Letter: A stadium in central Belfast would give us a venue we all would be proud of
A letter from Jimmy Miller:
It appears the Irish Football Association has scored another massive own goal in agreeing to the proposed redevelopment of Casement Park.
Once again sport on this side of the border looks likely to suffer with this decision, just as rugby did back in the late 1880s.
Everything is being channelled into having Casement Park ready to host a series of games in the 2028 Euro Championships, but after that, what can the venue offer football on these shores?
Going back, when the Irish Rugby Football Union was formed in 1874 – the amalgamation of two associations either side of the border – it led to an all-Ireland team that was scheduled to play one game in Dublin, the next in Belfast.
Ravenhill, however, did not meet the necessary requirements. Ireland played their first game at Lansdowne Road in March 1887 because it had the suitable requirements to host games.
International games have remained there, with the venue being rebuilt in 2007-2010. Although the Kingspan, the home of Ulster Rugby has also been redeveloped, it was to a much smaller scale, which makes it impossible to host major international matches.
Casement Park will have a similar effect. Once the Euros are over, how many football games will be played there? It will become a wonderful venue for Gaelic games.
It means that businesses in Northern Ireland will again miss out on much-needed revenue... hotels, bars, shops, bed and breakfast outlets, taxis; just as Dublin benefits from every international rugby match.
Would it not be more viable for the football, rugby and GAA authorities to get together and to build a sports stadium at the north side or the Titanic side of the Belfast Lough, a venue that could host all three sports?
There is a reluctance from the west Belfast people in terms of their Casement commitment. They don’t want 34,000 people cramming into their area, blocking streets and driveways with cars, which is quite understandable.
The Titanic area has ample space and has infrastructure required in terms of easy access to motorways, buses, trains, etc.
Estimates for Casement redevelopment appear to be spiralling on a weekly basis. But with government funding, grants, contributions from all three sporting associations and any other financial help they can get their hands on, at least a stadium in central Belfast would give us a venue we all would be proud of.
Jimmy Miller, Newtownards