New York says ‘no’ to opening up Croke Park

NEW YORK GAA Board delegates have voiced their resounding opposition to the ending of Rule 42 during the temporary closure of Lansdowne Road.

The opening up of Croke Park to rugby and soccer while Lansdowne Road is redeveloped was put to a vote at Thursday night’s New York Board meeting at Gaelic Park following what was described by county secretary Larry McCarthy as a “reasoned yet somewhat passionate debate.”

The vote was clear-cut, however, and McCarthy said: “We voted ‘no’ by a six-to-one ratio.”

He admitted he had believed the vote would be closer: “Until I heard the debate and the depth of feeling. There were a couple of speakers, no-one lost their head over the issue. It was reasoned yet somewhat passionate.”

The New York secretary from Bishopstown, Cork, said he had been made aware that the votes of overseas delegations at Congress on April 16 would play a significant part in reaching the necessary two-thirds majority of all delegates to pass a motion but added that such a power-broking role had not influenced his board’s debate or vote on the issue.

“I read an article which outlined which way each delegation would vote and it said those in favour of opening up Croke Park were around 56 votes short of their desired two-thirds majority. It also said that those of us from overseas would have an important role in the overall outcome.”

New York has five votes at Congress. The North American County Board, which is the governing body for Gaelic games in all 50 states of the United States excluding the New York City metropolitan area, will not reach its decision until the eve of their delegate’s departure for Congress on Thursday.

With 11 adult clubs and 12 youth clubs across the US, NACB vice-chair Michael Kelly said their voting would have to be held via e-mail.

Kelly said: “We held a conference call with the board members and with the divisional board chairmen last week and have given them until Wednesday to have all their clubs respond by e-mail. Whatever the majority decision on that is, will be our decision. Our officers will leave for Dublin on Thursday and use our eight votes at Congress accordingly.”

The Philadelphia-based Tyrone man said he believed the voting was in the balance but he expected the NACB to travel with a mandate to vote in favour of opening up Croke Park.

“It could go either way. I don’t think there are strong feelings one way or the other but I’d say it’s probably leaning towards opening it up, at least for the three-year period.”