National Forum

Turning The Hill Into All Seater

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Replying To PattyONeill:  "You would have to wonder why many southern people insist on bringing the Armagh people's nationality into the matter in their social media comments. I have just spent half an hour replying to their jibes and of course I made sure to give them a history lesson about their own towns."
I agree Patsy. It's terrible the way some of the southern fans refer to some Northern fans as English etc. Now I have been referred to as a free state ******* too on at least two occasions. Once by an Armagh fan and another by Tyrone fan. I don't like that either. I fact I don't like any nasty comments. I like many supporters get excited and sometimes have words with a guy next to me but it's a difference of opinion and not nasty. However I do think we in the south as a rule have a chip on shoulder against northern teams which is very very wrong. The gaa is a 32 county Irish organisation.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3913 - 04/07/2023 10:07:07    2492055

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This reminds me of the times when after 911 etc the politicians come out and say that this 'terrorism' won't change us or our behaviour etc etc. we won't let them change our freedoms or live in fear!!
Next thing you know we are going through airport security taking off our shoes and belts etc and only carrying 100ml of liquids and all that has to be rooted out in public and put in a clear plastic bag.
Of course the Hill shouldn't be changed to all seater, Armagh seem to be at the centre of most of the thuggery on field this last few seasons though, maybe that spills over to their fans, just saying.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3184 - 04/07/2023 10:41:49    2492067

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Replying To cuchulainn35:  "First these scenes were unsightly but they were a minority not only of the crowd on Saturday but over the weekend. From the footage all these individuals looked as if they were all under 20. I was in Dublin for both games ( had my breakfast in Kennedy - nice breakfast) but there was a crowd of both sets of supporters heavy on the drink from by 12-30.
This doesn't excuse their behaviour, but seriously intoxicated individuals shouldn't be permitted into the ground.
Interesting when this kicked off the stewards and guards emerged - there should have had some on the Hill"
Completely agree.

When I was walking up from Connolly station there were sets of fans that were inebriated outside Lloyds and a fair few of them staggering their way up Buckingham street.

I couldn't understand how security would let them in the ground. Some of them couldn't walk straight.

Have the pints afterwards if needs be (celebrate win, drown sorrows)....at best these clowns are up and down to the jacks during the game at worst they get embroiled in this loutish behaviour.

Gator (Monaghan) - Posts: 238 - 04/07/2023 10:51:26    2492071

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Replying To Saynothing:  "Nail on head, Key is clubs having control over tickets. It's time ticket master was kicked into touch. I've never heard tell of a real GAA fan missing out on an All Ireland ticket if they were club members."
Another problem I see with ticket master having more control is that it will effect club membership at the start of the year , it's a carrot to keep locals as members not alone for club matches but also the better tickets that may be needed during the championship. Touts also are probably having a field day with what's on offer presently

stoneygrey (Monaghan) - Posts: 232 - 04/07/2023 10:58:59    2492073

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Replying To ballydalane:  "Lads, if ye think it's just "the drink" involved, ye're very, very naive.

That Monaghan lad in the light blue top who did a flying leap over one of the railings to do what can only be described as a WWF style manoeuvre on an Armagh fan, I'd bet my bottom dollar he was on the Bolivian marching powder.

Obviously fans who are clearly inebriated and likely to cause a nuisance to those around them should not be permitted entry, but stadium authorities need to give serious consideration to random drug testing of gangs of young lads entering Hill 16 and other terraces for big games.

If they're clean, they have nothing to worry about."
Random drug testing?? That'll never happen.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2315 - 04/07/2023 13:36:00    2492133

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its amazing everyone runs off looking at stats and "not what to do" etc..I made a very simple point above and not one reckons its a solution by the looks of it as in "move the excessive Garda presence away from the best game vantage points and from being on hand to mind Government leaders and Ministers and Gaa hierarchy (whom seem to always manage to secure seating side by side - I wonder how can that be)..sprinkle the Gardai around abit better and there will be little or no trouble.....Croke park/Hill 16 is like any small town or big town in Ireland now..if there is no Garda presence you will get a bit of trouble from someone...a simple solution and all would be well..

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1037 - 04/07/2023 13:37:46    2492134

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "This old chestnut has been revived following a bit of argy bargy between Monaghan and Armagh supporters.

Would not support this myself and would be suspicious that any move to do so would be linked to attempts to rent the place out to other events.

Hill can be messy on big days. All down to young fellas being totally rat faced by the time they arrive. When playing Dublin they all seem to believe that chanting "Who pays your benefits?" which i am led to believe is a chant at English soccer games, is just about the wittiest thing ever.

In fairness, most of them are harmless and ironically trouble at Dublin games is made less likely by the fact that Dublin no longer have gangs of drunken young fellas who follow them, as was the case in the past.

Clubs and pubs prehaps ought to be a bit stricter on clamping down on it, There's no way clubs ought to be allowing kids to be bringing bottles of vodka etc onto their buses."
Horrible idea. Just when terraces are being brought back into soccer stadiums on the continent as they have copped on that atmosphere is best on terraces, people are just too subdued sitting down. I know myself, you don't get into a game the same way when sitting compared to standing. We're sitting down too much day to day as it is!
Surely the best way to police the hill is strict policy of no drink near terraces and security entry like a pub or concert, if you're bananas drunk you're not getting in. Heavy fines for anyone causing trouble.

MachaireConnacht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1000 - 04/07/2023 14:23:21    2492150

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Replying To Fairplayalways:  "its amazing everyone runs off looking at stats and "not what to do" etc..I made a very simple point above and not one reckons its a solution by the looks of it as in "move the excessive Garda presence away from the best game vantage points and from being on hand to mind Government leaders and Ministers and Gaa hierarchy (whom seem to always manage to secure seating side by side - I wonder how can that be)..sprinkle the Gardai around abit better and there will be little or no trouble.....Croke park/Hill 16 is like any small town or big town in Ireland now..if there is no Garda presence you will get a bit of trouble from someone...a simple solution and all would be well.."
In fairness they move in quickly when trouble is started and have good info from the security cameras. They were able to nip a potentially very nasty confrontation at last year's semi final when arriving to pluck out the Kerry lads responsible for throwing bottles at people below them which is about as cowardly and randomly dangerous a piece of nastiness you can be at in a crowd.

Lots of Kerry people on the Hill and that was only one small exception of idiots.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3521 - 04/07/2023 14:34:15    2492158

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "It would be good if the GAA would start doing like most stadiums and having the same sort of controls over drunk people that most other events have. I bet the bouncers from Coppers or wherever would pick out these drunks a mile away if they had to file past them. It also puts the onus on fans to control their drinking.

Since I moved to Australia, I have come to hate Ireland's drunken loutish reputation. As soon as I got here, I didn't go near it and made it my business to get involved in activities not involving Irish people. I play Aussie Rules and tried my hand at cricket (harder than it looked!). Both have a "couple of beers" after the game but nothing like the GAA scene which seems like every game ends up in a massive pee up.

I always felt supermarket alcohol was too cheap in Ireland. I suppose alcohol is only part of the problem.

On the topic of the hill, I think safe standing as is coming in in most sports stadiums worldwide is the way forward. It means everyone has a designated standing spot, and the terrace can easily be seated. It just gets rid of the "big gang of lads, hard me in a group" / "mob mentality"."
If drink was banned on trains and buses this problem would be sorted very quickly. The scrotes wouldn't even bother going and the rest would have a couple of pints before the match and hopefully be a bit more mannered.

Is it even legal to drink on a bus in Ireland?

I

RHF (Cavan) - Posts: 883 - 04/07/2023 14:35:49    2492159

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Replying To Bon:  "Random drug testing?? That'll never happen."
They could start on the pitch with that one.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1337 - 04/07/2023 14:56:19    2492173

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Replying To MachaireConnacht:  "Horrible idea. Just when terraces are being brought back into soccer stadiums on the continent as they have copped on that atmosphere is best on terraces, people are just too subdued sitting down. I know myself, you don't get into a game the same way when sitting compared to standing. We're sitting down too much day to day as it is!
Surely the best way to police the hill is strict policy of no drink near terraces and security entry like a pub or concert, if you're bananas drunk you're not getting in. Heavy fines for anyone causing trouble."
Terraces aren't being brought back in. And definitely not like Hill 16.
Tottenham have a few of them but they are "safe standing", i.e. you have an assigned row and "seat" so its exactly like seating except you can stand.
Its much safer than terracing a la Hill 16, and a lot less of a mob mentality as said above as everybody has an assigned row/spot.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1337 - 04/07/2023 14:59:11    2492174

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "In fairness they move in quickly when trouble is started and have good info from the security cameras. They were able to nip a potentially very nasty confrontation at last year's semi final when arriving to pluck out the Kerry lads responsible for throwing bottles at people below them which is about as cowardly and randomly dangerous a piece of nastiness you can be at in a crowd.

Lots of Kerry people on the Hill and that was only one small exception of idiots."
Any chance of you withdrawing the false accusation that I said Dublin hurlers were 'embarrassing'. That was another poster and not me. I would never say that about any Dublin team. Check your facts first in future before making stupid remarks like that.

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 1991 - 04/07/2023 15:08:54    2492178

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Replying To avonali:  "Any chance of you withdrawing the false accusation that I said Dublin hurlers were 'embarrassing'. That was another poster and not me. I would never say that about any Dublin team. Check your facts first in future before making stupid remarks like that."
I apologised on the thread it was on.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3521 - 04/07/2023 15:15:30    2492180

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Replying To RHF:  "If drink was banned on trains and buses this problem would be sorted very quickly. The scrotes wouldn't even bother going and the rest would have a couple of pints before the match and hopefully be a bit more mannered.

Is it even legal to drink on a bus in Ireland?

I"
You're definitely not allowed drink on match day trains *I think it's banned on all trains full stop. And almost certainly not on buses run by large operators like Dublin coaches or jj kavanagh
either.

But on privately booked buses up to matches, especially if run by a pub, I'd say anything goes.

ballydalane (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1256 - 04/07/2023 15:17:34    2492181

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That looked a pretty nasty incident on The Hill but it's happened before. There have been a few fisty cuffs between Dublin and Meath fans while I think a few Tyrone and Kerry fans have previously 'exchanged views'. As others have said I reckon some of these clowns are on more than alcohol. It all comes down to whose getting these tickets. I assume also that the Guards have a central control room and cameras panning the ground?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 04/07/2023 15:18:53    2492182

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "I apologised on the thread it was on."
Fair enough. .

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 1991 - 04/07/2023 15:19:33    2492184

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Lets cut out the blame game,every county has fools who go to Croke Park out of their head and who nothing for their clubs.Saying that and I am a Leinster man there is far more bias against Ulster teams in the south than vice versa.We need to keep terraces but to do that it must be policed better and these fools need to be ejected.I would say that there are some in the financial department at HQ who would be delighted to see a 70 or 75000 all seater stadium which would be much better for revenue and optics.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1700 - 04/07/2023 15:19:35    2492185

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A certain cohort of Armagh fans are toxic. I'll generally avoid the hill when they are involved. Not a nice experience.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 04/07/2023 15:26:56    2492191

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I remember being on a terrace in Pairc Ui Chaoimh in the late 1980s and the rivers of urine cascading down the terrace were like a torrent!!!

KnockaineyAbú (Limerick) - Posts: 96 - 04/07/2023 15:29:44    2492195

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Also. It would be a fantastic stadium if the GAA would finished. Seat the Hill and roof it.

Why does the Hill seem to be shut for attendances of 30-40k when the Dubs aren't playing. Yet when they are playing and the same numbers are present they open it for them? Why aren't the other counties facilitated for cheaper tickets? It's not right in my opinion.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 04/07/2023 15:29:45    2492196

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