Last week witnessed Dublin City Council launch a billboard campaign promoting the domestic league as part of their European Capital of Sport program for 2010. You may have seen these about town, the posters basically aim to promote the three League clubs playing in within the Dublin City Council boundaries, with the Reds’ captain fantastic Giller along with two no-marks from the other less successful clubs of the city, featuring on the billboards.
It’s nice to see this sort of promotion about the city and it’s also refreshing to see other LoI clubs benefiting from the patronage of local authorities that has hitherto been the sole preserve of the usual suspects- Rovers and Gannon’s plaything up the road. Whether Shels or the other two see any tangible benefit from this campaign remains to be seen, but at the very least it’s a positive development and the publicity should be welcomed.
Of course, in the not so distant future, Dublin City Council’s commitment to supporting the endeavours of the clubs that ply their trade within their boundaries will be tested to the fore. With both Tolka and Dalymount seemingly on the inevitable road to demolition, it will be interesting to see DCC’s response to having two of the most historic football grounds in the country disappear on their watch. The North City is in serious risk of having no senior football stadium in its’ precinct- not only will this be a terrible setback for the local community in the North Inner City, but also raises questions about the local authorities’ commitment to sport in the area, and in particular, senior football. It’s ludicrous and absurd that a council that currently holds the mantle of European Capital of Sport would be prepared to sanction the destruction of two historic football stadiums within its’ boundaries, depriving future generations of these old-school traditional grounds. It would be a crying shame if the North City is left without a football stadium, all in the name of progress and development. In a city that is seemingly bereft of suitable outdoor sporting facilities, the loss of Tolka and Dalyer would be tragic.
It’s apparent that DCC need to tackle this problem and perhaps look at the provision of a municipal stadium that could home possibly two league clubs. Then, and only then, can the Council claim to be befitting of the title of European Capital of Sport.
