Sale of Bohs' ground a shock to the northside

4 May 2006

by Cllr Joe Costello

Proposals for the sale of Bohemians Football Club grounds in Phibsborough to a property developer will come as a shock to all the loyal supporters of Bohemians in the Northside as well as all the residents of Phibsborough who now face the prospect of the open space being rezoned and built on.A decision is to be taken tonight at a special EGM of the club. With Shelbourne closing its grounds at Tolka Park, Bohemians will be the only league of Ireland club left on the Northside of Dublin.It is wrong to transfer badly needed sporting facilities out of the inner city to the suburbs.Moreover, the club has been in receipt of a substantial amount of State funding for improvements in recent years which must be taken into consideration in responding to any proposal. Bohemians FC should reconsider its decision and consider its loyal fans and the negative impact on the area of Phibsborough which has supported the club for more than 100 years.