Hill 16 may provide the answer for hosting soccer at Croker

THE cost of converting Croke Park to facilitate soccer or rugby internationals “is impossible to calculate”, according to Stadium Director Peter McKenna.

He said yesterday that the floodlighting would be a more complex and time consuming process than the issue of stadium segregation for international soccer fixtures.

"There would be lots of issues to be considered," Mr McKenna admitted yesterday. "The two codes have very different requirements whether it be floodlighting or segregation. Each governing body would then have specific requirements which would have to be considered before hosting any event."

A number of those against changes to Rule 42 highlighted concerns over segregation prior to the weekend Congress.

However Mr McKenna said that there are a number of options available to Croke Park including the use of Hill 16 in it's current state.

The stadium has been designed along vertical circulation as opposed to horizontal which means that spectators can walk from the Hogan Stand through the Canal End to the Cusack Stand uninterrupted. However the Hill 16 area is naturally segregated and may provide the answer for hosting soccer games.

"Segregation rules would have to be put in place," Mr McKenna said yesterday. "But there are also some instances where terracing is in use in soccer for example Fulham use terracing in the Premiership as do a number of German stadia in the Bundesliga.

"That would be an issue for the FAI and it would be interesting to see what the regulations are. There is a degree of greyness on the matter the new northern end is designed to the best standards of terracing so that would be an interesting consideration."

He explained that seating requirements in Hill 16 could be easily achieved. "The terrace steps can take seats on a temporary or permanent basis. As these rules on stadia and terracing can change from time to time we incorporated the potential need for seating into the initial design. So at a rough estimate we could have 8,000 seats in place in a very short period of time."

Floodlighting is another issue which has to be addressed before the stadium can host night-time fixtures. Though Croke Park is wired for floodlighting, the process would be extremely complex.

"Firstly, what type of lighting would have to be decided there are lights which are better suited to soccer than rugby so then you are considering very specific lux factors and details. Obviously whatever we chose would have to suit hurling and football as well.

"It would be impossible to estimate a cost on floodlighting. Depending on what system is chosen there may be weight changes which would require work on the structure of the roof. It would be like a domino effect as regards the costings."

"Before we finalise all of that we would have to consider light spill and the impact that the floodlights would have on the surrounding residential area. Then planning permission would have to be sought and gained," McKenna said.

That suffered a blow yesterday when local residents vowed to oppose planning permission for floodlighting at the venue. A furious Pat Gates of the Croke Park Area Residents' Alliance said: they will object to any floodlight plans. "The GAA has treated us with contempt. We want the GAA to put more energy and resources into trying to address cleaning, policing, crowd control and disruption. If they reach out to us, we will reach out to them. They haven't been playing ball with us in any way."

Fintan Farrelly of Croke Park Street Associations' Association said some are threatening to block roads on match days and are also intent protesting over the development of the new Jury's Hotel adjacent to Croke Park. "We will take every action we can to stop it. We are looking at taking injunctions out," Farrelly added.