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Rally held over failure to redevelop Casement Park

Mark Simpson
BBC News NI community correspondent
BBC Alex Maskey and Gerry Adams. Alex is bald with a white beard, wearing a denim jacket and blue shirt. Gerr has white hair and beard, wearing glasses and a South Antrim GAA zip top.BBC
Several thousand people, including former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams (r) and former Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey (l), gathered in west Belfast for the rally

Several thousand people, including former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, have attended a rally in west Belfast to protest about the failure to redevelop Casement Park stadium.

The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) ground has been lying derelict for more than a decade.

The protest was organised by South Antrim GAA, ahead of the Ulster Championship match between Antrim and Armagh at nearby Corrigan Park.

Organisers of the march and rally said it was to put pressure on Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn to do more to ensure the stadium is rebuilt.

A sign saying "Hilary Benn Tell Us When"
Protest signs included the slogans "Casement's calling, Gordon's stalling" and "Hilary Benn tell us when"

Protest signs included the slogans "Casement's calling, Gordon's stalling" and "Hilary Benn tell us when".

Casement costs

It is estimated that it would cost at least £260m to build a new stadium, but only around £120m is currently available.

Lyons has promised £62.5m from the Stormont executive, the GAA say it will pay £15m while the Irish government has pledged around £43m.

Casement Park, with a proposed 34,500 capacity, had been earmarked to host football games at the Euro 2028 football tournament but, with the project on hold, the plan has been shelved.

PA Media Casement Park GAA stadium in Belfast. The stands are derelict and run down and the pitch is overgroen.PA Media
Casement Park in west Belfast has been lying derelict more than a decade

Lyons has defended his handling of the planned Casement redevelopment and insisted the hold-up is not his fault.

Benn has also defended his actions, saying the British government cannot meet the full funding shortfall but will consider a contribution.

Former GAA player Oisin McConville, wearing blue jacket, trousers and top addresses the crowds at a rally held in west Belfast to protest about no action being taken to rebuild Casement Park. He is accompanied on stage by several other members of the public who watch on while he speaks.
Oisín McConville, a former All Ireland football championship winner, told the crowd "now is the time to get this thing done"

'Now is the time to get this thing done'

The rally was addressed by Oisín McConville, a former All Ireland football championship winner with Armagh in 2002.

"Other sports have nothing to fear from the rebuilding and the redevelopment of Casement Park. They have their stadiums and rightly so. But now is the time to get this thing done," he told the crowd.

"Remember, this is not a 'can we do it, will we do it', this is 'just get it done'.

"Whatever needs to happen, whoever needs to come together... I plead with you, get it done because the next generation, we want to see playing in Casement Park."

There were loud cheers for Mr McConville, even though the former Armagh GAA player ended his speech to the rally, mostly made up of Antrim fans, by saying "Up Armagh".

Kevin Gamble. He is bald with blue eyes, wearing a purple GAA top. Crowds of people are in the background.
Kevin Gamble, chairperson of South Antrim GAA, said "delaying tactics need to stop"

Kevin Gamble, chairperson of South Antrim GAA, said: "Delaying tactics need to stop.

"This generation of Gaels and the generations to follow deserve better."

Before the rally, protestors gathered at the O'Donovan Rossa GAA club before a mile-long walk to Casement Park.