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The roof of Croke Park
The SkyWalk
May 16, 2010
VOL 27 NO 20
Blooming expensive
Croke Park to charge up to €100 for a walk around its rooftop garden, modelled on the London Eye
Great Wall of China
Eiffel Tower
Brooklyn Bridge in New York: no charge
It would cost you €14.50 for breathtaking views from the Empire State Building in New York and €23.50 for a ramble around the Sky Walk in the Grand Canyon, so how much would you pay for a view of Fairview Park in Dublin? The answer, according to the GAA, is between €50 and €100, the price they will charge next year to take a walk around Croke Park's new rooftop garden.
A walkway is currently under construction around the entire roof of the stadium, and it is anticipated that the project will be complete in January 2011. Construction of the new viewing points will cost €300,000.
Croke Park stadium director Peter McKenna said the new attraction was being modelled on internationally recognised landmarks.
"We are modelling it on the London Eye or Sydney Bridge Walk – it will be great to have and will give very good views of the GPO and O'Connell Street, and then of course of the Wicklow mountains as well."
He said the preparations were well underway. "We are in the process of laying down trackway, and induction and training courses are also being planned at the moment."
But Consumers Association of Ireland (CAI) chief Dermot Jewell hit out at the prices, saying they were "unaffordable and illogical."
"One important element is to remember that if we are going to have a facility like this that it would need to be attractive to tourists. If we overprice ourselves, it is going to do more damage for us from a tourism perspective. When it comes to value for money, it really is the time we learned our lesson for things like this. This price is unaffordable."
Jewell urged Croke Park to re-think its pricing plans and revise them to a lower rate.
"There are a few attractions in Dublin like this so if they go ahead with these prices they will be limiting the number of people coming to get the tour.
"It joins the ranks of what is commonly called crazy money. They might need to re-think for the sake of Irish people and for tourists."
The tours are expected to take about an hour, and will be added to a number of tours the stadium already operates.
May 16, 2010
Comments
#2 Gerry McCartney commented, on May 17, 2010 at 2:35 a.m.:
As a resident of the North, who regularly crosses the border on both business and pleasure, I have been dismayed by the high prices in Ireland for some time. So, as is evident, are tens of thousands of Southern citizens who are still heading northwards to Newry and other border towns for cheaper shopping. With that in mind, one would have expected direct attempts at reducing price levels. Not a bit of it, seeing that gombeenism is alive and well in the 'Grab-All-Association' given the ridiculous scale of proposed charges for a walk around Croker's rooftop garden. When will the GAA realise the party's over or do they still insist on bathing in that large African river - De-nial?
#3 Corrxx commented, on May 17, 2010 at 12:19 p.m.:
London Eye £14.30, Great Wall of China $10, Taj Mahal $20,Top of the Eiffel Tower 13Euro, Angkor Wat 3 day pass $60,Victoria Falls $20.....the view from a half decent stadium over a few blades of grass and an average looking western city 100Euros. Presumably theyre talking about All Ireland Final day with a few deck chairs and some bar service!!
Someone at the GAA has forgot to do their research. A ride in the skycar above the arch at the world cup stadium in Durban with 360 degree views is R75 (about 7.5Euro). Looking at bang for your buck and what tourists would think this is worth I'd set the price at 12Euro and even then you'd be taking liberties.
#4 John Salmon commented, on May 17, 2010 at 1:25 p.m.:
Just more of the delusional bull that despite the demise of the Celtic Fleabag is still in existence. Why not charge 200 or 300. My advice to any potential tourist is go somewhere else, as in another country, the only thing you'll get in Ireland is rain, dirt and rampant grasping greed. Well done the GAA
#6 Cathal commented, on May 18, 2010 at 5:02 a.m.:
Check your facts before spouting off! This is modelled on the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb experience which costs 200 -300 AUD - this works out at about 140-160 EUR approx - presumably the price is inflated as the participants will have a 'climb' experience which requires tuition and close supervision as in the bridge climb...
#7 Maire commented, on May 19, 2010 at 2:36 a.m.:
@ antony, go raibh maith agat, slan agus beannacht, Maire.
#8 Corrxxx commented, on May 21, 2010 at 4:09 p.m.:
Cathal, there nothing wrong with the facts. Croker are proposing to charge 100EUR to take a "walk" around the rooftop garden, to which Im guessing theres a staircase that leads to it. If climbing a stairs is a "climbing experience" then we Irish really could sell ice to eskimoes.
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AH c'mon stop the bloody lights. NO way, no way I tell ya is Paddy that stupid. JENNIFER the ferry New York to New Jersey is also free and leaves every 30 min and the views of the City of New York from the ferry are well bloody awesome and looking acrooss the HUDSON AT Manhatton from NJ BEYOND DESCRIBING, You just have to see it your self and its free,,,. Get off a train at HUESTON station in Dublin and what do you see THE Dirty GARBAGE STREWN LIFFY AT LOW TIDE AND THE FILTHY SMELL, YES what a pigeen smelly wash once a week race old STAY AT HOME mammy paddy is. IN Seattle the monorail from the Space Needle [ built in 90 days ] is free or was when Ilived there a few years back. The trams around Chicago are also free . YEAH the GAA AKA Grab All Association are experts on takeing thick old Paddy for the long ride on the short bus and Maire I know MOUNTBATTON WAS A bastard but he who screws his own with one hand and offers false hope with the other is worse than any British Landlords of the past. Save yere euroes paddies because to walk on a roof for a faMILY of five will cost you 500euro and that does not include parking lunch ect And what do you get to see for yourmoney , A GRASS PITCH THAT WAS BROUGHT OVER FROM ENGLAND. you could fly to bloody beautiful LONDON FOR THAT AND HAVE LUNCH BY THE BEAUTIFUL THAMES RIVER. Man the trout are really biting now on this beautiful site and little pups goses crazy trying to take them off the line TURN OUT THE LIGHTS PADDY GO BACKWARDS... good stuff JENNIFER and I hope you keep enjoying thre humOr MARIE DID NOT MEAN TO OFFEND YOU.