Mulvihill's vision lauded

News: GAA president Sean McCague yesterday paid tribute to the association's director general, Liam Mulvihill, for his driving role in the redevelopment of Croke Park.

McCague was speaking at the official opening of the new Hogan Stand and Canal Ends, which represent the second and third phases of the stadium's redevelopment over the last decade.

"We were fortunate to have a man in the right place at the right time who had the vision to create a future vista for Croke Park unknown as a concept in these islands," said McCague.

"Liam Mulvihill had come to believe that the various individual components which constituted Croke Park had exceeded, or had close to exceeded, their sell-by date. He therefore formulated the cohesive, integrated plan to totally redevelop Croke Park to the highest international standards."

Among those present was Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Dermot Lacey. In his tribute to the GAA, Lacey described the new stadium as "a project of which all Irish people can be proud".

The total cost of the redevelopment to date has been over €220 million, €69.8 million of which, so far, has come from Government grants.

Planning permission was recently granted for the fourth and final phase of the redevelopment, the northern terrace area, but McCague reiterated the financial difficulties that project is likely to face.

"It is no secret that the works that may be carried out there will be dictated by cost and cash flow. The only certainty at this stage is that the northern end will remain as a terrace area and that we will try insofar as we can to address the obvious consistency and aesthetics issues that arise."