THE British Government made promises, but didn’t match their words with actions as they allowed the clock to “run down” on the Casement Park project, says Ulster GAA Secretary Brian McAvoy.
McAvoy said he’d been optimistic that Casement Park would be developed to the standards required to host games at the 2028 Uefa European Championships when Ulster GAA received written ‘confirmation’ of support and a funding pledge from then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris.
However, the encouraging words from the Tory minister began to ring hollow as time passed without further action being taken. The promised ‘support’ for the project was officially pulled a fortnight ago.
“I was optimistic when we got the letter from the Secretary of State which basically stated that they were committed to it and that the funding would be found,” said McAvoy.
“He (Heaton-Harris) said the same thing publicly but the actions didn’t match the words. They said one thing but didn’t do anything and the clock ran down on it.
“We (Ulster GAA) did the site clearance, we negotiated with the Irish Government for €50m… So we upheld our part of the bargain.
“We were disappointed with the loss of the European Championships, because we’d invested a lot in terms of times and resources into trying to make that happen.
“It would have benefited the whole of society by having the Euros here but unfortunately that ship has sailed which is disappointing.”
However, McAvoy says Ulster GAA remain committed to redeveloping Casement Park as a flagship GAA stadium in the North. Planning permission has already been granted for a 34,500-capacity stadium with 26,000 seated and 8,500 terraced.
“We will try to progress that planning application and we’re working to secure the necessary (government) funding to allow that to happen,” he added.
A couple of weeks after the British Government announced it would not fund the development of Casement Park, the Irish Government pledged it’s largest-ever investment in sports facilities in communities across the Republic.
As part of that package, €10.4m was granted to 74 clubs in Ulster (all of them in Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan of course) and St Tiernach’s Park, Clones was one of the beneficiaries. The traditional home of the Ulster game secured a grant of €340,000 for the installation of floodlighting.
Elsewhere, Donegal’s Four Masters club receiving €436,000 for an indoor multi-sport facility.
Burt, Glenfin, Aodh Ruadh and Termon were also allocated grants. Their counterparts in Cavan - Redhills, Shercock, Laragh United and Cootehill Celtic – did likewise while Cavan GAA’s redevelopment of a 3G artificial playing surface will benefit from funding of just over €440,000.
The grant Clones received is not expected to be enough to install game-standard floodlights at the ground – the full cost will be upwards of half-a-million - and additional funding avenues are currently being explored.
The entire ground is in need of development. The Gerry Arthur Stand was given an upgrade and a new control room was installed last year and more work is planned – including the seating being replaced in the Pat McGrane Stand and an upgrade on toilet facilities. However, although a computer-generated ‘fly-through’ of a new-look stadium has been published, there is no date for work to begin.
Ulster Secretary McAvoy explained that, whatever the future holds for Casement Park, high-profile inter-county games will continue to be played at Clones.
“Its location will always attract games,” said McAvoy.
“If you had Fermanagh and Cavan playing in an Ulster semi-final, you’re probably more likely to take it to Clones than Casement. Some games will always be more suited for Clones so, just because Casement is developed, doesn’t mean we won’t be using Clones.”
For the foreseeable future, Clones will remain the home of the provincial championship’s showpiece games but McAvoy says the Casement Park project remains very much part of Ulster’s plans. It is, as ever, a question of when and how funding becomes available.
“We have planning permission for a stadium and that’s what we’re currently pursuing with key stakeholders,” said McAvoy.