'It's really only pessimism on Casement at the moment' - Jarlath Burns hits out at DUP's Lyons

Declan Bogue Reports from GAA Congress

GAA PRESIDENT JARLATH Burns has laid out the staggering situation the sporting body finds itself in trying to make progress on the derelict site of Casement Park.

The Belfast venue has been closed since 2013, with a succession of British governments failing to make good on their promises to help build a new stadium on the site.

With the Labour government now appearing reluctant to part with funding, Burns gave a lacerating account of how the GAA have been treated by the Minister for Communities in the Stormont Government, Gordon Lyons of the Democratic Unionist Party.

“I spoke extensively about Casement in my speech, I gave the facts about Casement, that’s how I like to operate, facts,” said Burns at the conclusion of the GAA Congress in Donegal town on Saturday. 

“Facts are, that the person who we need to champion this, is Gordon Lyons. We are disappointed with how he has performed so far.

“What does that mean? Well, we met him on the 31st of October, arising out of that meeting we had three action points for him to do. The first one was that he was going to write to Hilary Benn (Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the Labour government) asking for a meeting, to see was he going to mark the money on our behalf, because he’s operating on behalf of the Executive and that’s their priority.

“The second thing he was going to do was to put it on the agenda for the Executive.

“The third thing he was going to do was to identify areas where Ulster GAA could begin work, demolishing work, as it stands with what they have, with work that might need a tender.”

Burns continued, “That was the 31st of October. I wrote to him on the 20th of December asking where he had got to with those action points.

“And I’m still waiting for a reply. And it’s the 21st of February. If you just put that into context, the President of the biggest sporting organisation in Ireland is in contact through writing and he hasn’t still received an acknowledgement that he wrote to the Minister.

DUP Minister, Gordon Lyons. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“If you compare that to Charlie McConalogue (Fianna Fáil Minister with an extensive portfolio that includes sport), who has just been appointed, I’ve now had two meetings with him. I was with him in Ballybofey and he came here to see me at Congress and we’re meeting with the Taoiseach next week.”

He then drew the contrast between the differing politicians, stating, “Following on from that, our Minister Gordon Lyons got an invitation whenever he became Minister, to a GAA match.

“He has yet to attend a match of hurling or football. And if you look at the success that the GAA has had in the last year in Ulster, and what we won, and he hasn’t attended any of those.

“I understand that it’s a difficulty attending games on a Sunday, but Armagh-Tyrone in the Athletic Grounds Saturday night a week ago in front of 14,000 people, I don’t know if he would know that it’s on or not?

“So I don’t want to be negative. We have to work with these people, but I also want to be realistic about what we’re dealing with and how challenging the landscape is for us, and for Stephen McGeehan, Brian McAvoy, Tom Daly, people who are living this every day.

“They are becoming extremely frustrated. So I wish I could be optimistic, but unfortunately it’s really only pessimism on Casement at the moment.”

In the last week, a GAA delegation went to Stormont and Burns recounted how the Alliance Party, SDLP, Sinn Féin and Ulster Unionists are all fully backing a redeveloped Casement Park.

However, he did recount a disturbing incident in the last week where signs erected in Randalstown, Co Antrim, described the GAA as ‘The sporting wing of the IRA.’

“Not one member of the Unionist politicians have condemned it or had anything to say on it,” said Burns.

“So we are operating in a very hostile environment, there’s no doubt about it, and it’s disappointing to say that because of all the work we do reaching out. That’s where we are.”

Amended at 10.09am to correct wording on signs in Randalstown.