GAA:GAA President Christy Cooney and GAA Director General Páraic Duffy thanked the Croke Park residents after they called off this evening's planned protests at the stadium which means work can get underway to lay the new pitch ahead of the first of the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals this Sunday.
Cooney and Duffy met with the residents today, who had planned another protest against the continuous work in relation to the U2 concerts held there. The protests were also to coincide with the start of overnight work to lay the new pitch.
“We thank the local community for their understanding and co-operation in assisting our efforts to bring about a resolution and we apologise for any inconvenience caused to residents in the last 48 hours,” said Cooney.
“We have listened carefully to their views and we are committed to a process of dialogue which will be consultative in its nature in an effort to achieving the best possible outcome for all concerned in the running of the major events Croke Park
“We are committed to moving forward in a positive way to address their concerns.
“I am now looking forward to the prospect of exciting games at the weekend with the quarter-finals of the GAA Championships.”
Residents had been angered that the works were taking place continuously over 44 hours to dismantle the U2 stage and lay a new pitch in a bid to ready the stadium for the football action over the Bank Holiday weekend.
The action starts with Sunday’s double-header when Cork take on Donegal at 2pm before Tyrone meet Kildare at 4pm.
Barbara Ward of Clonliffe and District Residents' Association said up to 80 people picketed the stadium (around 1am) and blocked a number of trucks from leaving the stadium after U2’s third and final gig last night.
Ward said this morning’s protests were not spur of the moment but were well flagged two weeks ago.
Earlier U2 tour manager Jake Berry said the delays caused by the protest affected the tour schedule.
“It affects it. We should not be talking to you, (instead) we should be on a boat,” he said on RTÉ's Morning Ireland. “It affects the tour schedule, read it whatever way you want.”
“When all this went down last night we were definitely not prepared because the last thing we want to do is put trucks on a street which has the potential of causing an accident. So we were stopped in mid-stream as this was totally unannounced and different to what we agreed,” added Berry.