GAA PRESIDENT JARLATH Burns says they’d be ‘very supportive’ of Páirc Ui Chaoimh stepping into the Euro 2028 void left by Casement Park.
With the Belfast venue now out of the picture due to a lack of funding from the British government to redevelop it in time, alternative venues on the island could be proposed.
Cork’s Páirc Uí Chaoimh, redeveloped and reopened in 2017, and with a capacity of around 45,000, is an obvious contender from the GAA’s perspective.
Burns said it will ultimately come down to Uefa, who may wish to simply distribute more games to venues already on the rota, but he said the GAA would happily provide Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
“Obviously we in the GAA would be very supportive of that,” said Burns. “I have to give credit to the Tanaiste Michéal Martin and the Minister for Sport because I only mentioned it to Michéal Martin three days ago.
“It had been suggested to me by Kevin O’Donovan from Cork two months ago, just to plant the seed. We know that Páirc Uí Chaoimh is open for all business and we would recommend as many games as possible to be in it.
“It’s great how quickly they’ve come out of the blocks but at the end of the day, that’s a decision that will be made by Uefa. But if we were asked to nominate a stadium for the games that were to be in Casement Park, that they would definitely be in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in one of the most vibrant cities in the world, Corcaigh.”
On the possibility that Uefa may apportion games initially designated to Casement Park games to other grounds in the UK, Burns shrugged.
“I can’t speak for Uefa, that’s up to them, but the fact that the Tánaiste and the Minister for Sport came out very quickly in favour of it yesterday is very positive news for us,” he said.
“At the end of the day, it’s a decision for Uefa to make but we know exactly where we stand on that.”
A financial investment may be required to bring Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the home of Cork GAA, into line with Uefa requirements for a soccer tournament.
“Well, that’s something that is aspirational at the moment and that’s something we have considered, but certainly the GAA would be involved in any decision like that,” said the Armagh man.
Burns was speaking at this morning’s Hurling Development Committee media briefing in Croke Park where it was confirmed that a new National Head of Hurling will be appointed.
The Head of Hurling will have ‘responsibility for the overall strategic development of the game of hurling, with particular emphasis on designated counties’.
The influential committee, which includes Kilkenny great Brian Cody, is chaired by Antrim’s Terry Reilly.
Responding to a query on whether the new hurling chief would have the required ‘teeth’ to put pressure on individual counties who aren’t pushing or developing hurling, Reilly nodded.
“I would have thought that the conditions are primed now for the person in this role to have teeth like never before,” said Reilly. “Because you have a President who is fully behind what we’re doing.
“You have a member of management chairing it who is very focused, and we have a committee that’s keen, eager, willing and able to assist this person to bring the best possible programme we have ever.”
Burns said it is not simply a question of throwing more money at hurling.
“It requires money at a particular stage,” said Burns. “Before that, it requires structure and strategy and will and people who are willing to actually volunteer to get these hurling clubs up and running.
“That is a challenge, there’s no doubt, and it’s a long-term challenge, but my ideal would be that there would be money that could be applied for whenever the club is up and running.”
Burns described it as ‘one of the big days of my Presidency’ as developing hurling is one of the three ‘key objectives’ of his time in office.
“This is a very long-term project,” he said. “I won’t see any results at the end of my Presidency. We might start to see the basis of results on the 150th anniversary of the GAA, or we may not.”
