence, while the GAA gets rewarded for its own incompetence.

But hey ho, we might see 4 or 5 garrison games between the likes of Romania and Czechia at the Euro's in 2028, which will make it all ok.

While schools, hospitals and roads etc can hang on another while for a few quid, since they're well used to waiting by now...:mad:

[Nesta99]

A bit of a sickner too see an Taiseach giving 50 million to Casement Park. At the end of the day this is money going into another state, unfortunately but be that as it may. But more of a sickner is that it is investment into the already well resourced Gaa.

The laughable bit about the 50 million allocation was that it was toward enabling works, which is basically a start and he was 'hopefull' of the Uk coming on board soon.

Imagine what 50 million would do if invested in the new Finn Harps stadium, The Showgronds and Weaver Park. It would be a game changer to football facilites in this country.

There is an irony in this that Louth GAA are having a sh1t show with funding of our county ground. There is no shortage of messing going on, most likely impacting on phased funding and progress but an outright grant that pays for a project from start to finish would eliminate a lot of the messing. I dont like Louth GAA or indeed the GAA, as organisations with certain eccentricities eg bigotry, elitism and protectionism but yet Id want to see taxpayers from this country benefit from funding from the national purse. The A5 funding is different in that there is a need to traverse another state to improve conectivity of the North West to the rest of the country. With Casement I dont see value for money to the Irish taxpayer, giving money to a well funded organisation that could more than make their own way on such a project (when did old fashioned bank loans for capital projects become a no go for GAA). I think there is greater political capital earning potential in NI and RoI, that could be mutually beneficial, than Casement....maybe setting some foundations for an All Island football league that is likely less contentious than driving GAA expansion?!

[EalingGreen]

(when did old fashioned bank loans for capital projects become a no go for GAA)Er, when they lost over €30m on SuperValu Pairc Uí Chaoimh and interest rates quadrupled?

[Nesta99]

Well at least Cork GAA wont have to go through Hibernian/Celtic/City/Foras phases to cope with losses! Casement, Louth County Ground, maybe SVPUC look like they're straight out of the Stranrolar playbook...

As an aside, its an expensive way to bolster unifiction credentials for the current government parties in what is very likely to be a general election year and prevent Shinners from making that contribution in future or calling for evidence of a commitment to the future possibility of a border poll and what could happen after. Or am I looking far too deep in to the reasoning.

€10 or even 20 mil with a guarantee of matched funding from London, considering the joint Euro bid, a GAA contribution of index linked original proportion of funding would be more palatable - a lot of the issue is with, as EG outlined, the way GAA messing fallout is being covered finacially. When Louth GAA approached Croke Park about the inflationary pressures on the budget of the new GAA stadium in Dundalk they all but pulled the plug, are having the project recosted and have asked others for more (IIIP was beautifully exploited by the former county chair and local TD (Genune question, did Harps look at this element of potential funding? Dundalk FC should have beeon on that gravy train also!!). The county board has lodged €1.6mil with GAA HQ as their contribution (groundworks done and materials are all on site) yet Croke Park just isnt willing to get things moving again with some central funding. I should have added hypocrisy above as an eccentricity of the organisation! My rant over...

[Kiki Balboa]

https://twitter.com/McDonnellDan/status/1760395627916103987

Said it here before, the best avenue I can see for funding for new facilities is through the betting tax, either from increasing it, or enough public pressure is built against Greyhound racing that football takes it funding.

It makes perfect sense to be honest.

20 million a year is half a new stadium, a full stadium in two years at 40 million. Money shouldn't even need to be earmarked for LOI clubs, but local councils for sport facilities.

[Nesta99]

i think it was Charlie McCreevy while Minister for Finance that cut betting tax to a pittance 2002 or so, a man who liked quite a flutter himself. His argument was to fund and develop the racing industry. Job done I would say. Now increase tax, not by 1% but by multiples of the current rate. People talk about the damage gambling does to society, there is a furore over gambling sponsorship especially of sports clubs or events, bookies shops have to be toned down wth minimal shop front 'attractions', much like smoking products and alcohol (cute how a drinks sponsorship can stay exactly as it was if you add 0.0 at the end). So why not tax this scourge, like others, to disincentivise people gambling and use revenue generated to bemefit society, foster safe, healthy activity that contributes to improved mind health, reduce associated gender based violence - things like sporting amenities, community hubs like modern football stadia etc.

If problem gambling is as widespread a people think then surely the powers that be would be open to suggestions to mitigate the problematic element. Whats good for the goose is good for the gander surely, average of 10% on a pint and 9% on tobacco + vat, why exempt betting?

Online betting apps are the real problem in this area and generate most growth in revenue, for as long as there are hooks to get people to sign up like yer €10 free bets, where U18s can easily access apps, that there is proper validation of age and identity across the board and that problem gambling is identified and flagged then any levy should be punitive!

[Kiki Balboa]

Imagine the difference in the town of Dundalk as a whole if the money that went into the racing stadium went into a new football stadium or Oriel Park. The racing stadium is nearly always empty and is not really part of the social fabric of the town and adds nothing to its identity. If it disappeared tomorrow, very few would notice it.

The football club is by far the best advertisement of the town of Dundalk, bringing in international recognition of a pretty obscure town in the grand sense of things (like how else would anybody hear about a town like Dundalk), yet the conservative nature (as in lack of dynamisms) of our local governance ideas just refuses to build upon these opportunities.

.... rant over..

[redobit]

Since when was Sligo a border county? :D It's about as near to the border as North Meath is.

I dont make the rules :D tbf parts of Sligo are 15 minutes tothe border. I blame Leitrim, getting in the way. Probably wont matter, it might be gone soon! the border I mean, not Leitrim. We seem to be stuck with Leitrim :D : D

[brendy_éire]

A bit of a sickner too see an Taiseach giving 50 million to Casement Park. At the end of the day this is money going into another state, unfortunately but be that as it may. But more of a sickner is that it is investment into the already well resourced Gaa.

It's a ground for Ulster GAA, so it's certainly arguable that some money from Dublin should go into it. Worth pointing out that it'll ultimately be an asset of by a Dublin-based organisation, and as it's expected to last 40-50 years, it'll likely be within the state during its lifespan.
Besides, this is the cheaper option. If Casement wasn't being done, it would likely be Clones, with the state bearing most of the cost, with no northern/UK govt input.

No point having a go at the GAA (or any other sporting organisation). They're great at getting funding, and we, the FAI/football fans generally, need to get better at it.

[EalingGreen]

No point having a go at the GAA (or any other sporting organisation). They're great at getting funding, and we, the FAI/football fans generally, need to get better at it.As I see it, the GAA is better at getting (Irish) government sports funding than other organisations, incl football, for political reasons, not sporting ones. Which hardly seems right to me.

Of course ordinarily this is none of my business, since they're not my government and it's not my taxes which are being used in this manner, therefore should they decide eg to shove €50m towards Casement, then that's up to them.

But if that €50m is being used to get over the line a project which additionally needs an inequitable, unfair and unjustifiable subsidy from UK taxes (see my post #7,937, above), then it does concern me.

P.S. This ridiculous delay over Casement has been a prime factor in NI Football's £36m Sub-Regional Stadium funding being delayed for over a decade, a portion of which was thought to have been earmarked for the Brandywell. Has there been much comment about that up the town, or has it not registered before now?

[brendy_éire]

As I see it, the GAA is better at getting (Irish) government sports funding than other organisations, incl football, for political reasons, not sporting ones. Which hardly seems right to me.

Funding is allocated by politicans, so makes sense to create political reasons for funding. The GAA has excellent branding, miles about any other sport in the country. As pointed out on the BTS podcast, look at GAA sponsors and their eagerness to shout about their sponsorship. Supervalu, AIB, etc. We don't see that with Airtricity, nor Sports Direct.


if that €50m is being used to get over the line a project which additionally needs an inequitable, unfair and unjustifiable subsidy from UK taxes (see my post #7,937, above), then it does concern me.

It is being used for that. Presume the GAA lobbied for it, and Dublin got the SoS to agree to increase UK govt funding.


P.S. This ridiculous delay over Casement has been a prime factor in NI Football's £36m Sub-Regional Stadium funding being delayed for over a decade, a portion of which was thought to have been earmarked for the Brandywell. Has there been much comment about that up the town, or has it not registered before now?

Everyone is well aware of it, the club and council have been on about this for ages. Again though, the GAA probably have had a hand in how this is occurred. The Casement money tied to the sub-regional stadium fund with the SF DfC minister, which creates more political pressure, and gives you a bit of cover in case of increased costs. The GAA then get their ground included in the Euros bid, and so get an assurance from Dublin/London about extra cash and a hard date for completion of construction. Now it’s a DUP DfC minister getting pressure to release the stadium fund money, so he’ll have to acquiesce and sort Casement out too.
So the GAA have gone on a journey from merely being a tenant of a publicly-owned ground at the Maze, to owning a lovely new 34.5k capacity ground for a spend of £15m, which they have in cash. Mightn't like it, but they've played a blinder.
Compare and contrast with the FAI, who don't own Lansdowne, but are still €50m in debt following its redevelopement.
Funding is political, so football needs to step up.

*mind you, after another ****show at the Oireachtas today, the FAI's political capital is close to non-existant.

[Stav]

Government funding is open to all. Look at the clubs across the country who get 100,000 for various schemes. They prepare the submission and have the backing funding in place and usually get most of the funding required. I don't know what the rules are in relation to ownership of grounds are. But a good case and the funding to bridge the gap are vita,

[Kiki Balboa]

What's the answer then?

Looking at the success of the German fans recently ... Should LOI fans start to organize to advocate for more public sporting facilities?

[Buller]

Government funding is open to all. Look at the clubs across the country who get 100,000 for various schemes. They prepare the submission and have the backing funding in place and usually get most of the funding required. I don't know what the rules are in relation to ownership of grounds are. But a good case and the funding to bridge the gap are vita,

Yeah exactly, GAA and Rugby get disproportionately more funding as they usually own their own grounds. Most football clubs don't unfortunately.