More Opposition To The Maze

aarons · Post by **aarons** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:52 pm

Caolan wrote:
bogboy wrote:Except the" reality is " that in Ulster unlike the rest of Ireland there is little transferance of allegiance between sports .Poeple in Limerick would watch Rugby on a Saturday and GAA on a Sunday that doesn't happen in Belfast
I'm actually inclined to agree, in general - and this also tends to be the case, albeit to a lesser degree, in Leinster in my experience. I'm from county Down, and have lived in Derry and Antrim, but I couldn't name a single gaelic footballer who has ever played for any of these teams, or how successful they have been, or even recent history - I only discovered that Tyrone were in the AI final last year when I was checking out the GAA annual report the other day for attendance records. And this is true of my wider group of mates back home.

perhaps this is a issue where people from a unionist and people of a nationalist background differ. i'm a bit of a hybrid, i'll admit, but i've been to many games in all three football codes - in soccer, i've spent as much time in windsor as lansdowne.

as a generalisation, catholics will watch gaa, soccer (probably english club and internationals in dublin, but some middle-class catholics will go to windsor, and definitely rugby)

interestingly, i think there's a lot of northern nationalists who are very excited by the irish rugby team - players like o'driscoll, and the element of success we've had recently, are very attractive to them. but they don't identify with provincial rugby in ulster. which could be for any number of reasons.

aarons · Post by **aarons** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:56 pm

mikerob wrote:Perhaps the people that originally requested the Maze information should pursue this with http://www.ico.gov.uk/ ?

didn't someone suggest this above

no one ever listens to me

aarons · Post by **aarons** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:59 pm

Cockatrice wrote:aaron- I have over the years changed my signature from time to time yet I have to say this is the first time it has drawn so much attention. I was also unaware that I was leading a campaign.

i don't think i said you were, CT. i just asked if you'd be willing to take a positive step. remember, one man can make a difference.

don't disagree with any of your points above.

GerryO' · Post by **GerryO'** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:08 pm

aarons
exactly what do you want? Or what is your preferred option?

jamesie · Post by **jamesie** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:13 pm

yes please tell us... the splinters from the fence have your a*se in an awful state ron!!!

mikerob · Post by **mikerob** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:22 pm

aarons wrote:
mikerob wrote:Perhaps the people that originally requested the Maze information should pursue this with http://www.ico.gov.uk/ ?
didn't someone suggest this above

no one ever listens to me

Sorry

But you didn't supply a link and a case study like I did!

aarons · Post by **aarons** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:53 pm

jamesie wrote:yes please tell us... the splinters from the fence have your a*se in an awful state ron!!!

i think i said this somewhere above, or maybe in another thread.

but for the record, my preferred option is a redeveloped ravenhill for the majority of ulster's games, and a national stadium somewhere of an aspirational capacity (40,000) that could handle the odd big Ulster game, the odd showpiece GAA match, the NI games, concerts, and the odd Ireland rugby match. I don't care if it's in the Maze or in Belfast - I don't think city centre stadiums are the holy grail, they have their good points and bad points.

If the redevelopment of Ravenhill isn't on the cards, then.. I think a Belfast stadium is more important. But there's no way that a 40,000 capactiy stadium hosting everything will work. So, if there's no Ravers, then i guess I want a 25,000-30,000 stadium somewhere in Belfast. It no longer really needs to hold GAA games, as the GAA have venues of this size readily available.

Am i off the fence now?

but i mainly don't want to spend the next year at ravers surrounded by negative campaigning and objectionable slogans. i want a clean, fair fight (not that the government is playing fair, but we should)

pwrmoore · Post by **pwrmoore** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:58 pm

mikerob wrote:
GerryO' wrote:The real question is this. Has there ever been a stadium built where political correctness was such a dominant theme or where the government was in such desperation to appease tribal factions?
You can call it that - but you can also call it "wishful thinking" and I can think of several stadia that have failed because of this - I think at least one stadium built for Euro 2004 in Portugal is now virtually empty, the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, the huge out-of-town stadium in Melbourne that the AFL got rid off...

The Olympic stadium in Montreal is the home of the Montreal Expos Baseball team and a mighty fine venue it is too

mikerob · Post by **mikerob** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:13 pm

pwrmoore wrote: The Olympic stadium in Montreal is the home of the Montreal Expos Baseball team and a mighty fine venue it is too

... was the home... the Expos lost their franchise to Washington 2 years ago and don't exist anymore! The architecture is impressive but impractical and there has had to be ongoing major rebuilding works and it can't be used during the winter because of safety fears. It took Montreal over 30 years to pay for it and currently there are no pro sports teams using it as their base - seems to be mainly monster truck shows. I worked in Canada for a while and got its full gory history...

GerryO' · Post by **GerryO'** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:13 pm

Thanks arrons. So we aren't that far apart really. Personally, I would scrap Ravenhill entirely and move the whole show to Ormeau or wherever. Otherwise we agree.

jamesie · Post by **jamesie** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:30 pm

people agreeing with each other??? ...down with that sort of thing!!!

as it happens aaron i agree

bogboy · Post by **bogboy** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:56 pm

I don't believe it doesn't happen i.e that some go to both GAA and Rugby or Northern Ireland Football Internationals but that it does not occur to the same extent as in the South.

The point I wished to make was that I believe that the GAA preference has been put in the public domain in order to mislead the non sporting public in to thinking that the objections to the Maze by Rugby and Football Supporters is an act of bigotry.

The Maze will always have a symbolic significancy to some and the significance will vary as to political persuasion with or without a CRC so it makes little difference whether it is there or not.

With regards to Ravenhill I do not see IRFU wishing to sell it in the short term or even possible in the long term since even if were not to be used as the home of Ulster Rugby as a playing venue it could still be used as a training ground and for lesser matches like the Schools Cup under 19s and under 21s School boy Interpros etc which would be totally out of place in a National Stadium and even Club Matches

But the availablity of a National Stadium in Belfast would save the IRFU alot of money in terms of redeveloping Ravenhill and I am sure the residents would feel their property values would be enhanced by the none redevelopment of Ravenhill even though the proposals at this time are for a reduced capacity

aarons · Post by **aarons** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 4:13 pm

jamesie wrote:people agreeing with each other??? ...down with that sort of thing!!!

as it happens aaron i agree

phew, i might actually be able to do some work tomorrow..

banditt · Post by **banditt** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:09 pm

AARON. am i right in thinking GG sports is ur NO1 sport............do you have time to watch rugby?.

banditt · Post by **banditt** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:19 pm

ok aaron G A A SPORTS.......................................