EDITORIAL: Rugby sell-out a big boost for Castlebar

Connacht Rugby confirmed yesterday (Monday) that their highly anticipated and historic BKT URC fixture against Munster in Castlebar is now sold out.
Some 25,000 people are set to descend on the county town on Saturday, March 29, and it is great to see a facility like Hastings Insurance MacHale Park being utilised for sports other than GAA games.
There has been great excitement around the fixture since it was announced last month, and so it comes as no surprise that Connacht Rugby also confirmed that the fixture will be played in front of their biggest-ever home crowd.

Poor relation
For too long, Connacht Rugby has been the poor relation of the IRFU, but the unprecedented interest in this fixture proves beyond doubt that there is a real appetite for rugby right across the province, and not just in Galway where the team usually plays all its home games. The fact that it has sold out might also lead to more of Connacht’s home games being played in Castlebar in the foreseeable future.
Mayo will also play four of their National Football League fixture at home in February and March. Kevin McStay’s team are at home to Galway on Sunday, February 2; to Tyrone on Sunday, February 16; to Kerry on Saturday, March 1 and finally to Donegal when Jim McGuinness will bring his side to Castlebar on Saturday, March 23.
Of course, Mayo’s first championship match will also be at home to Sligo on the first weekend in April, so MacHale Park can expect large crowds for at least six fixtures, including the Connacht game, for the first four months of the year.
Having such high-profile fixtures bringing in large crowds to the county town is undoubtedly a big boost for the local economy.
Many travelling GAA supporters often decide to stay over for league fixtures, so the hotels in Castlebar, and indeed in neighbouring Westport, can expect to be busier than normal in the early months of the year.

Concerts an option?
The GAA in Mayo should also perhaps look at trying to get some high-profile music concerts into the MacHale Park venue. With the split season now meaning that all of Mayo’s big games at home will be taking place in the first half of the year, it surely would be worth trying to use the venue for some other big events during the second half of the year.
Last summer, Thomond Park in Limerick hosted three sold-out shows when Snow Patrol, Paolo Nutini and Liam Gallagher all played at the rugby venue on three consecutive evenings. Having seen the success that has been achieved by letting Connacht Rugby into the stadium, the GAA should try talking to concert promoters in the country to investigate whether it would be possible to also host some big-name acts in the Castlebar arena.
August would be the perfect time to host a music concert, as the club football scene does not really click into gear until September and October, as the majority of fixtures take place outside of MacHale Park, with clubs around the county hosting home championship fixtures.
MacHale Park has often been seen as a burden on the clubs of the county due to the big debt that still exists, but the Connacht Rugby fixture has shown the facility could be a huge asset to the county town by ensuring it is used as much as possible.