Croke Park to consider funding a “legacy project” for the local community

In September, Drumcondra resident James Doherty wrote to officials in Croke Park, frustrated about the number of extra events held in the stadium and a lack of community gain.

Twelve years ago, when Doherty bought his house on St Brigid’s Road Lower, there were 13 big match days a year and three concerts, he says.

There’s been inflation. Last year, he says, there were 38 match days – which are day-long events – and seven concerts.

Each big event brings illegal parking, drinking and public urination, he says. “A lot of residents are concerned about the intensification of use. It’s sort of bananas that there were seven concerts last year.”

In October, Doherty went along to a meeting with Peter McKenna, the stadium and commercial director at Croke Park.

He asked that the stadium operators reduce the number of events and provide funding for a legacy project to benefit the community.

They didn’t agree to trim events. But “in fairness, they said you go off and come up with an idea and we will discuss funding”, says Doherty.

At a meeting of the council’s Central Area Committee on 10 December, McKenna again indicated that Croke Park would consider funding a capital project for the local community.

“I think it would be useful to bring a group together to tease out what would be a good investment in the area, rather than a series of smaller projects,” he said.

Doherty says he is contacting local residents’ associations and community groups to brainstorm ideas.

“I’m nobody in particular, I just live here, ” says Doherty. “I’d love to sit down with as many people as possible.”

At the meeting

At the Central Area Committee meeting on 10 December, Social Democrats Councillor Daniel Ennis – who attended the meeting with Doherty – said that local residents are “calling for a more structured and reliable correspondence with Croke Park”.

He suggested regular bi-monthly meetings, as well as meetings before and after each event.

Still, most councillors said that communication between residents and Croke Park officials has gotten better in recent years.

“The relationship with Croke Park has improved dramatically,” said independent Councillor Nial Ring.

Croke Park funds a lot of community projects, he said, like the handball centre. “If there was something else we would take it,” said Ring.

Sinn Féin Councillor Janice Boylan said her experience dealing with Croke Park over 10 years has been positive. “Every time there are issues raised they are addressed.”

Fine Gael Councillor Ray McAdam said his experience has been mixed. But again, that there had been improvement.

Social Democrat Councillor Cat O’Driscoll said the main issue residents raise with her is parking on match days.

Gardaí and traffic wardens need to clamp down on illegal parking and the GAA should also do more to promote public transport and car sharing, said O’Driscoll.

Green Party Councillor Janet Horner said she lives in the area. Local residents often have to clean up the streets after events at Croke Park, she says.

McKenna said Croke Park places a high value on good community relations. “The GAA is ostensibly a community organisation and we don’t want to be falling out with people.”

Traffic management issues need to be continuously looked at, he said. There isn’t enough coach parking near Croke Park, he said, which is something Dublin City Council could help fix.

Events held in the stadium are good for Dublin, said McKenna. “They generate a huge amount of benefit to the city.”

“It’s important that Dublin is put out there as a vibrant place where people want to come … Croke Park is an important part of that messaging,” he said.

A legacy project

Doherty says the idea of a legacy project was first mooted in 2014 during the dispute about the Garth Brooks concerts.

Council officials had granted licences for three gigs but the organisers had lined up five dates for the popular country singer. None of the gigs went ahead so the legacy project didn’t either, says Doherty.

Since then Croke Park has been used for more concerts each year, he says. Garth Brooks played five shows there in 2022.

At the council meeting, McKenna agreed to sit down and talk about a legacy project.

Social Democrats Councillor Daniel Ennis, who is also vice chairperson of East Wall Bessborough FC, has one idea.

Croke Park could help fund a multi-sports complex at Fairview Park, he says, to address the shortage of sports facilities for clubs in the north inner-city. Ennis says that some existing pitches at Fairview could be converted to two secure astroturf pitches for use by local sports clubs.

Said Ennis, at the meeting: “I know it’s something I’m screaming about, and other councillors as well, that we haven’t got a full-size sports pitch in Dublin 1.”

Ennis says that, ideally, that would include two astroturf pitches for field sports, a running track, a boxing and martial arts studio, extending the dressing rooms and providing an indoor meeting place.

The teams from Dublin 1 already use Fairview Park, he says.

“Fairview Park is our traditional home,” says Leonard Russell, the secretary of Sheriff Youth Club and manager of its under-11s team, by phone on Monday.

The club has 12 under-age teams, and two senior teams, but nowhere to play adult matches in winter. Due to the lack of facilities, Sheriff YC plays a lot of their home matches away, says Russell, which puts them at a disadvantage.

In the first place, the council needs to address security in the park as people on scramblers are wrecking the pitches, says Russell.

Russell has previously called on the council to use George’s Dock to build an all-weather pitch in Dublin 1. He says he would back sports facilities at both locations or either one.

“If it’s good for the community and it provides sports facilities, we are in favour of it,” he says.

Ennis said something similar. “I’d put a pitch anywhere, I’m not against the George’s Dock idea either.”

Doherty says the people in the area definitely need more sports facilities but he considers it unlikely that Croke Park will fund a multi-sports complex without equivalent financial backing from the Football Association of Ireland, which could be difficult to secure.

He said he wants to sit down with locals, including residents’ associations and community groups, to brainstorm ideas for an alternative project. “It’s all about ideas at the moment.”