Rovers Win

**HulaHoop** · 15/12/2007, 2:55 PM

Originally Posted by sniffa

Does anyone know what type of playing surface is planned for the stadium?
If its to be used on a very regular basis then an all-weather surface should be looked at, similar to what Dundalk have.

The pitch and drainage was layed five years ago. It's a normal grass pitch.

**Billy Lord** · 15/12/2007, 3:48 PM

Originally Posted by Tony_Montana

Real Shame that all sports can not be played in this venue, i fear we have taken a step back as a country.

Real shame the GAA is such a bigoted organisation that its constitution bans so-called 'foreign' games from their blessed turf.

**Billy Lord** · 15/12/2007, 4:13 PM

Originally Posted by HolylandsMan

Certainly not the experience we've had, albeit in North and I sincerely doubt those percentages

League of Ireland football certainly is and that's what the discussion was about.

Ok then, what other sports have been earmarked to be played in Tallaght? Have they been approached? How many have expressed an interest in using the facilities and how often is it expected that the stadium will be used other than for Shamrock Rover's matches? (Genuine questions)

Is there as demand in the Tallaght area for an atlethics track? |If so, it should soemthing that is looked into.

No its become "virtually redundant" because people aren't as interested in playing and watching it as other GAA sdports. It still receives a lot of attention from the GAA.

Imagine providing needless facilities for sport in all those wee village round the country. Sure they probably have a town within 40 miles most of them. Better still, why don't they all just move to Dublin. Bleedin culchies.

When have the GAA ever asked for the exclusive use of Tallaght?

Despite all of the above, I do think its right that Shamrock Rovers have a home. I just think, and most GAA people agree, that they should have had to go about it in the same way as every other sporting organisation in the country has to.

I'm not a member of Thomas Davis so i don't know what their motivation was. People on here have said that they simply didn't want Rovers in Tallaght. I don't believe that however if it were true, I would lose all sympathy for them. I think they have fought for a principle and lost. At times their behaviour wasn't the greatest (e.g. the banning of John O'Donoghue), however they were right to contest the principle.

I hope Rovers enjoy the use of the South Dublin County Council's stadium.

1: you don't know about the grants system in this country? Fair enough.
2: there is no such sport as 'League of Ireland football'. There is association football, or football as it's commonly known, which is the most popular sport in the Republic of Ireland. It predates gaelic football in this country, by the way - so much for it being a 'foreign' game.
3: stadium usage is a matter for the SDCC as it's their stadium.
4: if an athletics track is required in Tallaght, perhaps the SDCC could take back one or two of Thomas Davis' unused pitches and make use of wasted resources.
5: Stevie Wonder could see what Thomas Davis (fronting for the GAA) were up to - a land grab. They lost and may some day the GAA will realise and accept that this country and its people aren't their personal playthings.
6: thanks for hoping Rovers 'enjoy the use of the South Dublin County Council's stadium'. We'll certainly do our best.

**dubman** · 15/12/2007, 4:22 PM

well done, A good day for all for real football,as for this:
4: if an athletics track is required in Tallaght, perhaps the SDCC could take back one or two of Thomas Davis' unused pitches and make use of wasted resources

Tallght Ac allready have a 400m track we are looking at upgrading it now. Its beside the astropark. our xmas party is tonight.

well done again. Look forward to seeing pats playing away and winning in tallght!!

**mypost** · 15/12/2007, 4:54 PM

Originally Posted by dubman

Look forward to seeing pats playing away and winning in tallght!!

We also look forward to winning the West Dublin derby in our new home.

**alabama rover** · 15/12/2007, 5:41 PM

Originally Posted by HolylandsMan

I'm not a member of Thomas Davis so i don't know what their motivation was. People on here have said that they simply didn't want Rovers in Tallaght. I don't believe that however if it were true, I would lose all sympathy for them. I think they have fought for a principle and lost. At times their behaviour wasn't the greatest (e.g. the banning of John O'Donoghue), however they were right to contest the principle.

I hope Rovers enjoy the use of the South Dublin County Council's stadium.

During this process TD stated that they wanted access to the Stadium so that "the youth of Tallaght would not be subjected to a diet of Association Football"

There is much more of this type of rhetoric in the record also. Draw your own conclusions

**Erstwhile B�z** · 15/12/2007, 6:13 PM

Originally Posted by Billy Lord

It predates gaelic football in this country, by the way - so much for it being a 'foreign' game.

That doesn't necessarily follow.

**Closing Time** · 15/12/2007, 7:36 PM

Originally Posted by Tony_Montana

Real Shame that all sports can not be played in this venue, i fear we have taken a step back as a country.

Whats the shame in that. Is it not that, no GAA club are willing to share their pitches. The TD's/Dublin GAA action was disgraceful, and for one sporting body trying to stop another set up in their area shows that they have no confidence in their own games. Well done to Rovers lets hope you can grow your fan base and improve your playing pitches for your Youth teams.

**micls** · 15/12/2007, 7:45 PM

Originally Posted by Tony_Montana

Real Shame that all sports can not be played in this venue, i fear we have taken a step back as a country.

Yep. It'd be far better if we could accomodate football, GAA, rugby, cricket, swimming, athletics, golf etc. etc.

Unfortunately its just not possible to accommodate all of them in a timely and money saving manner.

Were going well that Football, Rugby and GAA can be played there though

**Billy Lord** · 16/12/2007, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by Erstwhile B�z

That doesn't necessarily follow.

How is football 'foreign' if it's been played here since the 1870s? It's been part of the fabric of Irish sporting life for generations. And is it regarded as 'foreign' in Italy, Germany or Spain? No.
Putting borders on such a global activity is nonsense. Are films 'foreign'? The same could be said of books, TV, coal, tea and even the beloved internet.
Unlike other sporting bodies, the GAA bans certain games from its playing fields for no other reason than it regards them as foreign. Just because we, as a nation, have largely ignored or accepted such sporting apartheid doesn't make it right, justified or true.
Besides, who gave the GAA the right to determine what's an Irish sport and what's not? Football's my sport and I'm no less Irish than any GAA member.

**cheifo** · 16/12/2007, 1:57 AM

Going to be interesting to see what gates Rovers get at Tallaght and how they go about marketing their games in the area.

**kingdom hoop** · 16/12/2007, 2:08 AM

Originally Posted by cheifo

Going to be interesting to see what gates Rovers get at Tallaght

Sure will. I reckon they'll go for pearly ones, replete with a 'This Is Heaven' heading.

**passerrby** · 16/12/2007, 2:10 PM

i hope this whole sorry saga has the one effect that TDs did not want and cements there place in tallagh and the rovers go from strenght to strenght because a strong rovers will benifit all eircom league clubs

**Buller** · 16/12/2007, 3:14 PM

Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

Sure will. I reckon they'll go for pearly ones, replete with a 'This Is Heaven' heading.

I was thinking for a more glenmalure-esque style... The gates will be quite big- more than the capacity will be. The 3,000 seater stand, coupled with temporary seating at either end will not be sufficient I'd imagine. The second stand will have to be built fast to realise its true potential. The stadium is in the very center of Tallaght, an absolutely prime location for a stadium. (Partly why the gaah didn't want to see it going up)

**BohDiddley** · 16/12/2007, 3:36 PM

Originally Posted by alabama rover

During this process TD stated that they wanted access to the Stadium so that "the youth of Tallaght would not be subjected to a diet of Association Football"

Says it all.
Do you have a source ref for that? Was it in their submission?

**HulaHoop** · 16/12/2007, 3:41 PM

If the GAA don't appeal the permanant stand on the far side goes up straight away so we will be moving into a two sided 6000 seater ground in 2009.

If the GAA do appeal the main stand gets completed and a temporary stand erected on the far side. Either way the builders go back on site in the new year and we play there in 2009.

**Buller** · 16/12/2007, 3:49 PM

Originally Posted by BohDiddley

Says it all.
Do you have a source ref for that? Was it in their submission?

Theyre president/head David Kennedy said it. I definately read it in the paper.

**HulaHoop** · 16/12/2007, 3:50 PM

Originally Posted by BohDiddley

Says it all.
Do you have a source ref for that? Was it in their submission?

It is a quote taken directly from Thomas Davis affidavit to the High Court. They argued that "the youth of Tallaght will be restricted to a diet of Association football" and that a soccer-only ground would place the "applicant at a severe disadvantage in attracting the youth of Tallaght to club, sport and the GAA culture."

**Mental Man** · 16/12/2007, 4:27 PM

The GAA are 1 of the most bigoted organisations i have ever known, now the sports are great, i consider hurling an amazing game, but there are sone a***holes in it that just cannot accept soccer in this country.
We had cases here a good few years back of glass bottles been crushed and broken and the glass been sprinkled around BOTH goalmouths of soccer pitches here.
Also on Matt Keanes " Terrace Talk " one evening 1 of these idiots (this guy was on the board of Mount Sion GAA club ) came on the radio and said if he found out that the GAA were opening up ALL their grounds to soccer here locally he would personally go out and dig up the fields rather than let a FOREIGN GAME be played on their grounds !
People like that should be put up against a wall !!!

By the way - well done ROVERS !!

**kingdom hoop** · 16/12/2007, 4:59 PM

I completely agree with you Mental Man (and I'm an avid GAA follower), but I think that about which you speak refers to depraved remnants of a cultural outlook that we should have left behind at this stage. Funnily enough rather than bringing it up here I had been thinking of starting a thread along those lines in the Other Sports section and probably will when I get time in a few days, so we can discuss (maturely might I add) it there.

In other words, lets not desecrate this thread with too many references to the w***** who hold sport in this country back. This thread should be about celebrating Rovers' victory. Lets not unduly annoy ourselves in so doing.