Spectators urged to avoid taking cars to Croke Park

GARDAÍ ARE advising match-goers attending Croke Park tomorrow to take public transport where possible because of the lack of available parking spaces, traffic congestion and road closures.

Just 3,000 parking spaces will be available for the 80,000-plus spectators at the designated supervised car parks at Clonliffe College on Clonliffe Road and O’Connell School on North Richmond Street. No vehicles will be permitted to leave the car parks until the surrounding areas are free of pedestrian traffic.

A limited amount of on-street parking will be available. Gardaí have warned that illegally parked vehicles will be impounded or clamped and may be liable to a fine of €130.

The streets around the stadium will be closed to everything other than car park and local access.

From 8am tomorrow there will be road closures at the junction of the Lower Drumcondra Road andClonliffe Road, Fitzroy Avenue, Whitworth Place, Belvedere Road. The Ballybough Road will be closed at its junctions with Sackville Avenue, Foster Terrace, Clonliffe Avenue, O’Sullivan Avenue and Clonliffe Road. Gardiner Street Upper will also be closed at its junction with Sherrard Street.

Meanwhile, Dublin City Council’s long-term plans to ban match-goers from parking within two kilometres from Croke Park are set to be scrapped following more than 100 objections to the proposed bylaws.

Several TDs raised concerns about the ban, including former taoiseach Bertie Ahern who was worried that the parking restriction would stop people attending Mass.

The bylaws proposed to ban non-residents from parking near the stadium during major events such as All-Ireland games, soccer and rugby matches and concerts.

Those who flouted the ban would risk clamping, or the removal of their vehicles and have to pay a fee for their release.

The intended area stretched from the suburb of Glasnevin to Talbot Street in the city centre. Officials intend to recommend to council members that the planned ban is unworkable.