Memo to the County Board – Keep off the Grass

[Plain of the Herbs]

Does anyone know when the first stage of the terrace will be ready? Specifically, will it be ready for the hurling against Laois on May 27th? Laois are fixed to play the winners of Westmeath and Longford at the venue a week later.

[The Border Fox]

LS you remind me of some of the current members of The Green party,they're not really interested in progressing with Road building or building in general. We need to look beyond the one or 2 games you think this might attract every year. Look to the future and to the youth who will be influenced and impressed by large structures throughout the country.
This is the world we live in,kids dream about going to matches in Anfield,Old Trafford,The Emirates etc. I for one would not like to be part of Offaly GAA in 5 or 10 years time trying to negotiate my way through muck on a wet winters day.

[Lone Shark]

Ara hold on now. I have my own stance on this, but having said that I can see the point that we might miss out on some championship games, I can see the point that the sponsors that have put up the money this far might want us to go further and I can see the point that a lot of work needs to be done one way or another so there is an argument to going the whole hog.

However there is no way that a kid walking onto the terrace of O'Moore Park or Mullingar (which is what we're trying to emulate here - Emirates Stadium or Old Trafford is not exactly a reasonable comparison) would be impressed by the whole thing. They would be impressed if they go into the stand, but if they go onto a grass bank they can run around, play, bring their own hurl or football, and spill out on to the pitch at half time - something we probably all did here as kids, something that is unique to Offaly and something that is facilitated by the fact that grass is a thousand times more child friendly than concrete ever can be, no matter what Health and Safety might say.

Also, a thing about the GAA is that we don't have games on cold winters days largely speaking - 80% of the matches are played in moderate conditions between April and September. There ain't too many kids go to Walsh and O'Byrne cup games in January. These days are already warm enough to make the grass more than comfortable, and if climate change reports are to be believed, it's only warmer they'll be getting!! (How's that for establishing my Green Party credentials!! )

We need to look beyond the one or 2 games you think this might attract every year.

Just out of curiosity, I'm not sure how you meant this - it could possibly imply that you feel it would attract more, I'm just not sure. If I'm wrong then my apologies, but if you do feel it would attract more, what are these games and where are they? I've looked through the schedule for 2006 looking for games we could have got if we had 20,000 capacity available to us, and I just don't know what ones they are. The Westmeath game was always going to be a double header since Louth and Meath had to go to Croke Park anyway, ditto the QF against Kildare. (Capacity doubts would have probably sent the latter to Croke anyway as the flourbags travel in numbers) The only game I can find is the NFL division two semi final between Louth and Limerick in the whole year. Is that really what we're doing this for? Or are there more games I'm missing here?

[Plain of the Herbs]

Sorry to bump up am old topic but I see Birr GAA club have a planning application in this week's Tribune for permission to build terracing either side of the stand, at the town end and the 'road' side of the ground.

Looks like SBP will be closed for some time yet and I'll have to get used to travelling to Tullamore for 'home' NHL matches and county championship matches for the foreseeable future.

[Offalys Future]

Can somebody please tell me why there is a need for this terrace in Birr?
I suppose you can't blaim Birr GAA if they are getting over 50% of cost in grants.

Why they dont spend some money and work with the community school in getting better coaches and training facilities for the school is beyond me.

[Bord na Mona man]

I don't see much need to terracing behind the goals if there is sufficient capacity along both touchlines.
Terracing behind goals tend to get very low usage and unless the ground is almost full.