Over 100 hundred local residents who attended a public meeting, Wednesday, 23 February were told that the authorities in Croke Park are attempting to close down the Handball and Community Centre located on the grounds of the stadium. Community Centre committee members told the meeting how the GAA had refused to sign a letter confirming that the centre is a bona fide Sports and Leisure Club under the terms of the licensing laws. Committee member, Eamonn O’Brien, said “This is in an attempt by Croke Park to deprive us of a bar license because they know that the bar provides the club with is main income stream and without it the club and the community centre will be forced to close.” The meeting heard how this development would allow Croke Park to demolish the centre and build a new handball centre and corporate headquarters for the GAA.
Mr. O’Brien congratulated all the local political representatives for their commitment and hard work with the community to prevent the closure of the community centre and urged them to sign a pledge to support the retention of the centre and its activities.
Before the meeting began, girls from the dance class which runs in the centre put on a short demonstration of their dance routines. Mr. O’Brien explained that “The dance class was set up in the 1970s to give young girls an alternative, a healthy activity, at a time when drugs were devastating the community”.
Colm Stephens, the People Before Profit Alliance Representative in the North Inner City commented that, “The GAA used to have a community focus and this centre was its flagship in the area. The centre allows young people take part in activities such as handball, karate and dancing. It forms the heart of a strong community and helps keep people together. Nowadays, Croke Park has adopted a very different approach where the corporate ethos dominates and you are only welcome if you can pay big bucks to rent out its facilities.”
For more information/interview call:
Eamonn O’Brien, Handball and Community Centre Committee 087 618 3024
Colm Stephens, People Before Profit Alliance, Dublin Central 087 294 7100