Madam, - The quarter-finals of the All-Ireland hurling championship take place on July 24th and 31st. The line-up is as follows: Cork v Waterford; Clare v Wexford; Galway v Tipperary; Kilkenny v Limerick.
Would some member of the GAA please explain why all these matches are being played in Croke Park? None of the counties involved are close to Dublin. Why not consider the following as alternative venues: Galway v Tipperary: Limerick; Cork v Waterford and Kilkenny v Limerick: Thurles; Clare v Wexford: Limerick, Thurles or even Kilkenny. Surely it makes sense to play matches at venues between the two counties involved to make it easier for supporters and also to ensure bigger crowds.
Limerick can hold 50,000 people, Thurles 55,000. If Limerick and Thurles were both filled twice that would be 210,000 spectators, far more than can be fitted into Croke Park twice. - Yours, etc,
ALAN McCARTHY,
Castletroy,
Limerick.