UK Government should pay for Casement Park as a goodwill gesture: Jarlath Burns

Jarlath Burns said the millions of pounds required could not be classed as “recompense” for hurt inflicted on the GAA community, as the government had “never apologised” for the Black and Tans killing 14 people at Croke Park in November 1920.

The incident referred to, which became known as Bloody Sunday, following a series of IRA attacks on suspected state agents that left at least 14 people dead.

In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC’s Talkback programme, Mr Burns also referred to a number of recent inquests where state agents were said to have been involved in the loyalist murders of GAA officials, and suggested that by paying for Casement the government could improve relations.

"A lot of very, very dangerous signals are being sent out to our community in recent times, by events which have happened around those coroner’s inquests. And I think it does behoove the British government to send out a signal to the GAA – ‘we aren’t anti-you, we do understand the incredible role that you play in community and health and cohesiveness… therefore we are going to do this for you,’” he said.

Mr Burns said that although the UK government has “never explained why they came in and did that” at Croke Park,” he “doesn’t want to be going back” into the past.

"If we go into the past it is a very sad story – our interactions with Britain – this (Casement Park) could be something that launches us into the future.”

DUP MP Jim Shannon has suggested that the overall cost of rebuilding Casement has risen from £77.5m to £220m, while Westminster sources have indicated that could now be as much as £300m.

Commenting on the prospect of the GAA paying back some of the government cash, he said: “That money will come back, and it will come back on 20% VAT on every ticket that is sold for it”.