Prison governor hits out at Croker pub plans

The governor of Mountjoy prison John Lonergan said today the GAA was sending out the wrong message by putting pubs in Croke Park.

The association has received the go-ahead to construct 11 bars and restaurants around the 82,000-capacity stadium.

Mr Lonergan said it contradicted the GAA’s image as a role model for young people in Irish society.

“Just recently the GAA said they were going to appoint a national co-ordinator for drink and drug abuse and that they were going to be proactive about healthy living.

But at the same time they’re building and creating 11 more outlets so that everybody going into Croke Park can get more alcohol. What the hell sort of a message is that to be giving out?”

Mr Lonergan is best known for his humanitarian approach towards the inmates of Mountjoy, the state’s oldest prison.

He said some of the GAA’s explanations for the new bars were hilarious.

“One was they were concerned about the exit of so many people from Croke Park at the one time and if they were drinking more in Croke Park, therefore they wouldn’t be causing havoc on the streets.”

He also said that it contradicted the dedicated approach of many GAA players.

“You’ve teams that are absolutely, totally dry for six months and on the other hand, we’re saying to them: ‘Come and drink all you want and we’ll increase the outlets and make sure you get plenty of it’.”

Mr Lonergan was a member of the GAA Task Force on Alcohol, which published its report last year.

He grew up playing hurling in Bansha, Tipperary and as a member of the Kilmacud Crokes GAA club in South Dublin, he coached several teams at underage levels.

“Because I am a member of the GAA and very committed to the GAA and because it’s in every parish, I do believe the GAA have a particular opportunity to give example,” said Mr Lonergan.

The Croke Park Street Committees Association has raised concerns about the new bars, which were given planning permission by Dublin City Council last week.

Croke Park, which was built at a cost of €246m, already serves alcohol on match days to up to 10,000 supporters in the corporate box and premium seat sections.

Stadium director Peter McKenna said John Lonergan’s comments would be taken on board by the GAA.

“He is in a position that is very close to some of the problems that come from alcohol abuse and he’s a very well respected individual.”

However, he said the new outlets in Croke Park would not be superpubs.

“We’d be very conscious of operating this in a very responsible and measured way. We won’t be serving drink during the games and we won’t be serving drink an hour after the games.”

Mr McKenna said that serving alcohol had been common practice in American stadiums in the US for a number of years, as well as in Lansdowne Road.