Was thinking it might be useful for fans of each club to post details that might be useful to visiting fans.
Headings something like:
Does the club provide general info on visiting the ground? (provide links)
Where to have a pint and / or food before, during after game?
If staying over, any recommendations?
Getting to the ground: Is using public transport feasible? Where to park cars? Where to park buses?
Anywhere to avoid near the ground, or anything else away fans should be aware of?
Does your club have an Supporter Liaison Officer, if so, how to contact them?
Last edited by Mr A; 14/02/2018 at 10:56 AM.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
For Harps:
Does the club provide general info on visiting the ground? (provide links)
For Harps, general info on visiting Finn Park and the Twin Town can be found here: http://www.finnharps.com/fhfc/?page_id=1243
For big games, more specific information may be provided. In the first division I would expect few of these as segregation will usually be unnecessary, but here's an example from last year. http://www.finnharps.com/fhfc/?p=5298
Where to have a pint and / or food before, during after game?
Ballybofey has plenty of pubs and restaurants close to Finn Park. Barretts Bar is close to the ground on the Main Street and is where you are most likely to find home fans. Heaney's on Navenney Street is good too and popular for food. Navenney Grill is a chipper near Finn Park and the China Tower isn't too far away on the Main Street if that's what you're after. The food inside Finn Park is very cheap and the soup is absolutely legendary.
If staying over, any recommendations?
This is actually a tricky one for home fans to answer! But there is plenty of accommodation in the Twin Towns. Some prefer to stay in Letterkenny, again with lots of choice in terms of B+Bs and hotels.
Getting to the ground: Is using public transport feasible? Where to park cars? Where to park buses?
See links above, the first has a map with parking on it. Unless you're very tight on time bus parking should be easy enough, if tight on time use the Aldi car Park to drop off and can pick up there too, although it closes at 10pm. Public transport not really an option for getting home unless you stay over.
Anywhere to avoid near the ground, or anything else away fans should be aware of?
Nowhere to avoid particularly. Note for most games there are not a lot of Harps fans in the pub before hand as our support is so spread out. Note that if segregation is in place away fans usually have no cover. Unfortunate but that's the way things are until our long awaited move happens. Again- note the Aldi Car Park closes at 10, so make sure you get out before that if using it (and there are plenty of options anyway).
Does you club have an SLO (Support Liaison Officer), if so, how to contact them?
Yep. That would be me. Email aidanmcnelis @ finnharps DOT com.
Last edited by Mr A; 12/01/2018 at 9:21 AM.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
Also- feel free to post here anything like:
If clubs are having deals or there's connections with local business for specials or deals.
Also throughout the year posters could mentions events around a town that fans may be interested in. Popular outside events can put pressure on accommodation and traffic.
The thread could be an on-going heads up/reminder on local info for travelling fans.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
Barca Bar is closed now. The owner took over Barretts Bar on the main street in Ballybofey.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
That seems kinda mad- moving from a big place to a really small one. I guess that's where the trade is at.. is it still called Barrett's?
Last edited by Mr A; 04/01/2018 at 3:21 PM.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
Afaik the building in which he rented the Bara Bar was sold and he was forced into moving. Barretts Bar not changed name, it's bigger now too, off licence removed and there's a decent sized lounge in it now.
It'd be a grand spot for a pint for anyone visiting Ballybofey.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Mr A for the ones that are travelling up by Bus Eireann to Ballybofey is there a particular bus number to go from Letterkenny for those travelling from Dublin? Its ok for me as I can get a connecting bus from Sligo to Derry when coming from Longford.
Gary Cronin is he the right man to manage Longford Town?
When coming from Dublin you'd be getting the number 32 bus to Letterkenny, or you can get the 30 bus to Donegal Town and conection from there.
Number 64 or 480 gets you from Sligo to Ballybofey, likewise Letterkenny to Ballybofey.
Bus Feda also serves Sligo/Ballybofey/Letterkenny route, is much quicker, and cheaper too.
Last edited by nigel-harps1954; 04/01/2018 at 9:45 PM.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Dundalk:
Does the club provide general info on visiting the ground? (provide links
The club provide general info for 'BIG' match nights on social media and on their website.
http://www.dundalkfc.com/ - http://www.dundalkfc.com/club/matchday-information/
https://twitter.com/DundalkFC
https://www.facebook.com/DundalkFC/
Where to have a pint and / or food before, during after game?
Pubs close to the ground:
Kennedys(opposite the Railway Station) McGuinness',The Wee House.
For food: also Kennedys,The Jockeys and The Windsor.
If staying over, any recommendations?
Close to the ground:
Glengat b&b,Lismar b&b,Krakow b&b,Inisfree House b&b.
Getting to the ground: Is using public transport feasible? Where to park cars? Where to park buses?
The train station in Dundalk is less than a KM from the ground.There are no bus links but a taxi from within the town area is generally priced at €8.
Sevens Cabs: 042 93 77777
Fives Cabs: 042 93 55555
Anywhere to avoid near the ground, or anything else away fans should be aware of?
Try not to get isolated from friends or your supporters especially on 'BIG' match nights.
Does you club have an SLO, if so, how to contact them?
Robbie Mackin is Dundalk's SLO.(i cant find a contact number or e-mail for him so i'd just go http://www.dundalkfc.com/club/contact-information/ and put his name in the subject heading)
Last edited by ToberonaTornado; 04/01/2018 at 10:10 PM.
Does the club provide general info on visiting the ground? (provide links): No
Pub/food: As you all know we are 3km outside the town so can only really recommend the Longford Arms hotel for food at that hour otherwise it’s one of the many chippers in the town. Valentines best place for a pint.
Staying over: Longford Arms is only hotel in town it’s a dump. There’s a few B and B’s but not sure of them.
Getting to ground: €7 in a Taxi or for those driving we’ve a huge and free to use car park at the ground.
Avoid: Not really, like any town it has its issues at night so wouldn’t go off alone.
SLO: Not that I’m aware of
SLO = Spaceship Landing Officer. Handy for fans for whom there is no direct bus service.
Hello, hello? What's going on? What's all this shouting, we'll have no trouble here!
- E Tattsyrup.
Worth also mentioning that car parking has usually dozens of spaces in the train station opposite Kennedy’s pub in Dundalk just before 6 when the first of the Dublin commuter trains get in, but do pay the parking as they clamp. The pub itself opposite is a good sponsor of the club, they usually sponsor two games per year so it’s a good football pub. Food served before 6 and as long as you go in small groups, should be fine for most away fans. Even had well behaved Rovers fans in for the cup semi final last season !
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), first Irish club to win points in a group stage in Europe (2016).
The away terrace section in Oriel Park cannot be defended, its a absolute disgrace, then again the view and section to the town side of the stand where a lot of supporters stand is not much better.
I take the point completely that only 100-150 seats are available in the stand for away fans, its nowhere near good enough and unfortunately I don't see this changing for at least a year.
Last edited by oriel; 09/01/2018 at 6:57 PM.
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), first Irish club to win points in a group stage in Europe (2016).
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