We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
CROKE PARK IS in line to host a ‘Fan Zone’ for the Uefa Europa League final.
With the final in the Aviva Stadium, the overspill of fans will leave Dublin flooded with soccer supporters with precious few options.
It’s understood that Croke Park staff are already formulating a plan of how they might stage the event on Wednesday 22 May. However, the plan would depend on Liverpool making the final, according to Croke Park sources who confirmed this to The 42.
The details were first reported in The Independent when a number of soccer writers were briefed on new competitions on Tuesday morning.
In Jurgen Klopp’s final season, Liverpool could end in the final, which would prove to be hugely popular given their historic Irish support.
The spectators would take up seats in the stands and be able to watch the game on a series of big screens on the pitch.
The 22 May date could prove problematic for the master fixture list. The Round 1 games for the senior football championship round-robin games are set for 25/26 May, involving the Leinster and Ulster finalists, which will in all likelihood include Dublin.
Having fans on the pitch just days prior to that will inevitably provoke some questions.
Written by Declan Bogue. The Journal publishes the biggest breaking news in Irish and international sport but for all of The 42′s insightful analysis and sharp sportswriting, subscribe here.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Liverpool people are top class and that includes their football fans. They are our neighbours and we should welcome them as they do us! The event puts Ireland on the tourism map, we should be looking at the big picture!
If Rangers are in the Final will the Wolfe Tones be available for some ballads ?
Why are we allowing a load of British soccer fans to use our stadium in the middle of the season? Besides, we know what they’re like, they’ll smash the place up.
@Kieran Duffy: Most of them will be Irish Liverpool fans.
@Kieran Duffy: Who said they’re all going to be British? There’s a lot of Irish Liverpool fans. Also what’s the problem with allowing tourists come for a major sporting event? Boost for the local economy… it supports the exchequer which pays for your dole!
@Kieran Duffy: Probably won’t have tickets
@John Lee: I work, a trait not usually associated with Liverpool fans.
@Kieran Duffy: Duffy.. Circus.. Clown.. makes sense now..
@Kieran Duffy:
The GAA can say no if they want to.
@Kieran Duffy: when is the last time Liverpool fans caused trouble in Europe?
@Kieran Duffy: didn’t know that competition was a British only competition.
@Sean Parker: He’s a Gaa only person so pretty clueless when you mention “foreign” sports begorra
@Kieran Duffy: Kieran, as a Liverpool born, Dublin raised person I take umbrage at your comment, not because you don’t make a salient points but because it belies the ignorance of your knowledge of a city like Liverpool. The Irish in the last 100 years more or less built Liverpool, Ireland wouldn’t have had the Labour movement if it wasn’t for a certain (James Larkin) the 1st Dàil would not have passed if it wasn’t for (Thomas Johnson) the Irish language (Gaeltacht coalaiste) would not have been revived if it wasn’t for the efforts of (Piras Beaslai) you see, all born in Liverpool.Most Irish look up on it as an extension of this country hardly little England is it?
@Kieran Duffy: lol. Funny
@Kieran Duffy: Again Kieran, if you’re going to use tropes and smears be smart in your comebacks, what decade are you living in? I feel this is a personal slight against Liverpool, did they, to use as Scouse comedian Stan Boardman did when talking about the Germans “Bomb our chipper”? Did Scousers do something to you personally?
@Marcus Maher – Triskellion Films: No doubt he walks around in his Celtic shirt with 32 on the back slagging off “foreign sports”
@Kieran Duffy: Ask any person from Liverpool are they English. They will tell you no, they’re Scouse
Cool!
Fantastic. It’s a pity hotel prices weren’t so extortionate for that particular date.
@Kieran Duffy: It’s an European competition, the final has been hosted at the Aviva in the past.
It’s our hallowed turf not for soccer nonsense
@kevin barrett: Kevin, no one is playing football there, it’s going to host the fans of an extremely popular team that Irish fans actually see as an extension of their own country, it was formed by 2 Irish people, its ground is named after an area of Co Wexford, it’s 95klms away. Liverpool is hardly Mogadishu is it, why the begrudgery? Btw I was born in Liverpool but raised in Dublin.
No matter how people try to spin it, Liverpool are an English club and have nothing to do with Ireland.
@Sun Rise: Really, did you know the founder of the Club was from Co Monaghan, did you know the ground is named after a piece of land in Co Wexford. Have you heard of James Larkin, Piras Beaslai, Thomas Johnson(look them up) did you know 70% of the population has some Irish lineage, my own, born in Liverpool but raised in Dublin. I get that maybe GAA is a sacred sport (our national sport) but cut Liverpool some slack, it’s 95klms away and we have a lot in common, moreover it’s hardly foreign is it, that’s the same attitude that many loyalists in the north call us Irish here.
@Marcus Maher – Triskellion Films: Couldn’t agree more Marcus, Liverpool is the most Irish city in Britain, closest city to Dublin, and the ties between Liverpool & Ireland/Dublin go back centuries. Can’t wait to welcome our Liverpool cousins to Dublin on the 22nd of May for what will hopefully be Jurgen’s crowning glory.
Rangers / Linfield fans en masse in Dublin .. what could possibly go wrong ?? . lets hope they don’t make the final .
@K H: No fear of that happening
Seen an article earlier with a headline that asked Can Dublin cope with holding the Europa Cup final?
Well the answer is Yes, because it was held in the Aviva stadium back in 2011 when Porto played Braga in the final.
Porto won 1 – 0 and everything went well. The match was a sell out and they didn’t need Croke Park as a fan zone.
The Gardai did a super job back then and I am sure they will do an excellent job again for this final.
@Chaotic State: it was not a sell out..it was a flop. i was given four tickets for free on the morning of the game.
have your say