Jarlath Burns: GAA backing Páirc to bring Euros to Cork, 'one of the most vibrant cities in the world'
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GAA president Jarlath Burns has confirmed the association nominated SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh to the Government as the alternative venue for the five Euro 2028 games that were to be played in Casement Park.
Burns prefaced his remarks by insisting it’s a decision for UEFA where those fixtures will be reassigned. However, he has been heartened by the support for the switch by Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne.
Revealing the idea had been floated by Cork chief executive Kevin O’Donovan during the summer, Burns said: “Obviously, we in the GAA would be very supportive of that. I have to give credit to the Tánaiste Micheál Martin and the Minister for Sport because I only mentioned it to Micheál Martin three days ago.
“It had been suggested to me by Kevin O’Donovan from Cork two months ago just to plant the seed. We know that Páirc Uí Chaoimh is open for all business and we would recommend as many games as possible to be in it.
“It’s great how quickly they’ve come out of the blocks but at the end of the day that’s a decision that will be made by UEFA but if we were asked to nominate a stadium for the games that were to be in Casement Park that they would definitely be in Páirc Ui Chaoimh in one of the most vibrant cities in the world, Corcaigh.”
There have been suggestions UEFA could move the games due to be played in Belfast to venues in England, but Burns is buoyed by the Government’s support. On Tuesday, Byrne said he had contacted the FAI to put the Ballintemple venue and Croke Park “into the mix” as alternative venues.
Martin said: “We have raised with the powers-that-be the prospect perhaps of another fixture in the Euros, perhaps Páirc Uí Chaoimh could be.”
Burns continued: “I can’t speak for UEFA – it’s up to them – but the fact that the Tánaiste and the Minister for Sport came out very quickly in favour of it yesterday is very positive news for us. At the end of the day, it’s a decision for UEFA to make but we know exactly where we stand on that.”
Burns was speaking at a hurling development committee briefing (HDC) in Croke Park on Wednesday morning where, as the reported last week, a new head of hurling full-time position was announced.
Former Kilkenny All-Ireland SHC winning selector Martin Fogarty filled the role of hurling development manager between 2016 and ’21. The new role will have full strategic support of the GAA and the position was advertised on Wednesday.
The HDC is led by Antrim man Terry Reilly, who sits on GAA's management committee, and features the likes of Brian Cody, Fogarty, Neil McManus and Darragh Egan — the successful candidate will report to the body.
Saffron great Sambo McNaughton had previously called for a new directorial hurling development position to have "teeth" and there were assurances given that the new role will have just that.
“We were very lucky with the people that we have on it," said Burns of the HDC. "They are very forceful and the director of hurling will have teeth because they will answerable to a committee that have teeth.”
Reilly remarked: "I would have thought that the conditions are primed now for the person in this role to have 'teeth' like never before. Because you have a president who is fully behind what we're doing. You have a member of management chairing it who is very focused, and we have a committee that's keen, eager, willing and able to assist this person to bring the best possible programme we have ever."
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