Flood liaises in light talks

Discussions are under way between Croke Park and local residents to thrash out agreement over the installation of floodlights in the stadium. They are being mediated by Finbarr Flood, former chair of the Labour Court and chair of the Decentralisation Implementation Group.

The installation is still subject to planning permission and residents have made it clear they are unhappy at the prospect both of night-time matches and the advent of rugby and soccer internationals to the venue.

Although the proposal will be of major importance to next year's rugby and soccer internationals, it wouldn't, if it proceeds, significantly impact on the GAA's schedules in the near future.

Beyond the International Rules series every second autumn there is no anticipated use for the lighting for major Gaelic games matches. But Peter McKenna, the stadium director, says the facility would nonetheless be of benefit to the GAA.

"You never know how these things develop. If there were changes to the championship, if the format was enhanced perhaps, there could be a role but at the moment the lights would be of limited use for championship fixtures.

"Looking at schools and colleges, which have been part of the tradition at Croke Park during the championship off-season, those fixtures would benefit from floodlights. Through the winter up until February there's virtually no reliable light after about 3.30."

The floodlights would be the strongest yet installed in Ireland, as they would be potentially required to illuminate a hurling match. "We would be looking to install top-of-the-range floodlights, around 2,000 lux (unit of measurement for such installations), which is up with the standards suitable for international cricket," said McKenna.

"Television coverage ideally demands lights of around 1,200 lux whereas the temporary lights in the RDS for Leinster's rugby matches would be less than half of that."

Night matches have proved very successful in recent years with the National Leagues staging increasing numbers of matches under lights and the number of venues capable of hosting them will expand with other grounds installing lights.

At the end of last year the facility helped revitalise the Railway Cup, attracting good crowds to Parnell Park for Leinster's semi-final and final.

"The experience was very positive," said Jim Forbes, chair of the Cork County Board, of Páirc Uí Rinn who hosted the first floodlit League matches in 2003.

"We've even played county finals under lights in the past year. It's the way forward for fixtures and I would say we'll see the majority of national league matches played under lights. That will leave more Sundays free for the clubs and allow more people to attend those fixtures.

"There's no doubt about the appeal for spectators. We were getting crowds of 12,000 and 13,000 and you wouldn't get those numbers on a Sunday afternoon.

"Likewise we have found that at the end of the year when you play club finals it's possible to start at 3.30, which adds to the crowds."

He doesn't see Croke Park as being a likely venue for floodlit football and hurling matches just now but like McKenna, feels the potential is there for the future.