Jarlath Burns says the GAA would support Páirc Uí Chaoimh being used to host matches at Euro 2028.
The GAA president has added the association’s backing to comments made by Tánaiste Michéal Martin and the Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne in recent days, suggesting the home of Cork GAA could host at least some of the Euro 2028 matches provisionally scheduled for Casement Park.
With Casement Park now out of the picture, Burns says the GAA are pitching Páirc Uí Chaoimh as an alternative venue for the tournament.
“Obviously, we in the GAA would be very supportive of that,” said Burns on Wednesday morning. “I have to give credit to the Tánaiste Michéal Martin and the Minister for Sport because I only mentioned it to Michéal 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, they would definitely be in Páirc Ui Chaoimh in one of the most vibrant cities in the world, Corcaigh.”
The stadium would require upgrade work to viewed as a viable venue by Uefa, but that is not something Burns believes is insurmountable.
“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 is very positive news for us,” he added. “At the end of the day, it’s a decision for Uefa to make but we know exactly where we stand on that.”
Speaking in the wake of the news in relation to Casement Park, the Tánaiste had backed his native Cork hosting Euro 2028 matches.
“We have raised with the powers-that-be the prospect perhaps of another fixture in the Euros, perhaps Páirc Uí Chaoimh,” Martin said earlier this week. “It has been raised with the FAI, I know Thomas Byrne has done that already and it’s available.
“It could be very challenging, but nonetheless we need to push the boat out in terms of improving our stadia and hosting more and more of these competitions or elements of these competitions.”
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
