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Croke Park
Croke Park (Irish: Páirc an Chrócaigh) in Dublin, Ireland is the largest sports stadium in Ireland and the fourth largest stadium in Europe. It is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Ireland's biggest sporting organisation. The stadium is in the heart of the city, a 15 minute walk from the main thoroughfare O'Connell Street.
Since 1884 the site has been used primarily by the GAA to host Gaelic games, most notably the annual finals of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and Senior Hurling Championship. Music concerts by major international acts have also been held in "Croker", as it is often called by Dubliners, and it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2003 Special Olympics. During the refurbishment of Lansdowne Road the stadium is also hosting the Irish national rugby union and soccer teams.
Following a redevelopment programme started in the 1990s, Croke Park has a capacity of 82,300,making it the fourth largest stadium in Europe and the current largest stadium in the Six Nations Championship. It has also held the world record for largest attendance at a club rugby union match since 2 May 2009.
GAA (The Gaelic Athletic Association)
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) was founded on November 1st 1884, by a group of spirited Irishmen who had the foresight to realise the importance of establishing a national organisation to revive and nurture traditional, indigenous pastimes.
Until that time all that was Irish was being steadily eroded by emigration, desperate poverty and outside influences. Within six months of that famous first meeting, clubs began to spring up all over Ireland and people began to play the games of Hurling and Gaelic Football and take part in Athletic events with pride. From 1925 the GAA handed over the organisation of Athletics to a separate organisation.
The Irish who emigrated brought their national games with them and both regional and club units are now well established in America, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Canada, mainland Europe and in many other parts of the world where the large Irish diaspora are located.
Clubs
The GAA has over 2,500 clubs in Ireland alone. The playing of Gaelic Games is based on the GAA Club, and each of the 32 Counties in Ireland have their own Club competitions, culminating in County Winners in championship and league. Club units outside of Ireland have their own league and championship competitions with the format dictated by the number of players and clubs available.
EVMI
EVMI was founded in response to the growing need for professional education and career development for individuals and venues. Today's multi-faceted venue management role requires professional training – preferably delivered by today's experts for tomorrow's practitioners.
Similar courses exist in North America and Australia but these are tailored specifically to their respective markets and, as such, have little practical application for venues in Europe. Uniquely EVMI programmes take into account the diverse cultural, financial and organisational structure of the European and international markets - and so delivers practical, knowledge-based training.
