Sir, – In relation to the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast, I would respectfully suggest that the current Casement Park site is best suited to the development of a municipal stadium to house a variety of sporting events and, indeed, concerts and civic performances.
By virtue of the fact that it is already big enough to allow Gaelic games such as hurling and football, it is then big enough for other sports such as soccer and rugby to be played there as well, Croke Park being the example here.
Most importantly perhaps is that planning permission already exists for Casement Park as a venue. Trying to obtain planning permission for a new greenfield or brownfield site elsewhere would I’m sure prove onerous, time consuming and costly. Euro 2028 is after all just around the corner.
A capacity of circa 34,000 would be suitable for most events and could prove to be beneficial for all of the sports and communities in the north of Ireland. – Yours,etc,
GARY BROWN,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – I am a Northern nationalist. Indeed I played camogie in Casement Park in the early 1960s.
As a sporting enthusiast, I follow rugby, camogie, hurling, golf and, to a lesser degree, soccer.
However, I am concerned about the proposed plan for public money to be spent developing Casement Park for Euro 2028.
I can foresee it being a focus of interminable debate and division. It would be regrettable if such a wonderful opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland in a positive way would be overshadowed by the inevitable bickering and protesting.
The GAA should develop Casement Park for its own sports.
A modern 40,000-seater stadium is long overdue in Belfast, and it should be built by the governments of both UK and Ireland, for the use of any sport in Northern Ireland when that capacity is required.
I hope good sense will prevail. – Yours, etc,
COLETTE CUMMINS,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.