Stadium in sorry state

Ireland’s National Stadium is not in the condition that its title deserves, as Danielle Byrne found out

As the Government and the FAI release plans for the building of sporting arenas in Dublin, the National Stadium on the South Circular Road is falling to pieces.

Behind the dirty wall that separates the Stadium from the road, young boxers gather several nights a week to train in an arena that was in need of renovation years ago. On 10 February staff at the Stadium will know whether or not they have been successful in their application for a grant to improve the building, its surroundings and the services they provide.

Under a scheme called the Capital Development Fund, the stadium should receive enough money to renovate the roof, which, says President Brendán O’Connaire "has almost used up its shelf life."

O’Connaire also hopes they can improve car-park facilities for the Stadium.Two other grants, the Block Grant and the Elite Boxing Grant, will supplement the Fund. These will be used to set up training camps for young boxers and will be given to, and distributed, in line with boxers’ respective abilities.

O’Connaire believes that young boxers deserve this funding and that it will go a long way to helping them excel in their sport. "Amateur boxing is Ireland’s most successful sport internationally. Irish amateur boxers have won more Olympic medals than competitors in all other sports put together."

More important than the fact that amateur boxers have been successful is the fact that boxing takes up time which may otherwise be spent on the streets. This is something which O’Connaire especially admires. "These lads are mostly working class. Most don’t have the benefit of second level education. Their success is due to talent and dedication."

He points out that the young lads are amateurs in the true sense of the word. Although money is scarce, he praises his young charges for the fact that they box for the love of boxing. "These boxers are not in pursuit of sponsorship from major companies. They fight for their club and they fight for themselves."

The fact that the Government is spending large amounts of money on other stadia is a bitter pill for O’Connaire to swallow. This is especially true when all the National Stadium gets is money for a new roof. "The government should wake up and put the money where it’s needed instead of spending it on rehabilitation."