Redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium on schedule
Comments made by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern that he would: “have my doubts until the day it opens” was a reference to the planning difficulties that the project is likely to encounter in such a built-up area. But Minister O’Donoghue remained upbeat about the work.
“I was pleased to announce on April 25 that the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company had selected the design and project management teams for this project,” he said yesterday.
“The preparatory work is now well advanced with the intention of lodging a planning application in December 2005 in accordance with the agreed timetable.”
The minister was speaking from the Ballsbridge venue where it was announced that the IRFU would receive a €3.5m grant from the Irish Sports Council to assist efforts to increase participation in the sport.
This brings to €15m the amount the ISC has contributed to the rugby union for this project since 2001. Similar grants to the FAI and GAA will be announced in the coming weeks.
The IRFU has been particularly successful in bringing its product to previously untapped areas and it was yesterday revealed that its famed Tallaght Project is now being expanded across the River Liffey to Swords, while areas in Cork and Limerick are to be also targeted in the near future.
The Tallaght Project has enjoyed unprecedented success in introducing rugby to areas where the game has little or no history or infrastructure.
“The term, Tallaght Project, is a euphemism in many ways,” explained the IRFU’s director of rugby development Eddie Wigglesworth. “This is an expansion of the concept. Over the last four years we’ve learned an extensive amount about going into what was essentially a green field site.
“We put in the bodies on the ground in what is an incredibly labour-intensive exercise. We learned an incredible amount from it, as did a lot of other people who came from overseas to look at the project.”
Gearóid Ferrick who co-ordinated the project which employed five development officers will again be involved in establishing the concept in Swords.
“The secret with the Tallaght Project is that, after a few years, you have to have an exit strategy and leave behind a self-sustainable entity,” said Wigglesworth. “That’s actually starting to happen with volunteers coming on board and there’s the possibility now of a new hybrid club there between Tallaght and Clondalkin.
"There’s a number of other pockets around Dublin and around the country in Cork, Limerick and we’ll target areas in those places in the next few years. It’s the old question of bums on seats, sports have to go where the population is.”
Meanwhile Lions skipper Brian O’Driscoll insists the disappointment of Monday night’s wretched performance against Argentina will soon be forgotten when the tourists land in New Zealand.
A 25-25 draw with the Pumas was hardly the ideal way to start the tour, but O’Driscoll believes, with six more games scheduled before the first Test on June 25, players will get another opportunity to impress.
“There was the realisation against Argentina that we had only been together for four days of training, so we always knew things weren’t going to be perfect,” said the Ireland captain.
“There were some guys in the team who were a little disappointed with their displays but there will be further chances to show the selectors what they can do.
"Argentina was just one match in 12. They are one of the most difficult sides to play against in the world. They’re scrappy, they kill ball and are very good at competing at the tackle. Their style doesn’t lend itself to running rugby.”
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