Ali’s Fight in Croke Park

A Community’s Fight against Croke Park

 

We can ‘lock you down’ at anytime so don’t get in our hair​

It doesn’t matter what you want for we don’t really care​

As long as we make money you can take a running jump​

For we don’t care if you’re upset or if you take the hump​

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We can stop you doing anything if that is what we choose​

But don’t you try to take us on for you will surely lose​

We’re greedy and we’re selfish, but we’re not going to change​

You’ll do what we ask, and when we ask it, whatever we arrange​

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You didn’t get your licence or get your lottery money​

We objected to them both, which is really rather funny​

For we have been successful in our liquor application​

We’re putting in eleven bars to add to your frustration​

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Don’t you dare object to us seeing our plans through​

You have no say in what we get or what we try to do​

Be grateful for the crumbs you get from off our sumptuous table​

It doesn’t matter if our ‘heart’ is only just a fable​

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We’ve fooled the politicians, been fooling them for years​

To change the Liquor Act we said we had allayed your fears​

You’ve fully backed us thus far in all the plans we’ve made​

Well that’s what we told the government to help in our charade​

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Though nearly seven hundred of you in only just one day​

Objected to our actions you still won’t have a say​

When will you lot ever learn that we don’t give a toss?​

We’re the ones who will decide and that will be your loss​

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We’ve heard you’re going to demonstrate your anger and distress​

You mustn’t spoil our cosy plans of holding our congress​

We need to showcase Croke Park for the media, don’t you know​

We don’t need the likes of you to come and make a ‘holy show’​

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An important issue is being debated about whether to permit​

‘Foreign’ games be played in ‘Croker’ and you have no say in it​

Even though allowing a rule change in 42  ​

Means more ‘lock downs’ and more upheaval for every one of you​

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Stop kicking up a stink and fuss and accept what you are told​

It doesn’t matter if your club was used by young and old​

You’ve had an upper hand for years, which our egos can’t allow ​

So we’ve pulled some strings to tie you up for you must scrape and bow ​

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We said that you must scrape and bow just like others do​

For if you don’t obey us we’ll make life difficult for you​

We are the mighty GAA and so we must be revered​

Get on your knees and pay us homage for we know that we are feared ​

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We said get on your knees right now and tremble in our wake​

What do you mean you’re not afraid? There must be some mistake!​

You say you will stand up and fight till justice it is served​

Oh no, this can’t be happening,

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(A poem written to reflect how many see the attitude of the Croke Park GAA towards our community and our rights particularly when Croke Park’s needs, such as trying to take our Community & Handball Centre to make more room for turning lorries), clash with the local community’s needs)​

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We are the mighty GAA and are revered by all​

In our presence you must surely on your knees each fall​

You owe us a debt of gratitude for allowing you to stay​

For we have it in our powers to make you go away​

​Click to link to Stadium Communities

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TO THE CROKE PARK GAA

 

(A message from the local community that you have bullied for far too long)

You have no scruples, you have no shame

You walk over residents to achieve your aim

Empty promises and hollow words

Redevelopment plans that are so absurd

 

Enough is enough for we’re here to stay

The bullying stops, we’re not running away

It’s our centre too so we’re not getting out

It’s high time you learned what we’re all about

 

We’re standing together shoulder to shoulder

Our streets now united much braver and bolder

We’ve had floodlights, concerts, curfews and noise

We’ve bent over backwards to not be killjoys

 

We’ve put up with enough of your banging & digging

And it’s hard to forget all the U2 stage rigging

We’ve put up with mayhem, the litter, the crowd

We’ve been so inconvenienced now we shout aloud

 

Take your hands off our centre and our social life

It’s the least that you owe us for strife after strife

Generations of families have walked through this door

Some to play handball and others for more

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Here our kids learn to dance and do martial arts

Other members form teams to shoot pool & play darts

Older folk have been coming for nigh 40 years

They feel safe and secure; free from all fears

 

Here community spirit is alive and well

And you want to kill that and say ‘go to hell’

End all the veiled threats, end the oppression

Don’t squander 9 million in times of recession

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Is there no end in sight to the depths of your greed?

Not a thing you won’t stoop to so you can succeed?

Do real people not matter in your Ivory Tower?

Where you hide from the truth &where you all cower

 

Come out and stand tall and admit it’s not right

To treat us so badly, to continue to slight

We’ve put up with much more than you ever would

We’ve put up with much more than anyone should

 

Our homes will be here long after you’ve gone

Makes more sense to befriend us and try to get on

So stop planning changes without our consent

You’re supposed to discuss any turn of event

 

We are easy to talk to and willing to hear

Just so long as you listen, hear us loud and clear

It is simple to make this centre world class

Without tearing it down, like some stupid dumb ass

 

This building is strong and its structure is sound

It’s pure madness to want it knocked to the ground

Support all the people who have kept this place going

And grant them the funds to help keep it glowing

 

You can best use this moment to wipe the slate clean

You can start to be friendly, stop being so mean

We could all work together and learn to have trust

But first ‘hands off our centre’ - this is a must

 

 

 

© Maria T O’Brien on behalf of:

Croke Park Street Committees Association.