History at Croker

The agreement reached yesterday between the GAA, the FAI and the IRFU on the use of Croke Park in 2007 for soccer and rugby internationals…

The agreement reached yesterday between the GAA, the FAI and the IRFU on the use of Croke Park in 2007 for soccer and rugby internationals is a milestone in the history of Irish sport.

Although a deal to open the magnificent stadium was effectively made at last year's GAA Congress the detailed negotiations between the three sporting bodies had still to be teased out and nothing was an absolute certainty until yesterday's announcement.

Fears that the Irish national soccer and rugby teams would be forced to play their games in Britain while Lansdowne Road was being redeveloped have finally been allayed. The sporting public can eagerly look forward to next year when Six Nations rugby and European Championship soccer will grace one of the finest stadiums in Europe.

Although expediency may have been the driving force in opening Croke Park, the symbolism of watching the national rugby and soccer teams at the home of the GAA should not be underestimated. For so long criticised as being too conservative and inward-looking, the GAA has shown an enlightened approach in recent years and this agreement underlines how far the association has moved towards embracing change in Irish society.

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Occasionally, the public has become frustrated at the pace of that change, but it was never going to be an easy sell to elements of an association that still views with suspicion the "garrison games" of soccer and rugby. History and tradition are two cornerstones of the GAA's success but they have also been used by recalcitrant members as a barrier to progress on and off the field.

Much of the credit for convincing the grassroots that there was more to be gained than lost by opening the gates of the stadium must go to outgoing president, Seán Kelly.

His tenure at the helm of the GAA has been marked by a refreshing honesty and openness that has percolated through to all areas of the association's activities. Yesterday's agreement is a fitting tribute to his astute handling of the most delicate issue in the GAA's recent history. He deserves credit for delivering what he described as an all-inclusive Ireland in sport.

Sport has often been badly served by the rivalry between the three principal sporting associations. Yesterday's accord reflects a new maturity that will have economic, social and sporting benefits for years to come. Financial windfalls aside, they have also served up the thrilling prospect of watching history being made as Steve Staunton and Brian O'Driscoll lead their soccer and rugby teams on to the famous turf of Croke Park in 2007.