Walsh: Croker requests will receive backing

FORMER Munster Council chairman Noel Walsh, one of the driving forces behind the campaign to open Croke Park up to other sports, is confident the GAA will consider future requests for the use of their ground after the completion of the Aviva Stadium redevelopment.

A number of counties have backed calls to give Central Council the power to consider any such approaches instead of requiring congress to decide on the matter.

Kerry and Roscommon are supportive of the sentiments contained in the Clare motion which was deferred at this year’s Congress, he said that with the tacit support of the leadership ‘he would expect’ the proposal to be adopted.

“I would be more confident, there’s no question about that. I assumed at the time that we would be up against the opposition of the incoming President (Christy Cooney) and also the Ard Stiurthóir whose county (Monaghan) had voted against it four years previously. Now, the scenario has changed considerably,’’ he remarked.

“This is reflected in the fact that other counties have come out in support, so there may be a groundswell of support in favour. We were the only county (previously) putting in that motion. It won’t be a certainty because there will be opposition and you do require two-thirds. But, with the Uachtarán and the Ard Stiurthóir speaking the way they have – being favourable towards it – I expect it would be carried.’’

Páraic Duffy has indicated his personal preference for any future decisions on the use of Croke Park for other sports to rest with the Central Council.

And, earlier this week in Buenos Aires, during the Vodafone All Stars tour, Christy Cooney admitted he ‘wouldn’t have an issue’ with Congress deciding to give the power to Central Council to decide.

“What has happened over the last five years hasn’t been bad for the association, there’s no point saying otherwise,’’ he said. “Financially it’s been very good, and it has given a very good broad image of the association.”

While accepting the reality that there is little or no likelihood of any request from either the IRFU or the FAI for the use of Croke Park in the immediate future, Walsh believes there is always the possibility of an approach being made to the GAA in respect of a non-scheduled fixture that would exceed the capacity of the new Aviva stadium in Lansdowne Road. The ground capacity is 50,000, compared to 82,300 in Croke Park.

“You could have a situation where Central Council can respond either for or against a request.

“But, if the motion didn’t get through, you’d have to tell these people ‘we cannot grant this because it would require going back to Congress the following year’. You couldn’t do business in those circumstances. If this motion isn’t carried, it would be seen by many people as the GAA going into regressive mode again. They’d be going back to a rule which has caused a lot of controversy and this would not be seen in the best interests of the Association’’

The landmark decision to temporarily suspend Rule 42 (to allow other games be played in Croke Park) was taken on April 17, 2005 at annual Congress, on a 227/97 vote. The rule will revert to its original format once Aviva Stadium is opened in late summer.