IRFU back down on Kerry venue

News round-up: The IRFU have withdrawn suggestions that Munster could play European Cup matches in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney.

The issue arose from comments made by Munster Rugby chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald, who said the prospect of playing at the Kerry GAA venue was under investigation.

This drew a sharp riposte from Croke Park pointing out that the stadium "is owned and controlled by the GAA and any decision in regard to use of the stadium by other sports is a matter for Congress", and accusing the comments of being "discourteous to the GAA, relative to the debate which has already taken place and insensitive and unhelpful relative to potential future consideration in relation to use of Croke Park".

In what was a swift reply issued by Munster press officer Pat Geraghty, it was explained the comments had "originated from informal approaches made in the recent past to Munster by persons representing local interests in Killarney. "The suggestion made by those persons that Munster might use Fitzgerald Stadium, were only entertained because it was intimated that Fitzgerald Stadium enjoyed an unique ownership status. However the statement issued by the GAA, in response, clearly states that Fitzgerald Stadium does not enjoy a unique ownership status, is owned by the GAA.

"Munster Branch totally accepts this, and that therefore the issue of use of Fitzgerald Stadium remains the sole control of the GAA."

The statement went on to quote Fitzgerald as saying: "We have unqualified respect for the GAA and its constituent clubs. We regret any misunderstanding that may have been caused and certainly would never be disrespectful of the organisation."

Munster Rugby CEO Fitzgerald had earlier been quoted in yesterday's Irish Examiner as saying that the province were investigating the possibility of using the Killarney stadium: "There is a possibility we could bring a Heineken Cup game to Killarney, as the stadium there is not vested in the GAA.

"Killarney has all the necessary infra-structural ingredients such as hotels, an airport and so forth to host such an occasion and we are looking into it."

Whereas the subsequent retraction kills the controversy the GAA were annoyed by the comments and their timing. It is believed that the Kerry County Board had previously been approached about the possibility of rugby being played in Killarney and had made the rule governing the situation clear.

When the association's annual Congress voted last April to allow Rule 42 to be relaxed it was on the specific grounds that such relaxation would only apply to Croke Park during the period of renovation at Lansdowne Road.

One of the arguments against this concession was that making Croke Park available represented the thin end of the wedge, a contention that its adherents will feel was vindicated by yesterday's developments.

"It was particularly unhelpful at the moment with talks ongoing about the possibility of Croke Park being used for senior soccer and rugby internationals," according to a GAA source. "The approval of Central Council shouldn't be taken for granted and the context in which the remarks appeared didn't help things. The report said that comments were also made about the competition rugby was facing in Munster from hurling, football and soccer. So any reference to borrowing Fitzgerald Stadium is very much a case of Clery's looking to use Arnotts' window."

The gaffe originated in the erroneous belief that Fitzgerald Stadium was in some way not subject to the control of the GAA. This may have arisen because of the complicated history of the venue, which was built as a memorial to Dick Fitzgerald, the pioneering Kerry footballer who died in September 1930, at the instigation of his club Dr Croke's, which formed a committee to oversee the fund raising and development work.

Though the total construction value was estimated to be around £24,000 the cost came to only £3,000 thanks to the input of voluntary labour. The GAA's Central Council and Munster Council contributed £700 between them to the project and insisted that the money should be seen as an investment rather than a donation. After written exchanges the best the club could do was secure one trustee out of four and it has been part of Dr Croke's lore that they might have been better off to refuse the money and retain full control of the stadium.

For the purposes of the current issue it would have made no difference, as the property would have been vested in the GAA whichever option was taken.

Currently the trustees include senior national figures in the association such as president Seán Kelly, director general Liam Mulvihill, former Munster secretary Donie Nealon plus two local figures, including Teddy Counihan a grandson of Jeremiah O'Leary, a close friend of Dick Fitzgerald and a prime mover in the memorial project.