The Long Kesh stadium

The proposal for a major redevelopment of the west Belfast venue only arose in the first place because plans in 2009 for a £300m multi-sports complex at what is officially known as the Maze/Long Kesh site was abandoned at a late stage, due to a U-turn by the DUP.

All the main Stormont parties had endorsed a 40,000-seater stadium on the location of the former prison, which was to be shared by the GAA, the Irish Football Association and Ulster Rugby, symbolising the era of peace and reconciliation which followed the Good Friday Agreement

The DUP’s late change of heart in 2008, in the face of pressures from the fringes of unionism, resulted in an official decision to instead provide grants for the expansion of separate bases by the three sporting bodies.

Plan switches to Casement

In 2009, Ulster GAA announced it intended to build a major new provincial stadium with the location later confirmed to be Casement Park.

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At the time, Ulster Council secretary, the late Danny Murphy, said they planned to construct the new stadium “within the next year”.

Yet 15 years later, Casement remains derelict.

GAA faces High Court battle and safety concerns

Planning approval was granted in 2013 for a 38,000-capacity stadium, but in 2014 that approval was quashed in a High Court legal challenge brought by some residents.

The project was reviewed the following year after a safety expert claimed the planned stadium could not be evacuated safely in certain emergencies.

Safety expert Paul Scott later told a Stormont committee he had come under “undue pressure” from the GAA and Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure over his concerns about the Casement Park plan.

In August 215 a high-level report laid bare the chaos, tensions and “broken” relationships between officials working behind the scenes on botched plans to redevelop Casement Park.

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GAA submits new planning application

In February 2017 Ulster GAA submitted a new planning application to redevelop Casement Park.

The revised stadium design had a proposed spectator capacity of 34,186.

It came more than two years after approval for the original design was overturned in the High Court.

The new proposed capacity was a slight reduction on the previous figure of 34,500 put forward in a consultation in October 2016.

However, the association was dealt a blow in May 2018 when - with Stormont collapsed - a court ruled that civil servants could not take major planning decisions in the absence or a minister.

New plans approved

During the now years of delay, the cost of building Casement Park has risen. The original budget of £77.5 million has, by 2019, hit £110 million.

The GAA has pledged £62.5 million towards the project but GAA chiefs want more public money to help plug the funding gap.

In 2021, Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon signed off on plans for the new stadium to be built.

Somewhere along the line, the capacity jumped back to 34,500. Ms Mallon said it was “an historic day for the GAA in Ulster and for Gaels across our island”.

A residents’ association launched a last-minute appeal to block the stadium’s development but this was dismissed in 2022.

Casement confirmed as Euro 2028 host

In October 2023, the UK and Ireland was confirmed as host of the Euro 2028 football championship. Casement is among ten stadiums to host matches, with work in west Belfast set to begin before the end of the year.

However, just one month after Casement is confirmed as a host stadium, Ulster GAA announced that Heron Bros Limited, the GAA’s long-standing construction company, will not proceed to deliver the main works contract for the new ground.

The provincial body says that it is working closely with their partners in the Department for Communities to progress procurement of a contractor using recognised frameworks for major construction projects.

Construction work starts on Casement Park - finally

In February 2024, initial site work gets underway at Casement Park. A delegation from Uefa visits the site which by this stage has lain derelict for over a decade. One Uefa official says “It’s a nice plot of land but a lot to do.”

There is some optimism as the Dublin government pledges €50 million towards the development of Casement.

Rishi Sunak promises Casement money for Euros

Into 2024 and with rows about funding for Casement increasing, Rishi Sunak - in full campaigning mode for the forthcoming general election, promises the British government “will make a significant contribution to Casement Park”.

Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris says: “When I said that we’d find the money for Casement Park, the costs were in the £166 million ball park.”

Tories out, Labour in

With the Conservative Party voted out of government and Labour holding a significant majority, there are hopes of some actual movement on funding and possibly even the building of Casement Park.

Taoiseach Simon Harris says his government “won’t be found wanting” and new secretary of state Hilary Benn says Casement is “probably the most urgent issue” on his desk.

Euro dream dies

Despite initial enthusiasm and positive signs from local politicians and the Labour government, on Friday 13 September 2024 in a press statement released at 7pm, it is announced that no government funding will be made available for Casement in time for Euro 2028. The reason given is that the stadium may not be built in time for the tournament. The decision ends any chance of matches being played in west Belfast.