National Forum

A new stadium in Connacht?

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Agree with Riverboys, if we could start from scratch then Claremorris makes most sense. But with attendances falling for championship football, and no home games for Galway in the hurling, then what's the point? Galway made a big mistake putting resources into Pearse and letting Tuam decline. If they could cash that investment out and redirect the money into Tuam or a site outside the city, then that could maybe be looked at as a possible quality provincial ground. As things stand Castlebar would be next best placed as at least halfway there in terms of what it has to offer. Ironically Pearse, purely because it's in Galway, is the only site I'm aware of which is being considered for upgrade in support of the rugby world cup bid. A real case of throwing good money after bad imo.
Pericles (Mayo) - Posts:1495 - 30/10/2016 10:57:21It doesn't make sense especially starting from scratch. Galway would always be chosen.

Comparing Munster to Connacht is like chalk and cheese. Theres well over a million people in Munster and whatever about Connachts great league win last year they are not in the same stratosphere as the Munster franchise. Connacht needs an upgraded Sportsground. I know Pearse stadium was a bad idea but its tge only show in town to get a few world cup games. Limerick because of its rugby tradition is going to get games in the Gaelic grounds and Thomond Park. The world rugby board have basically said limerick needs to be centrally involved as the only Rugby majority city on the Island.
bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts:438 - 31/10/2016 20:09:33Connacht are not in some areas in the same space as Munster but will do better in the long term. Connacht do need an upgraded ground but sportsground can only get done up if dogs leave and Connacht wont move. Yep. WR said Limerick will be a central part of our bid...

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 31/10/2016 20:29:02    1930500

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Make the Hyde into a top class 30k stadium is the only solution the most central in the province the most central county ground in Ireland and the best parking of any If the grounds in Connacht. Connacht rugby may need another ground but one with a limited capacity. Salthill is completely unsuitable to hold any big crowd and I don't think to many concerts would be held there. Limerick is only likely to have one ground in a world cup bid

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 01/11/2016 00:12:49    1930542

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Replying To ROS1:  "Make the Hyde into a top class 30k stadium is the only solution the most central in the province the most central county ground in Ireland and the best parking of any If the grounds in Connacht. Connacht rugby may need another ground but one with a limited capacity. Salthill is completely unsuitable to hold any big crowd and I don't think to many concerts would be held there. Limerick is only likely to have one ground in a world cup bid"
2 grounds. The Gaelic grounds and Thomond Park.

bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1710 - 01/11/2016 08:59:56    1930552

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2 problems with The Hyde, no train line from Sligo to Roscommon town so you have to use the car or bus to get to a game, second problem is it's too close to the Leinster border, takes over 2 hours to travel from north or west Mayo to Roscommon town, same with west Galway it's a long distance

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 02/11/2016 19:33:52    1931000

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Replying To ROS1:  "Make the Hyde into a top class 30k stadium is the only solution the most central in the province the most central county ground in Ireland and the best parking of any If the grounds in Connacht. Connacht rugby may need another ground but one with a limited capacity. Salthill is completely unsuitable to hold any big crowd and I don't think to many concerts would be held there. Limerick is only likely to have one ground in a world cup bid"
The Centre of excellence in Bekan is the most central Ros 1, Roscommon is to far from all the other densely populated areas in Connacht, not to mention a nightmare for parking..

Acme15 (Mayo) - Posts: 45 - 04/11/2016 20:53:55    1931670

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Replying To ROS1:  "Make the Hyde into a top class 30k stadium is the only solution the most central in the province the most central county ground in Ireland and the best parking of any If the grounds in Connacht. Connacht rugby may need another ground but one with a limited capacity. Salthill is completely unsuitable to hold any big crowd and I don't think to many concerts would be held there. Limerick is only likely to have one ground in a world cup bid"
Ya handy too for Longford and Westmeath so they don't have travel too Darin the Connacht championship!..... Oh wait!

Spoddgy (Mayo) - Posts: 660 - 04/11/2016 21:08:50    1931678

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Replying To riverboys:  "2 problems with The Hyde, no train line from Sligo to Roscommon town so you have to use the car or bus to get to a game, second problem is it's too close to the Leinster border, takes over 2 hours to travel from north or west Mayo to Roscommon town, same with west Galway it's a long distance"
No train from Sligo to Galway or Castlebar either

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1890 - 04/11/2016 21:18:53    1931686

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Replying To Acme15:  "The Centre of excellence in Bekan is the most central Ros 1, Roscommon is to far from all the other densely populated areas in Connacht, not to mention a nightmare for parking.."
Roscommon is great for parking in comparison to many county grounds. On Athlone road. A few hundred yards from the roundabout that can bypass the town heading towards Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim. Shops, chippers and pubs close by. A railway station and Bus Eireann stop. For my money The Hyde has the best setup for big games in Connacht.

Bekan is, literally, in the middle of nowhere. Might be alright for a few hundred supporters. No facilities close to the centre of excellence, a pub, shop and church in Bekan. Besides the Knock Ballyhaunis road the roads are narrow and not ideal for parking. No rail access and no regular buses. The location is good but would cost nearly as much as the cost of the new stadium they'd need to build to provide surrounding facilities including good access and parking.

Anyways you're better off with a ground that has decent road access and doesn't mean traffic bottlenecks than one which is 'centrally located' but can be a nightmare to get in and get out of.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7360 - 04/11/2016 22:02:40    1931700

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Roscommon made be the best option 20 minutes by car from the centre of the country and M6. stadium is located in the town. Very close to all other counties including Westmeath, Offaly, Longford etc in Leinster

grellans89 (Galway) - Posts: 257 - 04/11/2016 23:50:27    1931723

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Replying To bloodyban:  "2 grounds. The Gaelic grounds and Thomond Park."
Won't happen

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 09/11/2016 11:51:50    1932965

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Replying To riverboys:  "2 problems with The Hyde, no train line from Sligo to Roscommon town so you have to use the car or bus to get to a game, second problem is it's too close to the Leinster border, takes over 2 hours to travel from north or west Mayo to Roscommon town, same with west Galway it's a long distance"
It id the most central ground in Connacht. The only ground on the train line from sligo is carrick so that is a moot point

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 09/11/2016 11:54:17    1932967

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Replying To Acme15:  "The Centre of excellence in Bekan is the most central Ros 1, Roscommon is to far from all the other densely populated areas in Connacht, not to mention a nightmare for parking.."
Roscommon probably has the best parking of any county ground in the western half of the country. It is the pat central countyground in Connacht and ireland. Probably around castlerea would be the most central if you were building a pitch from a green field site

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 09/11/2016 12:00:17    1932971

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Replying To Spoddgy:  "Ya handy too for Longford and Westmeath so they don't have travel too Darin the Connacht championship!..... Oh wait!"
Didn't mention longford/westmeath Hyde is the most central county ground in the province and ireland

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 09/11/2016 12:02:19    1932972

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Replying To salvador:  "
Replying To ormondbannerman:  "But its OK for Munster to have a 26K capacity stadium? Frankly I find this attitude amazingly insulting in so many ways. Wise up.
Condorman (Dublin) - Posts:666 - 29/10/2016 14:54:49Wise up in what exactly?
Munster didn't need a 25600 capacity stadium to some extent but they will fill it on a fairly ok basis through a season.
I don't see how its insulting. Look at attendances for Connacht games. Now maybe if there was 2000 seats Connacht might get more attending but what exactly is very insulting in what I said?"
Thomond is three quarters empty for most league games. They cant fill it for Heinakan cup games either."
Is that not reinforcing his point? 10,000 is plenty big enough

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 09/11/2016 12:02:55    1932973

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Replying To ROS1:  "It id the most central ground in Connacht. The only ground on the train line from sligo is carrick so that is a moot point"
Central to where?

Weary (None) - Posts: 249 - 09/11/2016 12:03:50    1932974

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Replying To valley84:  "No train from Sligo to Galway or Castlebar either"
True and with the train coming from mayo and with been able to change trains in athlone coming from galway makes roscommon the best connected rail wise venue as well

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 09/11/2016 12:05:50    1932977

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Roscommon is great for parking in comparison to many county grounds. On Athlone road. A few hundred yards from the roundabout that can bypass the town heading towards Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim. Shops, chippers and pubs close by. A railway station and Bus Eireann stop. For my money The Hyde has the best setup for big games in Connacht.

Bekan is, literally, in the middle of nowhere. Might be alright for a few hundred supporters. No facilities close to the centre of excellence, a pub, shop and church in Bekan. Besides the Knock Ballyhaunis road the roads are narrow and not ideal for parking. No rail access and no regular buses. The location is good but would cost nearly as much as the cost of the new stadium they'd need to build to provide surrounding facilities including good access and parking.

Anyways you're better off with a ground that has decent road access and doesn't mean traffic bottlenecks than one which is 'centrally located' but can be a nightmare to get in and get out of."
Good point I think to if people followed the garda instructions would help themselves alot. For example I was at Connacht final a last year mayo/sligo i live near boyle I would normally go via tulsk but I followed the instructions and went by strokestown no traffic at all and only slighty further.

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 09/11/2016 12:11:34    1932981

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Replying To Weary:  "Central to where?"
The province of connacht

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 09/11/2016 15:39:04    1933057

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Replying To ROS1:  "Didn't mention longford/westmeath Hyde is the most central county ground in the province and ireland"
In Connacht you said! Maybe North/south but definitely not East/west! Sure you are half way to Dublin! Did you do geography for your leaving cert?

Spoddgy (Mayo) - Posts: 660 - 10/11/2016 09:12:08    1933207

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Replying To Spoddgy:  "In Connacht you said! Maybe North/south but definitely not East/west! Sure you are half way to Dublin! Did you do geography for your leaving cert?"
The central point of Ireland is in lecarrow south roscommon. It is you thats need to go back to school

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 10/11/2016 10:26:27    1933241

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