GAA Infastructure

breezy1985

Is there any way to print the list. I'm not registered with the independent

Ray Donovan

kala85 wrote: »

Cusack Park in ennis must be the worst one I have been in.

Didn't think clones was great either

Cusack Park in Ennis is an absolute dive.

RugbyLover123

Where does Pairc Tailteann rank?

23rd.

Billy Ocean

How they ranked in full

1. Kilkenny
2. Thurles
3. Clones
4. Killarney
5. Pairc Ui Chaoimh
6. Tullamore
7. Armagh
8. Portlaoise
9. Newry
10. Castlebar
11. Cavan
12. Derry
13. Wexford
14. Omagh
15. Enniskillen
16. Carrick On Shannon
17. Ballybofey
18. Limerick
19. Sligo
20. Roscommon
21. Parnell Park
22. Carlow
23. Navan
24. Ennis
25. Salthill
26. Mullingar
27. Aughrim
28. Longford
29. Newbridge
30. Waterford
31. Corrigan Park Belfast
32. Drogheda

Consey

Billy Ocean wrote: »

How they ranked in full

1. Kilkenny
2. Thurles
3. Clones
4. Killarney
5. Pairc Ui Chaoimh
6. Tullamore
7. Armagh
8. Portlaoise
9. Newry
10. Castlebar
11. Cavan
12. Derry
13. Wexford
14. Omagh
15. Enniskillen
16. Carrick On Shannon
17. Ballybofey
18. Limerick
19. Sligo
20. Roscommon
21. Parnell Park
22. Carlow
23. Navan
24. Ennis
25. Salthill
26. Mullingar
27. Aughrim
28. Longford
29. Newbridge
30. Waterford
31. Corrigan Park Belfast
32. Drogheda

Have been to matches in 27 of them. Haven't been to matches in Nowlan Park, Pairc UiChaoimh, Sligo, Mullingar, Longford. Have had a gawk in the new Pairc UiChaoimh and Nowlan Park but not for a match.

When things get back to normal, will have to cross off those 5. Agree with the list broadly speaking. Killarney is a special venue with the mountains etc behind. Clones brilliant for atmosphere on a big day, takes over the town.

Billy Ocean

Consey wrote: »

Have been to matches in 27 of them. Haven't been to matches in Nowlan Park, Pairc UiChaoimh, Sligo, Mullingar, Longford. Have had a gawk in the new Pairc UiChaoimh and Nowlan Park but not for a match.

When things get back to normal, will have to cross off those 5. Agree with the list broadly speaking. Killarney is a special venue with the mountains etc behind. Clones brilliant for atmosphere on a big day, takes over the town.

Never been to Clones but the taking over the town point appiles to Thurles too

breezy1985

Apologies if there have been major upgrades in the last few years but Thurles and Killarney were kips the last time I was in either. The terraces in Semple barely have toilets and I never got this warm fuzzy "home of hurling" stuff that others go on about. I think it is very harsh on Galway and very very generous to Wexford park

Nowlan Park is the perfect model for what a mid/small size county should aim for. Built with the league and early round AI games in mind and plenty of cover for the crap league/club weather.

Never been to Clones but it doesn't look great on TV. Is this another history and myth pick?

Billy Ocean

breezy1985 wrote: »

Apologies if there have been major upgrades in the last few years but Thurles and Killarney were kips the last time I was in either. The terraces in Semple barely have toilets and I never got this warm fuzzy "home of hurling" stuff that others go on about. I think it is very harsh on Galway and very very generous to Wexford park

Nowlan Park is the perfect model for what a mid/small size county should aim for. Built with the league and early round AI games in mind and plenty of cover for the crap league/club weather.

Never been to Clones but it doesn't look great on TV. Is this another history and myth pick?

Salthill is probably the worst located ground in the country regards traffic and the worst for wind too, outside of Kilkenny do you like anywhere!!

Actually thought the list is harsh on Parnell Park, obviously has it limits regards capacity but the place was hopping for Dublin Wexford game i was at in 2019.

breezy1985

Billy Ocean wrote: »

Salthill is probably the worst located ground in the country regards traffic and the worst for wind too, outside of Kilkenny do you like anywhere!!

Ok I was going on the assumption it was about the stadium itself as in the building.

If traffic is included I am definitely doubling down on my dislike of Killarney

Billy Ocean

breezy1985 wrote: »

Ok I was going on the assumption it was about the stadium itself as in the building.

If traffic is included I am definitely doubling down on my dislike of Killarney

it includes bit of everything, surprised Limerick was so low, the very old Mackey stand seemed to be its downfall in the article.

kksaints

If Wexford is the thirteenth best county ground in the country, then the rest of them below it must be absolutely dreadful. A leaking stand, that has only approx 150 seats with backs, rest are benches, other side is concrete benches. Only one stand covered, very exposed to the elements. Not particularly well stewarded, there's been overcrowding issues at two matches I've been at there. Only its location within Wexford Town is a plus and that's only if you don't drive as finding parking around can be hard if there's a big crowd.

Billy Ocean

kksaints wrote: »

If Wexford is the thirteenth best county ground in the country, then the rest of them below it must be absolutely dreadful. A leaking stand, that has only approx 150 seats with backs, rest are benches, other side is concrete benches. Only one stand covered, very exposed to the elements. Not particularly well stewarded, there's been overcrowding issues at two matches I've been at there. Only its location within Wexford Town is a plus and that's only if you don't drive as finding parking around can be hard if there's a big crowd.

Despite those issues Tommy and Jackie called it the best venue they've played in for atmosphere.

kksaints

Billy Ocean wrote: »

Despite those issues Tommy and Jackie called it the best venue they've played in for atmosphere.

Can't agree with that myself. Sound escapes due to the lack of cover for three of the stands. It's better than a lot of gaa grounds but I wouldn't say it's much of a cauldron of noise. Might be different for the players in fairness.

Billy Ocean

kksaints wrote: »

Can't agree with that myself. Sound escapes due to the lack of cover for three of the stands. It's better than a lot of gaa grounds but I wouldn't say it's much of a cauldron of noise. Might be different for the players in fairness.

thats what opinions are I suppose...

kksaints

Billy Ocean wrote: »

thats what opinions are I suppose...

Has the application for the floodlights gone in yet?

Billy Ocean

kksaints wrote: »

Has the application for the floodlights gone in yet?

think its in the pipeline but upgrading the training centre/ centre of excellence in Ferns seems to the priority, will Nowlan Park ever see floodlights?

kksaints

Billy Ocean wrote: »

think its in the pipeline but upgrading the training centre/ centre of excellence in Ferns seems to the priority, will Nowlan Park ever see floodlights?

I haven't heard anything about floodlights. Doubt it tbh. It's too close to some residential areas. Would make it a great ground. Same with a full stand behind the goal instead of the half one there now.

Billy Ocean

kksaints wrote: »

I haven't heard anything about floodlights. Doubt it tbh. It's too close to some residential areas. Would make it a great ground. Same with a full stand behind the goal instead of the half one there now.

Cody not a fan of games under lights as far as I know too

kksaints

Billy Ocean wrote: »

Cody not a fan of games under lights as far as I know too

Don't know that myself but it would be a bad idea to let a manager dictate something like that. Floodlights open up far more options with regards to matchtimes and there's a better atmosphere at floodlit matches imo.

Billy Ocean

kksaints wrote: »

Don't know that myself but it would be a bad idea to let a manager dictate something like that. Floodlights open up far more options with regards to matchtimes and there's a better atmosphere at floodlit matches imo.

Personally prefer afternoon games in the winter but understand floodlights can open opportunities regards games been televised etc. A big championship game at 7 on a warm Saturday summer evening is absolutely fantastic.

blackcard

Billy Ocean wrote: »

Despite those issues Tommy and Jackie called it the best venue they've played in for atmosphere.

I have always thought that Wexford Park was a hostile place to play a game which is the way it should be for any team visiting there, Ennis too

Consey

blackcard wrote: »

I have always thought that Wexford Park was a hostile place to play a game which is the way it should be for any team visiting there, Ennis too

Enjoyed both Ennis and Wexford Park. Yes Ennis is quite old and Wexford Park has some stone seats, but why spend a lot of money on venues that might be close to capacity once or twice a year, depending on draws etc.

Sitting on stone seats on a summer championship day is no hardship.

Each has stands that cover league matches in the spring and/or big club games. What more do you need?

Like that grounds are different and have a bit of character.

Billy Ocean

Billy Ocean wrote: »

Salthill is probably the worst located ground in the country regards traffic and the worst for wind too, outside of Kilkenny do you like anywhere!!

Actually thought the list is harsh on Parnell Park, obviously has it limits regards capacity but the place was hopping for Dublin Wexford game i was at in 2019.

another issue I believe with Salthill is the lack of a GAA tradition in Galway City, Tuam Stadium is seen as the home of football and the ground in Athenry for hurling within the county, if I'm wrong Galway supporters feel free to correct me.

Billy Ocean

Consey wrote: »

Enjoyed both Ennis and Wexford Park. Yes Ennis is quite old and Wexford Park has some stone seats, but why spend a lot of money on venues that might be close to capacity once or twice a year, depending on draws etc.

Sitting on stone seats on a summer championship day is no hardship.

Each has stands that cover league matches in the spring and/or big club games. What more do you need?

Like that grounds are different and have a bit of character.

another factor with Wexford is its rarely used as a neutral venue, the only time I remember it been used in this regard is a Carlow Wicklow leinster football 1st round game in 2006, I remember Ballyhale and Ballygunner played an all ireland club semi final in 2019 in Thurles and I taught Wexford would have been an ideal venue for that.

It actually mentioned in the article that portlaoise is probably the most common netural venue of all.

breezy1985

Billy Ocean wrote: »

it includes bit of everything, surprised Limerick was so low, the very old Mackey stand seemed to be its downfall in the article.

Mackey stand is nowhere near as old as some on the list but it is a bit flat so the view aint great. The new stands were great but then they stuck the floodlights inside the stand to placate the entitled posh residents and also didnt bother with shops so its still melted mars bars from a kid with a pop up table. It is nowhere near the worst but there are missed opportunities.


Most of the time though the complaints come down to atmosphere because it is so big and rarely full. On the days it is full I would have it top 5 though

breezy1985

Consey wrote: »

Enjoyed both Ennis and Wexford Park. Yes Ennis is quite old and Wexford Park has some stone seats, but why spend a lot of money on venues that might be close to capacity once or twice a year, depending on draws etc.

Sitting on stone seats on a summer championship day is no hardship.

Each has stands that cover league matches in the spring and/or big club games. What more do you need?

Like that grounds are different and have a bit of character.

Ennis only got league games in hurling for years and it was a fine size for those games. Great town to visit too for after the game

Is Wicklow the only one not in a main town or at least a proper sized town? Aughrim is a very small village.
Ballybofey would maybe fall into the former category too, though I’m not sure how small the town is.

Billy Ocean

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Is Wicklow the only one not in a main town or at least a proper sized town? Aughrim is a very small village.
Ballybofey would maybe fall into the former category too, though I’m not sure how small the town is.

Think that's the case alright, thurles is the only 40k plus capacity venue not in a city. Pretty sure clones, castlebar and killarney all had capacities above 35k at 1 point before health and safety became more stringent.

Consey

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Is Wicklow the only one not in a main town or at least a proper sized town? Aughrim is a very small village.
Ballybofey would maybe fall into the former category too, though I’m not sure how small the town is.

Ballybofey/Stranorlar would be a bit bigger than Clones maybe but not that much different size wise. Smaller than most towns with grounds mentioned here but bigger than Aughrim.

Ballybofey is also home to Finn Harps, so the main soccer ground in Donegal also.

Consey

Billy Ocean wrote: »

Think that's the case alright, thurles is the only 40k plus capacity venue not in a city. Pretty sure clones, castlebar and killarney all had capacities above 35k at 1 point before health and safety became more stringent.

Clones was 36,000 a few years ago is right. The town terrace (good view of the pitch, but old) has had its capacity reduced significantly in recent years.

I must be thinking of a different town then, In wasn’t overly sure of the size I was thinking but it was definitely somewhere smaller than Clones. Bundoran maybe.

Billy Ocean

Consey wrote: »

Clones was 36,000 a few years ago is right. The town terrace (good view of the pitch, but old) has had its capacity reduced significantly in recent years.

its down to 29k according to the article, castlebar had 25 or 26k at Mayo Donegal in 2019 while 31 or 32k were at Kerry Mayo in Killarney in the same few weeks, think both games were pretty much sold out.

breezy1985

Consey wrote: »

Clones was 36,000 a few years ago is right. The town terrace (good view of the pitch, but old) has had its capacity reduced significantly in recent years.

Is it true that O'Duffy has a terrace named after him in Clones ?

Consey

breezy1985 wrote: »

Is it true that O'Duffy has a terrace named after him in Clones ?

Town terrace is the O'Duffy Terrace

gormdubhgorm

Billy Ocean wrote: »

How they ranked in full

1. Kilkenny
2. Thurles
3. Clones
4. Killarney
5. Pairc Ui Chaoimh
6. Tullamore
7. Armagh
8. Portlaoise
9. Newry
10. Castlebar
11. Cavan
12. Derry
13. Wexford
14. Omagh
15. Enniskillen
16. Carrick On Shannon
17. Ballybofey
18. Limerick
19. Sligo
20. Roscommon
21. Parnell Park
22. Carlow
23. Navan
24. Ennis
25. Salthill
26. Mullingar
27. Aughrim
28. Longford
29. Newbridge
30. Waterford
31. Corrigan Park Belfast
32. Drogheda

Nowlan Park deserves a high billing nice enough ground.

But how in the name of jayus is Thurles rated that highly? 'Tradition' is it? Or is it because it is near the train station? Tullamore should be higher for sure.

And OK I might be biased on this one. But no way should Parnell Park be rated at just 21. Great ground tight pitch. Brilliant atmosphere under floodlights about 10,000 ish capacity. Pitch is great as well.
I can see why parking would be an issue though.

I remember the first and only time I was in Newbridge. I think it was an u21 around 2006 ish. Rustic is how I would describe it.

Consey

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

I must be thinking of a different town then, In wasn’t overly sure of the size I was thinking but it was definitely somewhere smaller than Clones. Bundoran maybe.

Maybe Ballyshannon, in the south of the county. They usually have a home league game there each year.

threeball

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Nowlan Park deserves a high billing nice enough ground.

But how in the name of jayus is Thurles rated that highly? 'Tradition' is it? Or is it because it is near the train station? Tullamore should be higher for sure.

And OK I might be biased on this one. But no way should Parnell Park be rated at just 21. Great ground tight pitch. Brilliant atmosphere under floodlights about 10,000 ish capacity. Pitch is great as well.
I can see why parking would be an issue though.

I remember the first and only time I was in Newbridge. I think it was an u21 around 2006 ish. Rustic is how I would describe it.

What were the criteria used. I agree Thurles is way too high up. Too many obstructed views. Cant see how PUC isn't ranked above it now. If you spend 110million and can't even break top 3 theres something very wrong.
Clones is the most overrated stadium on the planet.
Pearse is a nice stadium let down by location and the pitch. Anywhere else in the county and that gets into top 5.
Parnell is a lovely little park when the weather is good. Just short a second stand to mirror the first and some pitch drainage. The wall is dangerous too.

Edgware

I wont dispute the ratings but I always get a laugh in Castlebar when the public address announcer requests "patrons" to "move towards the bacon factory end"

gormdubhgorm

Edgware wrote: »

I wont dispute the ratings but I always get a laugh in Castlebar when the public address announcer requests "patrons" to "move towards the bacon factory end"

Castlebar is a work in progress. But those stone benches they have on one side would burn the ass off ya in summer. And do the opposite in winter.

breezy1985

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Castlebar is a work in progress. But those stone benches they have on one side would burn the ass off ya in summer. And do the opposite in winter.

Everyone just stood in that section on my one trip to Castlebar

BonnieSituation

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Where have they said there will be a park and ride service? If they have one it’ll be a first, plus most shopping centres (which are normally the only car parks in big towns) won’t be allowing this. A lot put a stop to it for various days out long ago.

"They" have said nothing at all, but P+R as a concept is now so well trodden in transport planning that car parking for lads coming to the city once a year won't even be considered at all. Such a waste of land.

There's plenty of places outside any town in Ireland where a matchday P+R can be set up.

Sure, even informal ones have been set up in fields in Clones!

The lack of sunday Transportation needs to be tackled as well. There's too many people that require transport to games on match days during the summer that its beyond criminal that match specials or even xtended services on those Sundays aren't set up.

Anyway, we're off the point.

Things are so bad now with the football withdrawals that I'd sit in the Gaelic Grounds and watch Cumann na mBunscoile.

StupidLikeAFox

Newbridge redevelopment is finally gone out to tender - long overdue

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders/ViewNotice/242529

beggars_bush

Never liked Tullamore, just isn't a great atmosphere and the open end of the ground lets it down

For location in a town you cannot beat Cusack Park in Mullingar. Few drinks and stroll into the game.

Should Parnell be on it considering Dublin don't use it?

beggars_bush

beggars_bush wrote: »

Never liked Tullamore, just isn't a great atmosphere and the open end of the ground lets it down

For location in a town you cannot beat Cusack Park in Mullingar. Few drinks and stroll into the game.

Should Parnell be on it considering Dublin don't use it?

It’s county grounds only and I think it officially still is (in name anyway). The hurlers use it and all the main club championship games are there.

yabadabado

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Castlebar is a work in progress. But those stone benches they have on one side would burn the ass off ya in summer. And do the opposite in winter.

They messed up big time in Castlebar when they built the stand.Should have been cantileverd , madness what they did .

thomas385

yabadabado wrote: »

They messed up big time in Castlebar when they built the stand.Should have been cantileverd , madness what they did .

Should have been cantilevered, and they should have also had the foresight to make the pitch as big as it can be. I think I'm correct in saying that McHale Park is one of (if not the) smallest county pitch in the country

breezy1985

yabadabado wrote: »

They messed up big time in Castlebar when they built the stand.Should have been cantileverd , madness what they did .

Was the old main stand cordoned off by a chickenwire fence going from roof to floor or am I dreaming that

FrancieBrady

Feasibility study to develop the facilities in Clones.
Good to see the GAA starting to look at decent design instead of the bunker and do rightly mentality that has dogged it for years.







https://www.facebook.com/CraftstudioArchitecture/photos/pcb.4104601396218262/4104599899551745/

WesternZulu

Not good when they are using the old GAA logo that stopped being used about 12 years ago.