GAA to meet deadline for installing floodlights at Croker

[Dave Cahill]

GAA on target to meet deadline for installing floodlights at Croke Park


CROKE PARK is on course to light up for the Coca Cola international rules series in November.

The first stage of the planning process for state of the art floodlighting at the venue has been approved by Dublin City Council.

Now the GAA must wait a period of five weeks to see if there are objections to their plans. If there are objections an appeal process could take a further three months but even then a five to six week installation period, provided there are no hitches, would see the lights ready for the second rules match in early November.

"We've passed the first stage of three stages," said Croke Park stadium manager Peter McKenna. "Dublin City Council has served notice of permission to grant," he explained.

McKenna said there were a few conditions to the granting of permission but he expressed delight with the development.

"I think there was general satisfaction with our design which is sensitive to the area. When the lights are not in use they won't be visible from outside the stadium," he said.

"The lights on the stands sit back into the roof while the gantry on the Hill 16 end can be lowered and hidden out of sight when not in use," he said.

"When we were in design stage we had the impact of the area as a priority and I think this was recognised by the council. Obviously the next phase will be to deal with potential objections. There is a five week period for appeals which would then go forward to An Bord Pleanála."

The fact that that no further information was sought by the council has made a November deadline a real probability now for the GAA.

However, local residents may still mount objections, though a spokesman for the Croke Park residents' alliance, Pat Gates, was non committal last night.

"We're currently in talks with the GAA about a broad range of issues relating to Croke Park so we're not commenting on this development by agreement," said Gates.

The installation of lights would bring Croke Park into a new domain and provide a facility to play evening matches at later times if necessary.

There will also be more flexibility for international rugby and soccer fixtures in 2007. Croke Park hosts its first championship afternoon of the season on Sunday when Meath play Louth and Offaly play Westmeath in two local derbies. A crowd of 40,000 is expected.

Colm Keys

[thecoolfreak]

Hope they get the floodlights. Would help add to the occasion when we play England next year.

[Uncle Mort]

Hope they get the floodlights. Would help add to the occasion when we play England next year.

The geriatric English players might actually get to see the ball (see but not handle - it's the white thing up there in the sky, disappearing over your heads, flying into touch near your goal line. Yes that's it the white slippery thing that Steve Thompson can't throw and Charlie Hodgson can't kick)

[epaddy]

Hope they get the floodlights. Would help add to the occasion when we play England next year.

Certinley would. It wouldnt be much of an occasion playing in the dark thats for sure