‘Four sticks of Heinomite please to have here, not for takeaway’.

Claire Devaney

To drink or not to drink, that is the question

On bank holiday Saturday the 4^th of May, 82,000 rugby supporters will descend on Croke park for the Investec Champions Cup semi final between Leinster and Northampton  Saints. It’s a tricky affair for some as someone posted on Reddit – ‘Are you going to provide safety details on how to get in and out of the stadium’? to which a prompt reply was given – ‘Its Dublin 3 Dave not the Gaza strip’

Now the talking point that has arisen is that no one will be allowed drink alcohol while at their seats or in the Hill, sacre bleu how can this be. This is an existing stadium policy which the EPCR have decided to adopt for the match. However the question comes up is that the stadium has been hired so why does the GAA have a say on whether drink can be sold or not? For example, alcohol was allowed at the seats and on the pitch when Garth Brooks performed his sell out 5 nights there, although to be fair you’d need to have a fair few into you to sit through that. Is it that the rugby crew are afraid to piss off the GAA as we will need the stadium next year? Or is it case of its my stadium my rules.

Don’t get me wrong, I know people like a drink at their seats but it ruins the game for everyone when you have to keep getting up and down out of your seat, blocking the view of people behind you, just so Tarquin can saunter to the bar for the umpteenth time for another pint of heino for the bros.

Is it really that hard to go 40 mins without a pint in your hand? Will Oisin, Tarquin and the Stumeister need to bring their own Pate and Evian?

Will we see the Aviva adopt the same rules for serving of alcohol or will too much money be lost? I suspect the potential money loss will put that seat ban to bed.

On May 4^th we are going to find out how the D4 crew survive on the Northside in D3 and if they will make it a whole game without pints at their seats.