You'd think I'd learn to stay quiet ....
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
Thanks for that Buck Face, much appreciated.Buck Face wrote:Contrary to the out of date and misleading thread stating 'Hurling to stay in Tullamore' I am compelled (and happy) to report that the Co Board Management Committee's 'proposal' that club senior hurling finals and National Hurling league fixtures be played in Tullamore in the future, with a possible option of playing some National Hurling games in Birr, was not ratified at last Tuesday's County Board meeting. In fact, it seemed evident at the meeting that there is a groundswell of support strongly in favour of re-instating hurling finals and National League hurling games to St. Brendan's Park.
The Management Committee's minuted 'proposal' was countered by the Birr delegates on the floor. Following on from this several delegates from various clubs spoke, mainly in favour of returning hurling to Birr with others stating that a decision should not be taken lightly and more time should be given to the issue before any definitive decision be made. Finally, it was agreed that all parties with an expression of interest would be heard by the management committee and that a proposal agreeable to all parties concerned would be then returned to the floor at a later date for full approval.
From what I heard over the weekend blue, capacity limit of around the 6,000 mark has been given by the safety inspector (leinster council i think) upon the completion of all works. Would probably be able to cater for most games but a capacity that low means you'll always be taking a chance fixing a big game such as a county final or even a qualifier for there so we might be about to see an end to this argument for good.blue74 wrote:so what will be the outcome? i heard that birr had an inspection last week from a safety consultant with a view to giving a definite capacity limit... the report is to go to croke park. I suspect a lot will depend on the limit imposed. a capacity of at least 7 to 8000 would be needed to get a county final these days.
I've always found that the crowd moves in and out of Hill 16, even when packed to the gills, very easily. I've never been in Thurles for a capacity crowd occasion so I won't speak on that issue, and yeah, Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a disaster. If you're over five foot two it'll take you ten minutes to get out of your seat, never mind getting out of the stadium. The thing there is that there probably isn't the political bravery out there to reduce the official capacity of the Páirc and make a lot of enemies in the process.townman wrote:i take it you didn't see Hill 16 on sunday or thurles on munster final day or pairc ui Choimh when full
They don't even open the gate at the town end of the stand, which would be a major help in getting the crowd out of the ground quickly and safely after games. Indeed, maybe they would be best served in having this, and the gate at the opposite end, as the only access to the stand. I prefer the freedom of going in and being able to pick between the stand and the terrace dependent on the weather, but if you want to be a county ground, you've got to look and act like a county ground and this is the norm in most places. In keeping with that, there should be a seperate gate for players and officials entrance at the dressing rooms, with access to the dressing rooms not possible from the terraced area.Plain of the Herbs wrote:BnM is along the right lines. The permitted capacity for a stadium is based on how long it takes for the place to be evacuated in an emergency.
It would be a pity to see Birr GAA spend the money they did with for no increase in capacity at the end of it all, as seems to be the case now.
I’ve been on the new terracing in Birr and it seems to me the only way off the terracing is down a set of narrow steps at the corner-flag, and I presume it is the same down at the far end. That would get quite congested at the end of a match as everyone attempted to leave at the same time. Compare that to Tullamore where there is a wide passage at the back of the terrace with ease of movement along that passage to the external exit. Also, there are the same amount of exit gates in Birr as there were previously (4, one in each corner).
I’d say it would improve the capacity of the terrace to construct a stairs at the back of each aisle from the top of the terrace to ground-level, maybe two on each side of the terrace (4 in all). They might also need to bore the external walls to make exit gates adjacent to these stairs.