Galway could host future Rugby World Cup event

BY CIARAN TIERNEY

Galway could become a host city for a future Rugby World Cup if the GAA presses ahead with plans to open up the use of six venues across the country, including Pearse Stadium in Salthill, for the tournament in 2023 or 2037.

The 30,000 capacity Salthill venue, which was revamped just over a decade ago, is seen as one of the key pieces of infrastructure which would allow the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to formulate a bid to host the World Cup ahead of next year’s deadline.

Local officials have already expressed support for the proposal to amend Rule 5.1, governing the use of association property, after it was discussed at a Central Council meeting of the GAA on Saturday. 

Although the tournament would not take place in Ireland for another 11 or 15 years, the IRFU have a deadline of this time next year to meet and would not have sufficient venues without the support of the GAA. 

An Irish bid would require substantial Government backing, but would also provide a huge financial boost to the host cities with fans from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, France, England, and South Africa travelling in their thousands for the tournament.

Croke Park, which has a capacity of 82,000, would be needed to host the final, as the Aviva Stadium in Dublin is not big enough, while the GAA’s change of use proposals also relate to Pearse Stadium, Casement Park in Belfast, Pairc Ui Chaoimh in Cork, Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, and Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds.

“We would be positively supportive of this proposal in relation to Pearse Stadium,” said Galway County Board Chairman Noel Treacy yesterday. “We would see it as being good for Galway, good for the West, and good for the Association.

“We are a strong sporting association and we were delighted to open up Croke Park in 2007, because it would have been a terrible thing if people had to leave Ireland to play ‘home’ games.”

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.