Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

[Mr A]

106k raised in our annual draw. Only another 20m to go.

Incredible work from Sligo.

[ForzaForth]

Work re-commenced on the completion of the gym at Ferrycarrig Park (the vacant building beside the clubhouse for those familiar with the ground).

[nr637]

4th Tallaght stadium stand is gradually making progress as seen during the Sham v Shels game.

[culloty82]

Louth GAA joins Westport United in getting stadium funds from the Immigrant Investor Programme - €14.8m from 37 individuals each contributing €400k for a "golden passport", not the most ethical option, but if the money will be allocated regardless, possibly worth clubs considering.

[GUFCghost]

There's not much difference between the largest soccer pitch and the smallest gaelic football pitch, it enrages me that no ones ever thought to build a ground that can accommodate both. Louth GAA and Dundalk FC would be prime candidates

[nigel-harps1954]

There's not much difference between the largest soccer pitch and the smallest gaelic football pitch, it enrages me that no ones ever thought to build a ground that can accommodate both. Louth GAA and Dundalk FC would be prime candidates

You're talking about 20 metres in both width and length. That's quite signifcant on any football pitch.

[ToberonaTornado]

You're talking about 20 metres in both width and length. That's quite signifcant on any football pitch.

True - Would it be a make or break situation though?
Think DundalkFC board would snap the arm of Louth Gaa for a chance to play there. The proposed stadium is in the town area which is a huge factor.

[Philosophizer]

You're talking about 20 metres in both width and length. That's quite signifcant on any football pitch.

Would any LOI team use that as a reason to turn down the chance to play in a brand new top class facility? I doubt it. Perfection is the enemy of the good.
If Dundalk did theoretically play in this new gaa stadium they could just put the soccer pitch up against the main stand and for the vast majority of matches that would be perfect. They wouldn?t need to put the pitch right in the middle of the gaa one.

[pineapple stu]

You're talking about 20 metres in both width and length. That's quite signifcant on any football pitch.

Sounds like the RSC, no?

[passinginterest]

130m x 80m is minimum for a GAA pitch, 120m x 90m is maximum for a football pitch. So, assuming they wouldn't want to go minimum with the GAA pitch you'd probably be adding maybe 12-15 meters beyond what would be need for football alone. Not massive, and I'd say a good bit less that with an athletics track, but the smaller the stands the bigger the gap would probably seem. It never looked too bad in Croke park, but the stands dwarf the pitch in any case.

[Buller]

130m x 80m is minimum for a GAA pitch, 120m x 90m is maximum for a football pitch. So, assuming they wouldn't want to go minimum with the GAA pitch you'd probably be adding maybe 12-15 meters beyond what would be need for football alone. Not massive, and I'd say a good bit less that with an athletics track, but the smaller the stands the bigger the gap would probably seem. It never looked too bad in Croke park, but the stands dwarf the pitch in any case.

RSC example is spot on for dimensions, it has a 97m width distance between the two stands on google maps.

[EatYerGreens]

130m x 80m is minimum for a GAA pitch, 120m x 90m is maximum for a football pitch. So, assuming they wouldn't want to go minimum with the GAA pitch you'd probably be adding maybe 12-15 meters beyond what would be need for football alone. Not massive, and I'd say a good bit less that with an athletics track, but the smaller the stands the bigger the gap would probably seem. It never looked too bad in Croke park, but the stands dwarf the pitch in any case.

Plus they'd have the cost and hassle of repainting the pitch for every game there. That's ok for Lansdowne, where games aren't that frequenct and the money involved is huge. But for an LOI club and a small GAA County - would they want the cost and hassle ?

[placid casual]

Has anyone bothered to ask why they want to invest in GAA facilities, and more pertinently, Louth GAA facilities.
I won't pretend to be up to speed with who does what succeswise in the aul bogball, but don't remember louth "troubling the scorers much" in my lifetime.. Could dundalk or a joint effort of drogs/dundalk not convinced them that their citizenship can be bought using football facilities, with teams that have at least "troubled the scorers" in the past

[outspoken]

Lots of talk about about why Dundalk can't ground share etc. Large part of the new gaa stadium is standing, wouldn't comply with UEFA requirements therefore they'd still end up in Tallaght. The whole idea of a new stadium in Dundalk or an upgraded Oriel is they can have big European nights in the town.

[EatYerGreens]

Has anyone bothered to ask why they want to invest in GAA facilities, and more pertinently, Louth GAA facilities.
I won't pretend to be up to speed with who does what succeswise in the aul bogball, but don't remember louth "troubling the scorers much" in my lifetime.. Could dundalk or a joint effort of drogs/dundalk not convinced them that their citizenship can be bought using football facilities, with teams that have at least "troubled the scorers" in the past

Surely its the State that decides where and when this money gets allocated ? I don't think a cosy chat from a couple of clubs is going to change much in all honesty. There will presumably be very clear processes re applying for funding from it. I don't think Irish football really wants to open the pandora's box of performance-related public funding

[oldfan]

I think the State only checks out the investors/philanthropists to make sure they're not too dodgy.
What Sport or arts facility they donate to is up to them but obviously has to be one of the things listed in whatever Act allows this "cash for visas".

[Philosophizer]

The whole idea of a new stadium in Dundalk or an upgraded Oriel is they can have big European nights in the town.

The gaa ground wouldn?t be perfect, but so what if they still had to use Tallaght every now and again.
Is it really worth building a 10k all seater for euro games that may never actually happen. Dundalk average attendance is about 3k.

[nigel-harps1954]

Sounds like the RSC, no?

Exactly..

[ToberonaTornado]

Lots of talk about about why Dundalk can't ground share etc. Large part of the new gaa stadium is standing, wouldn't comply with UEFA requirements therefore they'd still end up in Tallaght. The whole idea of a new stadium in Dundalk or an upgraded Oriel is they can have big European nights in the town.

Louth GAA seem to be proposing a 4080 capacity seated stand(could change < or >) which is Cat 2. For Cat 3 your looking for only 420 extra seated accom - which isn't beyond doable.

Maybe worth nothing in long term but it's also worth some consideration that the guys from StatSports are the current shirt sponsors of the Louth GAA Senior team and have built up a great relationship with them in recent years.

[nigel-harps1954]

UEFA Categories are about much more than just capacity though. GAA stadia tend to prioritise capacity over facilities, where many of the stadia around the 32 counties have capacity for UEFA category 3 or 4, I'd wager that none of them, bar perhaps Croke Park, would pass all Cat 4 requirements, and even Cat 3.