Goodbye to Hill 16

Goodbye to the Hill

This Sunday will be the last chance GAA fans will
have to stand on the famous Hill 16. Once the eagerly
anticipated Ladies Final between Dublin and Mayo is
over the bulldozers will move in and Hill 16 as we
know it will be no more. Due to unprecedented demand
for tickets for this Sundays novel pairing of Mayo
and Dublin the Hill has been opened and tickets are
priced at a mere €10.

Hill 16 is possibly one for the most famous terraces
in the world. The terrace was built from rubble left
over from the destruction of O’Connell Street during
the 1916 rising. The rubble was used to construct
a grassy hill at the railway end of the stadium to
afford patrons a better view of the major football
and hurling matches below. Interestingly, the GAA
had only acquired the then named Butterly’s Ground
in 1908 for a mere €3,500. God only knows how much
it is worth today.

Built in 1917, the terrace has forever been immortalised
as Hill 16 and Dublin fans in particular have fond memories
of the terrace. 1989 saw the first major redevelopment of
the Hill and the terrace could safely accommodate 10,000
fans as a result. Now, in 2003, the Hill will undergo another
facelift as part of the redevelopment of the magnificent
headquarters. Sunday’s game between the “Jackies” and reigning
champions Mayo is the last chance for Dubs fans to stand
on the famous terrace. The great days of the 1970’s and
Heffo’s Army, the infamous 12 apostles of 1983 and the victory
over Tyrone in 1995 are forever etched in the memories of
the Blue Army. Can Mick Bohan’s Ladies team give Dublin
fans on the Hill another day to remember this Sunday?