THE 12 STADIA that will make up the long list for Ireland’s 2023 Rugby World Cup bid have been confirmed at the official launch this morning.
The four biggest rugby stadiums in the country – the Aviva Stadium, RDS Arena, Kingspan Stadium and Thomond Park – will spearhead the bid along with eight GAA grounds.
Two GAA stadiums from each of the four provinces have been chosen including Croke Park, which is slated to host the final if Ireland’s bid is successful.
Currently there are 12 potential venues on the long list for Ireland’s bid, which will be ultimately reduced to 8 or 10 venues for the staging of the tournament.
Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park (26,000) is the other Leinster ground on the shortlist.
The two Munster GAA stadiums are Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney (38,200) and Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork, which is currently being redeveloped and scheduled to be completed at a capacity of 45,770 next July.
From Connacht, Elverys MacHale Park (31,000) in Castlebar and Pearse Stadium (34,000) in Galway are in the running along with the Ulster stadia of Casement Park (34,500) and Derry’s Celtic Park (17,000).
The selection process will run from now until November 2017, when World Rugby will decide on the successful candidate to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
During that period a detailed technical evaluation of the candidates will take place, with final proposals being submitted next June and a presentation to World Rugby scheduled for next October.
It is projected that the tournament would be worth over €800 million to the economy of the island with some 445,000 visitors predicted to travel to Ireland if the tournament is successful.
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Underused and undervalued talent in an era where we were desperately lacking flair and real skill. Thanks for everything Wes, especially that goal against Sweden.
@Evan Cunningham:
His skill on the ball and vision will be sorely missed not to mention goals like against Sweden.
@Donal Hanley: the ball for Brady v Italy is the stand out for me
@Evan Cunningham: A class act when there was so little of it around. Go raibh maith agat Wes.
Eamonn, u ok hun?
Thanks for everything Wessiah. Poor oul dunphy will never be the same after this
One silver lining: Won’t have to listen to Dunphy whinge about his first-name-basis obession Wes for much longer
@Shane Gleeson: It was Andy Reid before Wes, now what savior of Irish football will Eamo champion?
@Dave McAuliffe: the best player that’s left off the field I suppose.
@Dave McAuliffe: My opinion is McClean will get dropped and Dunphy will go ballistic “his courage , his passion , we need more players like him”
@William Motley: McClean is not a good footballer. I can’t see him in the Premiership next season.
He made a great career for himself. Nobody wanted him when he was running rings around full backs at Shels. Livingston? Jesus. He was unlucky that the first half of his career coincided with a period when everyone thought power and pace were the 2 attributes needed for quality midfield players. It took Iniesta and Xavi to turn that theory on its head and Wes was finally appreciated. Probably had the best ball control of any Irish player since Brady. I hope he gets a few more years with Norwich.
@Armchair Follower: never a truer word said use to watch him myself at Tolka and the masses never knew anything about him until he went to England and all the prima donnas
Sad to see you go Wes. You never got a fair crack of the whip.
@pats brandon: Scored in a tournament and one of the greatest Irish assists ever. More than 99% of Irish players have done!
Emergency services called to the home of a former international player turned pundit….
The Argentines boasted Messi whereas we proudly boasted our Wessi.
Cheers for the incisive football – and epic entertainment – that we greatly needed in our national team over the years!
Good good player.
It’s a shame we (arguably) never got the best out of him when he was starring for Norwich in the premier league. Still had great moments though. I’ll never forget that goal against Sweden!
He was a footballer. That’s what distinguished him. The wheat from the chaff.
He certainly had his limitations , he was never world class, but he was brave enough to put his foot on the ball, look up and pick a forward pass. Imaging if every Irish player was capable of that.
I would pay in to watch Wes and that’s the difference.
Have a happy retirement safe in the knowledge that you actually contributed to the sport we all love
Trap and O Neill underused and undervalued this excellent playmaker with their negative and pig headed attitude. Apart from being 35, can’t help thinking O Neill staying on wasn’t in any way an incentive to continue wearing the green shirt he always wore valiantly and always gave 100%
He wasn’t a good player,he was a great player…baby
Here’s a few more that should retire:
The whole team
The manager
John Delaney
Tony Donoghue
Aine Lawlor.
Irelands greatest ever footballer?
@Clay Davis: come off it. paul mcgrath was far better. just ask the italian playes in 94
@Clay Davis: Calm down there a bit.
@Paul Lynch: double whoosh on this thread
@Clay Davis: jackie carey, john giles, paul mc grath, roy keane, ronnie whelan, liam brady to name but a few and many more besides
@Clay Davis: Richie Sadlier…..Need I say more?
@Clay Davis: Would you stop..? Stephen Ireland, Clinton Morrison, Paul McShane…. all overlooked.
@Clay Davis: Technically in the modern era, But we have had some dirt in fairness.
@Clay Davis: George best by a mile.
@Sean Conway: he was Northern Irish though!
@An Observer: The paul mcshane who let henry in behind him to score with his hand?
@Clay Davis: Mark Kennedy.
@Sean Conway: Better then Gary Breen he was…
@Clay Davis: you must be very young or very stupid
@Sean Conway: Henry didn’t score that goal, Galas if I remember correctly
@An Observer: I forgot Gary Breen! Apologies
@Clay Davis: That’s quite alright. Strange how you could forget Gary Breen though since we had a whole team of them..
@Sean Conway: silly comment !! its not mcshanes fault that henry cheated !!! and he didnt score with his hand,gallas scored !!
Never given a chance to shine Shame on the Irish Management.
Average player, played for average clubs and below average achievements.
@George Costanza: Says somebody with a profile based on a hopeless loser from Seinfeld. I’m sure your achievements far exceed little Wes in the real world.
@Bingobango: George costanza’s character is based on the real life experiences of Larry David. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Hardly a loser.
@George Costanza: prettay prettay prettay good comeback there cantstandsya
Staunch Shelbourne man.
Has anybody checked on Poor Eamonn?
Eamon dunphy inconsolable this morning
Dunphy will need councilling.
Whatever about Martin O’Neill, It was that moron Trapattoni who really should be condemned for not using Wes when he was at his best. Thanks Wes.
Thanks Wes.
Weso for Ireland!! Remember those days in Tolka!! Didn’t think we would have to wait so long!!
He was good maybe deserved a few more caps.i thought he wasn’t a 90 minute man but still the most skilful player we’ve had since brady
Thank god.. in a nice way, we don’t have to listen to these media vs management debates of wether he should or shouldn’t play a match
Fabulous player, dark days ahead, where the top deck of the stand will be the only place to see the ball.
Dustin The Turkey
@DustinOfficial
2h2 hours ago
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Eamonn Dunphy calls on the government for a month of mourning starting today.
#weshoolahan
Most over rated footballer of a generation,championship player at best.
@Brian Kenny: That’s why he did well in the Premiership
Shame wes wasn’t 10 year’s younger excellent ball retention and can see a pass that no one else in the Irish squad can see,dunphy is going to have to change the record now…always laugh when I hear brady rabbiting on about wes not getting picked…trap didn’t pick him either!!
43 caps is all, the guy should have had close to 100 caps for Ireland , trappatoni has a lot to answer for in regards to his ignorance towards wes
Wes…brilliant! Will miss ya bud!
Wessi the Irish Messi.
Mixed feel
Its gonna be a long long time before we see his level of control and guile in an Ireland jersey, a sad day indeed. And just for the record, my favourite was this one from almost 5 years ago.A frendly vs. Poland but tell that to the defender after Wes chests it down lets it bounce and with the outside of the left curls it across the keeper. Too much skill in 1 goal..
https://youtu.be/ZPmf9PGguM8
@Noel Beirne: beauty, great ball in too, plus didn’t the keeper do well to caress it ..?
I bleedin love yiz weso!
@Anto Whelan: A reflection on the quality of player produced by Ireland in the last 20 years when this guys retirement is being treated as that of Baggio or Zidane.
Will always remember his goal vs Sweden in Paris where he announced himself on the big stage. Such a shame that he was overlooked throughout Trap’s reign but at least he got to show his potential in the last 2 campaigns
Should have got a lot more caps. Good luck lad. Hope there’s more to follow him. Whelan O’Shea etc!
Who?
Good luck Wes in future
We are rightly screwed now!
We
Seen him play against Villa in tournament back in early 2000’s . Was head and shoulders best player on pitch . Couldn’t believe Villa didn’t take him then ( or was it Leeds )
@Tranceformer: are these my feet?
What him in the FA Cup a couple a weeks ago.93rd min seriously still flying around and bossing the midfield.
A footballers footballer