QuoteFingers 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/...-41330911.html
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
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/...-41330911.html
The only feeling is trepidation now,hope or optimism is hard to come by…..Originally Posted by culloty82
Irish by birth ,Harps by the grace of god.
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), 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!
Last edited by Nesta99; 14/02/2024 at 1:56 PM.
Bray have announced a 23 year extension to their existing 35 year lease on the Carlisle Grounds
https://x.com/braywanderers/status/1...678056756?s=46
Paaatrick's Agletic
https://www.derrycityfc.net/2024/02/...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
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.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Work on Casement due to start next week: https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/20...-set-to-start/
I wonder if the annoyance from elements of the unionist community would translate into anything more than boos at matches.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
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.
Last edited by Nesta99; 15/02/2024 at 10:39 PM.
Looks nice
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?
Paaatrick's Agletic
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.
Last edited by brendy_éire; 16/02/2024 at 9:32 AM.
That looks good - how much is that costing ?
Such as what? They're toothless tigers in the most part. Are you expecting Casement to be bombed or something?
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.
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?
"Now jump up there and stuff that son of a bitch in the basket, chief"
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.
BetweenTheStripes.net - Home of Between the Stripes LOI podcast.
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.
The FAI made us remove them. Also we’re planning on redeveloping.
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