If you ever get to Croke Park for a match you will discover there is not a bad seat in the House, a truly awesome venue - electric and buzzing when full.
Great vid, Rob. It’s important also to remember that the pitch for gaelic games is so much bigger than a ‘soccer’ or rugby field. It’s why football and rugby grounds in the UK (eg) seem more compact. Looking forward to catching up with your International Rules video. (Although I personally think it’s a bit of a flawed ‘fusion’!) 😉☘️💚
A lot of it was built during the time the British were here so your observations are correct and definitely no offence taken.reall enjoy your coverage and interest.thank you.hope you come over.
Pitch Manager at Croke Park Stadium, GAA National Games is Stuart Wilson he was I think the Arsenal FC groundsman. I was only ever at a game a Croke once and it was the 2009 Republic of Ireland v France world cup playoff first leg we lost 1 nil and the rest history with the hand of Thierry Henry, in France.
They are a few other irish stadiums that a very interesting for a vr monday AVIVA stadium Thomond Park in limerick an iconic rugby stadium Pairc ui chaoimh (park i keev) in cork city a newly redeveloped stadium Fitzgerald stadium in kilarney for the scenery aswell as the actual stadium Semple stadium in thurles which is not a very modern stadium ,but its iconic since the GAA was founded in the town which only has a population of 7000 yet the stadium holds 45000 and in the past 55000. Windsor park in belfast small but perfectly formed state of the art newly redeveloped stadium Ravenhill in belfast like windsor park small but redeveloped to the highest standard
The reason why one part has only a low stand and no roof is because directly behind that stand is the Grand Canal, and the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) rail line. A full stand couldn't be built without blocking both. That small stand is called 'Hill 16'. so named because its base was rubble from the destruction in Dublin in the Easter Rising in 1916. Croke Park is a stunning piece of architecture, and remarkable for amateur sports to have such an incredible stadium. The stadium also has a dark period in its history, when British forces in 1920, angered at the killing of members of its spy network by Michael Collins that morning, broke into the stadium during a match and opened fire on the crowd and players. Though the stands are continuous, the names of the old separate stands before the building of the modern stadium, survive, with one side the Cusack Stand, and one side the Hogan Stand - the latter named after a player killed in that shooting by the British Black and Tans. On her state visit in 2011, Queen Elizabeth II made a point of visiting the stadium in an act of remembrance for the slain. The visit was a triumph for the Queen and Duke, and won so much respect for them in Ireland. The visit to Croke Park ('Croker' as it is nicknamed) was one of the highlights. RIP Your Majesty.
I have often felt that the Croke Park Stadium has an unfinished appearance because of the standing terrace area at one end, the famous Hill 16 but there are important reasons for that end being left as it is. Behind that area is a railway line that prevents building going outwards from the back of Hill 16. Given the constraints caused by city planning it would be very difficult to move that line, which of course will not happen just to accommodate the GAA. More important for many is the demands of many GAA supporters that Hill 16 be kept more or less as it is, and remain a memorial to the 1916 Easter Rising as it is said that it was originally composed of rubble from O'Connell Street that was dumped there after the Rising.
I think that the name was changed in 1920s from Hill 60. Its name was originally "Hill 60". That name came from a hill of the same name in Gallipoli on which the Connaught Rangers suffered heavy casualties in late August 1915.
There was talk of the 4 sides of the stadium being uniformed at one point, But "Hill 16" has historical significance. If Dublin are playing in croker & you are a Dubs fan, then you'll want "Hill Tickets" that's where the die-hard Dublin fans hang out, that'll be the best spot with the best craic in croker on matchday.
The two all ireland hurling finals are available on GAA Highlights .Only 24000 were allowed in where for the first limerick v waterford there would normally be about 50 000 and the second one cork v kilkenny about 60 000 , but still a great atmosphere.40 000 will be allowed for the all ireland in two weeks depending on the pandemonia situation.
Hi Rob that train line behind Croker is one of the main line routes to the country but their is another train line at the front of croke park where people from the outer suburbs can travel to croker on match day and its right across the street from croker
When you made reference to the black Country I knew what you meant. That part of the stadium is called the canal end. The uncovered part is hill 16. Built from the rubble when the British bombarded Dublin in 1916. Talks to cover but reckon we'll stop that. Too historic. And a wee bit of rain isn't that bad eh
I’m now listening to the fans leaving the ladies final today Meath V Kerry, I live a bit up from the stadium. Rain stopped for the game. Perfect. July 31st. That’s a canal by the way and the train station is up on Drumcondra rd. close by but not on the canal.🇮🇪👍🏻
Sorry Rob if you were wondering why the stand didn't continue around hill 16 the terrace the GAA don't own any land at back of the hill so it was not practical to continue because their are houses on the other side of the hill so it would leave them in perminant darkness by the way rob croke park cost €260 million the national lottery contributed €20 million and a fun fact rob that train line at the canal end cause the GAA a problem because they moved croke park a bit closer to the canal the old croker was just this side of the canal but the new one is now extends over the canal and therefore the train line so the GAA had to negotiate with the train company who wanted the GAA to pay for the airspace above the train line at that end the price agreed per years for that airspace is €10000 about £8000 🙂🙂🙂
Our national sports are a reflection of the people of Ireland. Ireland has 32 counties, with 6 of them temporarily under British rule. These counties are divided in various numbers of parishes, each parish has at least one GAA club. From the smallest to the largest they are all run by volenteers.The games are played by amateur men and women. Loyalty to ones club is paramount.
It is true to say that croke park is the biggest stadium in the world for an amateur sport ,but its not or even close to the biggest at which amateur sportspeople perform.The American college football stadiums are huge the biggest are well over 100 000 and while the student athletes are on scholarship they are not paid to play and the rules protecting amateurism are incredibly strict even more so than the GAA.
How strange the timing of this vision. Australia plays Ireland in a mixed Gaelic and AFL game called International rules . You have Four post not the usual two with a cross bar
Because the Gaelic games that Croke Park is built for have a much larger pitch size than rugby or soccer, the stadium is built with steeper terraces to give everyone a good view. I've seen (on screen, not in person) American football played there, on a tiny little patch lost in the middle of the vast sea of grass.
The unfinished end, Hill 16, is partly kept the way it is partly for historical and memorial reason. During the Easter Rising of 1916 when the rebellion started there was a GAA football match happening at the time. The British army drove an armoured vehicle into the stadium while the match was going on and opened fire on the civilian crowd killing 16 people as a sort of punishment to the Irish people as GAA is associated with Irish culture and nationalism, even though the people there weren't involved in the rebellion. You can see a recreation of the even in the movie Michael Collins with Liam Neeson
Three additional points: "Hill 16" was built with the rubble of the Easter Rising 1916 bomb damaged city centre; also, there was a demand from Dublin fans to retain the "Hill" as a standing only section; finally, Croke Park has Handball Allies - a third GAA game - as well as world class conference, dining and bar facilities.
You are confusing dates. That did not happen in 1916 it was in 1920, four years later during the war of independance. The reason hill got its name was because the hill was built from the rubble caused by the 1916 rising, an event 4 years before bloody Sunday which you refer to.
I have been there a few times and my brother in law was at conference there and he got lost trying to leave luckily a worker found him or he would still be there its that huge. The uncovered end is hill 16 and backs on to the railway which meant that they couldn't really put a stand similar to the rest of the stadium.Plus its beloved by dublin GAA fans and generates a huge atmosphere and since they wasn't much of a history of crowd trouble or a hillsborough type event in ireland all seaters were not needed as such.Saying that overcrowding was an issue in the old stadium before redevelopment however the GAA took preventive action in making Hill 16 safer yet retaining it and its atmosphere.That river is actually a canal.
Have to say, while Lansdowne Road (ie the AVIVA) was being rebuilt and rugby union was played there with the GAAs agreement, I was left with the impression that Croke Park was a better stadium with a better atmosphere that came through on TV and a couple of our Irish players said the same having been in person. It was almost a let down when the 6 nations games left Croke Park.
@@GarethT902 Indeed and it was a huge thing for them to do so. However I still wish they could alter said rule to let the Central Council have more flexibility because its a hell of a venue…..
@@timfitzmaurice537 Its not really the GAA that is preventing that from happening obviously when england come over Croke park would be ideal,but the IRFU have to play all there 6nations games at the AVIVA otherwise they(aviva) will withdraw there sponsorship and naming rights.
@@galoglaich3281 Yes, contracts with AVIVA is a finance issue at the moment, but those cycles change. So there would be potential in the future but the Rule 42 that got passed only gave the GAA Council flex to do this from their side specifically while Lansdowne road was being developed (unless they have changed them since - I dont follow gaelic sports enough to know). Theres also the simple practical issue of if there is a gap for the fixtures quite apart from the finance and governance on both sides. Also the IRFU has to sell up an asset and become a tenant unless they bought in and either of those gets messy. I rather suspect we wont see rugby at Croke Park again except maybe if Ireland got the World Cup alone or in a combined bid
@@timfitzmaurice537 I suppose when the stadium is fully paid for the IRFU will be less dependent on naming rights.I think the GAA have made croke park available since for other sports and only croke park and therefore they are still issues like the liam miller testamonial in Pairc Ui Chaoimh but that game eventually went ahead in PUC .
I think its fair to call Dublin articheticually British since it was under British rule when most of the city was constructed. Croke Park (usually pronounced without the k) is north Dublin so you might have noticed a lot of the houses nearby are more working class. While Lansdowne/Aviva is south Dublin which tends to be a more upmarket area.
@@RobReacts1 yeah it is pretty much a mini England. Working class north side, posh South side, some lovely beach towns and farmland along the outskirts
@@qwertyTRiG I agree, I'm from Crumlin, D.12, Southside n all working class no middle-class, also the stupidity narrative that South-side is posher is laughable as 90+% of us are working class but the Dublin 4 types control the system, thanks to R.T.E. (State propaganda) that only the posh entitled middle/upper class are in the South-side, even though they're minnows compared to the "Proper D.12's” n most other areas are staunch working class, that outnumber them easily by 9/1. No animosity to any1 no matter their social class, but be realistic boys n girls. Much Love from your D.12 Bro's
British guy goes to Croke Park oblivious to the Historic significance of the stadium and the massacre carried out by Crown forces on Bloody Sunday in 1920 who opened fire on the crowd attending a Gaelic football match. Fourteen people were killed or fatally wounded and dozens more were injured.
Veronicadredd22v There is a time and place for history and politics and this is not it.Leave the lad alone he is learning about our capital city and our sports and being respectful while doing so.
No need for the tone to be fair. Educate by all means, but don't have a go at the lad. @Robreacts has done nothing but shown our national sports the utmost of respect and admiration, and now has given us and the world a great VR tour of Croke park. ps. FYI @RobReacts that historical event is one of the big reasons why hosting 'foreign sports' and specifically the Ireland vs England 6 Nations Rugby match in Croke Park was viewed as such a big deal, and a big gesture by the GAA. Thanks for the great content you produce.
Hi Rob 👋 I have a change to make on my comment on your VR tour of croke park I way over went the number of people who would need to attend a suoerbowl I said 40 million it's actually 4 million I multiplied 830000 by 47 instead of 83000 by 47 but still an amazing statistic I saw a comment about American college football yes they get over a 100000 but once again they could have a 100 million people within 50 miles of the stadium 🏟 so I would still give croker the number one spot and just in case you don't know the all Ireland football final is on Saturday at 5pm Tyrone against Mayo Tyrone last won the all Ireland in 2008 Mayo last won the all Ireland in 1951 its said that a curse was put on Mayo because when they were returning to Mayo after the win in 1951 the cavalcade would get bugger and bigger the closer they got to home they would accompanied by certainly hundreds even thousands of travelling supporters and and the nearer they got to Mayo the bonfires would be lit and thousands more would join the parade however the Mayo team met up with a funeral and the tradition was is is still you pay your respect even if you don't know the deceased but Mayo ignore the funeral and passed by it without stopping to pay their respects someone I presume a member of the family of the deceased put a curse that Mayo would never win another all Ireland final till every last player on that Mayo team was dead 70 years later only 1 of those players is still alive it will be interesting to see if the curse will end on Saturday??? Now Rob Saturday will be an unusual day because it will be 31 counties rooting for Mayo I know that usually depending on which county is playing will cheer on their own province but even if most of Ulster cheer on Tyrone if Mayo win 🏆I am certain that all of Ireland will be delighted for them usually that 31 against 1 only applies to Dublin our country cousins hate to see us win 🙂🙂🙂 I know Ireland 🇮🇪we really are so different to just about everyone I would love if you did the same on Saturday as the hurling final once again it will be half full the government upped the capacity to 75% which would be 60000 but The GAA said they couldn't manage the extra numbers because they have to make sure everyone getting a ticket was fully vacanated so not enough time to do all the paperwork boo so much looking forward to this Saturday hope to see you on Saturday Rob take care 💙🤗😷😷😷
You can actually do a tour of inside as well if you are interested. crokepark.ie/meetings-events/blog/november-2019/3d-virtual-tours-at-croke-park-meetings-events