PLANS TO create a 40,000 all-seater GAA stadium at Casement Park in west Belfast have moved a “significant” step closer after international engineering consultancy firm Mott MacDonald Ltd was appointed to design it.
The £76.4 million (€96.4 million) project – with the Northern Executive providing the bulk of the funding – is due to be completed by 2015. Sinn Féin Minister for Sports Carál Ní Chuilín said at Casement Park yesterday that this was one of the most exciting GAA projects since the redevelopment of Croke Park.
When completed, Casement Park will be the major stadium in Ulster. The development is likely to ensure big provincial championship games including Ulster finals will be played in Belfast rather than Clones, Co Monaghan.
The GAA described the latest development in the plans to regenerate Casement as a “significant milestone”, adding: “It represents real and tangible progress on the long-held strategic ambition of the GAA at provincial and central level to provide a modern, fit-for-purpose and iconic stadium to meet the needs of the GAA in Ulster for the next half century.”
The Northern Executive is due to provide funding of £61.4 million through its sports department, with the GAA putting up funding of up to £15 million. When completed, Casement Park will be a 40,000 all-seater substantially covered stadium.
Mott MacDonald Ltd will lead a team of consultants, the integrated consultancy team (ICT), to take forward the design. It has been involved in the redesign of Wembley and the Emirates Stadium in London as well as the Olympic stadium there.
Previous plans to create a major stadium on the old Maze prison site near Lisburn to accommodate the needs of the GAA, the Irish Football Association and the Ulster Rugby Football Union did not materialise because of political disagreement.
It was decided that funding would be allocated to the different bodies, with the GAA receiving £61.4 million, the IFA £25.2 million and URFU £14.7 million.
“This represents a significant step in the progress of the stadium development programme. The upgrade of the GAA’s Casement Park, rugby’s Ravenhill and soccer’s Windsor Park have been a key priority for both me and my department,” said Ms Ní Chuilín.
“As well as the obvious benefits to sports fans that these stadiums bring, there are also the wider socio-economic benefits and employment opportunities being brought forward in these challenging economic times,” the Minister added.
GAA director general Pauric Duffy, welcoming the plan, said the association’s £15 million investment was a huge undertaking in the current economic climate.
“We invested something similar in Thurles as well, but that was in better times,” he said.
“We will have to borrow some of the money, but to be fair, no one said ‘No, we shouldn’t do this’.
“From management to central council, there was not one single dissenting voice . . . Everybody wants the GAA in Ulster to have the iconic stadium it deserves.”
ALL-IRELAND: LETTERKENNY LAYS CLAIM
THE DONEGAL football team's homecoming should take place in Letterkenny, a business group in the town has said. Jim McGuinness's team are favourites to lift the Sam Maguire Cup in the All-Ireland final against Mayo later this month.
The team has always celebrated homecomings with a parade at The Diamond in Donegal town, but now a request has been made to change the event to Letterkenny.
Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce has contacted the Donegal GAA County Board to request the county team return to its town after the All-Ireland final. The chamber said in a letter it felt it was now time for a Donegal team to celebrate in Letterkenny.
Letterkenny chamber president John Watson said: "We feel the time is right now that Letterkenny could be the place for the team to return to. We will welcome the team back with or without the Sam Maguire after the final and it won't cost the county board a cent."
However, the move has divided fans, some of whom have accused the chamber of trying to cash in on the Donegal's team's whirlwind success.
A spokesman for the GAA County Board said it would discuss the matter shortly.
