RonanL wrote: Christ, I thought the whole 2020 thing was going to result in big spending on the City. No clue where I got that idea from though!

The whole effort has been all mouth no trousers from the off. Took them almost a year from being awarded the gig to get leadership appointed, guess we know why now.

Christ, I thought the whole 2020 thing was going to result in big spending on the City. No clue where I got that idea from though!

RonanL wrote: My preferred option, and I think the most likely, is a redeveloped sportsground.

The docklands option has the potential to benefit Galway more if it was done right. I think that location is pretty good too logistically (with the bus/train station right there), and it being on the correct side of the river (just about). They could run shuttle services into the ground from Athenry/Oranmore for big events. All that sounds like a bit of a dream though. They could hardly get cash from the Galway 2020 crowd could they?!

They don't have much money. I read recently that the city and county councils considered pulling out of the whole 2020 thing as they weren't sure if they as councils could afford to fund it.

connachttribune.ie/cost-forced-local-aut...nsider-pulling-2020/

My preferred option, and I think the most likely, is a redeveloped sportsground.

The docklands option has the potential to benefit Galway more if it was done right. I think that location is pretty good too logistically (with the bus/train station right there), and it being on the correct side of the river (just about). They could run shuttle services into the ground from Athenry/Oranmore for big events. All that sounds like a bit of a dream though. They could hardly get cash from the Galway 2020 crowd could they?!

sea_point wrote:

cormac wrote:

pinky wrote: I'd imagine any move to Deacy Park would involve a substantial redevelopment with only the new stand remaining. There's a plenty of space the far side of the road if they were prepared to realign that and a decent bit of the waterworks site nearest the ground is fairly empty. If you rotated the pitch and left the new stand behind the goals (it's quite short anyway), you'd leave decent room for stands on each side.
I'd love a sneak peak at all these drawings that are mentioned ...

The old Terryland Park was facing the other way, when it was redeveloped (not sure exactly when), they rotated the pitch to its current layout.
Regarding the space on the other side of the road, I'd say there's very little chance of that.
The old outer city bypass hit issues with a Special Area of Conservation that I believe stretches from from around the city out along the Menlo side of the Corrib, both river and lake.
I can only imagine the objections from the environmentalists.

Though, it could be used to help rule out Deacy Park, and promote an alternative, i.e. the redeveloped Sportsground.

We'll that must be forty plus years ago, I used to go Rovers games as a kid think it was the nascent KFC League (wasn't quite finger licking good.. )

Anyway there are so many caveats for Terryland as is, not least the housing estate next door who no doubt would not be happy with crowds of 6-7k every second week, and matches going on all year round (LOI running from Jan-Oct)...

Not that long ago, more like 25.
I played a match there in 1992 when it was rotated 90 degrees to the current layout, so it was switched some time since then.

Guess we can forget about the docks then. Given the scale of Galway developments (Mutton Island, the Outer Ring Road), the fact that the other ex-oil-tank site in town (between the railyard & the inner harbour) has been undeveloped for years, and the likelihood of the dock extension getting the go-ahead (about the same as Trump's wall), I'm not holding my breath.

On the plus side, the site it pretty much perfectly sized for a small stadium and it's Time-From-O'Connell's (TFO'C) is a mere 8 minutes compared to the Sportsground's 13.

cormac wrote:

pinky wrote: I'd imagine any move to Deacy Park would involve a substantial redevelopment with only the new stand remaining. There's a plenty of space the far side of the road if they were prepared to realign that and a decent bit of the waterworks site nearest the ground is fairly empty. If you rotated the pitch and left the new stand behind the goals (it's quite short anyway), you'd leave decent room for stands on each side.
I'd love a sneak peak at all these drawings that are mentioned ...

The old Terryland Park was facing the other way, when it was redeveloped (not sure exactly when), they rotated the pitch to its current layout.
Regarding the space on the other side of the road, I'd say there's very little chance of that.
The old outer city bypass hit issues with a Special Area of Conservation that I believe stretches from from around the city out along the Menlo side of the Corrib, both river and lake.
I can only imagine the objections from the environmentalists.

Though, it could be used to help rule out Deacy Park, and promote an alternative, i.e. the redeveloped Sportsground.

We'll that must be forty plus years ago, I used to go Rovers games as a kid think it was the nascent KFC League (wasn't quite finger licking good.. )

Anyway there are so many caveats for Terryland as is, not least the housing estate next door who no doubt would not be happy with crowds of 6-7k every second week, and matches going on all year round (LOI running from Jan-Oct)...

DeadStraightStare wrote: When they talk about the docklands a s a possible spot where are they talking about exactly? South Park?

South Park isn't the Dock area its the Claddagh. Really they're talking about the Area on the left-hand side just after the Bridge on Lough Attalia road as you head into town, the master-plan for the Dock is to reclaim a quite big area alongside what already exists. They plan to create a Cruise Ship Terminal and additional marina for yachts/boats. There should be plenty of space to fit a small stadium too, especially if the oil business is relocated as is suggested.

30got1mo77p8zm7180t9tf2p.wpengine.netdna...Port-development.jpg

When they talk about the docklands a s a possible spot where are they talking about exactly? South Park?

For what it's worth I prefer a redeveloped Sportsground to the other options. Despite the woeful facilities it is the spiritual home of Connacht Rugby. I grew up nearby (I can see one of the floodlights at the Bohermore end from my parents' house) and couldn't imagine them moving anywhere else.

Much as I would like to rule out ED Park, I'm afraid ruling out alternatives just strengthens the hand of the doggymen.

pinky wrote: I'd imagine any move to Deacy Park would involve a substantial redevelopment with only the new stand remaining. There's a plenty of space the far side of the road if they were prepared to realign that and a decent bit of the waterworks site nearest the ground is fairly empty. If you rotated the pitch and left the new stand behind the goals (it's quite short anyway), you'd leave decent room for stands on each side.
I'd love a sneak peak at all these drawings that are mentioned ...

The old Terryland Park was facing the other way, when it was redeveloped (not sure exactly when), they rotated the pitch to its current layout.
Regarding the space on the other side of the road, I'd say there's very little chance of that.
The old outer city bypass hit issues with a Special Area of Conservation that I believe stretches from from around the city out along the Menlo side of the Corrib, both river and lake.
I can only imagine the objections from the environmentalists.

Though, it could be used to help rule out Deacy Park, and promote an alternative, i.e. the redeveloped Sportsground.

I'd imagine any move to Deacy Park would involve a substantial redevelopment with only the new stand remaining. There's a plenty of space the far side of the road if they were prepared to realign that and a decent bit of the waterworks site nearest the ground is fairly empty. If you rotated the pitch and left the new stand behind the goals (it's quite short anyway), you'd leave decent room for stands on each side.
I'd love a sneak peak at all these drawings that are mentioned ...

tomsauce2000 wrote: I went to a couple of Galway United games this summer. I was looking at the pitch and ground in terms of Connacht potentially playing there. I really don't think it's feasible. The pitch didn't look long enough and there is no space to expand it.

The minimum requirement for pitch size (to my mind) would be Grade C international, which needs 112m by 78m (including runoffs). Eamon Deacy Park is 107 metres long so you only need 8 feet either end which is already available in unused concrete both end. The extra 6 metres of width is a real issue as that takes out most of the old stand and limits development of a replacement, so you'd need Irish water/council land behind that to make it feasible.

Construction cost NZ$ 198.3 million
I'll check the piggy bank ...
Can we not just throw up an oul canvas roof on the odd occasion when it rains?
If it's in the docks then it's not the water coming down from above I'd be worried about though.

Would love if they went the way of a smaller Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin for a new stadium en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forsyth_Barr_Stadium
Great potential for a venue and it's indoors. With this type of venue no more rain Unless the roof leaks!!!
Would have the potential to be a great spot to host a 7's tournament (Possible on the 7's circuit - Irish 7's) as well as many other sports.As long as Connacht were the 'Primary' Tenant. It would make Galway an excellent spot for bigger gigs as well.
Would have been perfect. Ah pipe dreams
#Dreamchaser