Football Supporters Federation Wales FSF Cymru Issue 44

Transcription

1 Football Supporters Federation Wales FSF Cymru Issue 44 World cup Qualifier Republic of Ireland v Wales Friday March 24 th 2017 Kick off 7.45 local time Aviva Stadium, Dublin Information for the fans by the fans FSF Cymru Help line numbers

2 The Football Supporters Federation Wales (FSF Cymru) Fan Embassy service has been in operation for 13 years now and for much of that time Neil Dymock was a prominent member. Neil has moved on now and is an elected FAW councillor. We wish him all the best for the future and can t thank him enough for the volunteering service he provided, no doubt we will still see plenty of Neil on our travels as he rarely, if ever, misses a Welsh football match. We have been gathering information for this game since November 2016 and made site visits with the FAW to meet up with the FAI, Garda and the British embassy. We do not foresee many problems but there is a possibility of a few thousand Welsh fans arriving in Dublin without tickets, there is obviously huge interest in this game. Be wary of ticket touts and forged tickets, Do not come to the stadium without a ticket, you will be far better off in the City centre in the numerous bars. If you do have a ticket please arrive early at the stadium which will open at 6.15 pm. Please ensure you go to the correct block and seat if possible, this game is a sell out so every space is taken. We have a FSF Cymru vehicle and can get to you quickly if you need assistance, just call one of our emergency hotline numbers or On the day before the game (match day -1) we will be in and around the Temple bar area between 12 noon and 6 pm but always available on our 24 hour telephone hotline. We hope to meet as many fans as possible. We will pass on up to date information as we get it and also post it on our twitter or face book pages. On match day we will again be around the city centre from noon until 3 hours before kick off when we will head to the stadium, you will find us near the away section turnstiles. We have 4 volunteers for this game and you will easily identify us by our FSF clothing. There is a Supporters match prior to the main event and you should contact Neil Dymock for more information, failing that get in touch with the FSF and we will let you know where the game is.

3 Welcome to Issue 44 of our FSF Cymru information booklet for Welsh fans. We are expecting over 5,000 Welsh fans to make the short trip to Dublin for this huge World cup qualifying game. The FSF Cymru Fan Embassy team will be around the city centre throughout the days around the match and will be available 24/7 if you run into any difficulties during the trip. Wales are still unbeaten in the group but facing the league leaders will be a tough task but essential if we want to make the finals in Russia which would be fantastic for our fans who made such an impact in Euro 16 in France. Top Tip Keep a copy of your passport and a list of important phone numbers in a place that can be easily accessed if needed. A good idea would be to scan your passport and e mail it to yourself. Y WAL GOCH TOGETHER STRONGER THE RED WALL FCO Know before you go information for British citizens traveling to Ireland You should carry an acceptable form of photo-identification to travel between the UK and Ireland. Entry requirements section - UK Emergency Travel Documents are accepted for entry into, transit through, and exit from Ireland; if you re using a passport to enter Ireland, it should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay There is an underlying threat from terrorism. There is an underlying threat from terrorism Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time. Around 3 million British nationals visit Ireland each year. Most visits are trouble free. Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel. YOU MUST HAVE A PASSPORT TO FLY WITH RYAN AIR, CHECK WITH OTHER AIRLINES IN ADVANCE FSF CYMRU - by Wales fans, for Wales fans - an independent organisation, committed to helping Wales supporters. FSF Cymru are proud members of FSE (Football Supporters Europe) MISSION STATEMENT To help and support Wales fans who travel away. Our role is to provide accurate and objective information, including a Risk Assessment: we convey what other agencies, such as police forces, government departments, and football authorities are recommending: we publish a comprehensive guide which is distributed free of charge to all travelling supporters: we operate and publicise a 24 hour Hotline for fans in difficulties: we arrange a Football fan embassy operation, at venues abroad, where we can offer advice, guidance and support as necessary. To work with the Football Association of Wales in all aspects affecting the fans, to ensure that the supporters voice is heard. A continuous, running dialogue is held with Mr Mark Evans, Head, International Affairs, we take supporters complaints, views to the FAW for discussion and try to involve Welsh fans to participate in these meetings. To take every possible action to eradicate any inter club rivalry when fans are following the Welsh national team Before you travel anywhere in the world outside of the United Kingdom please visit the Know before you go website

4 Dublin City Centre and FAW Ticket collections For fans needing to collect tickets in Dublin, Lucy and Matt will be based at the GRESHAM HOTEL Goldsmith meeting room Floor -1, 23 Upper O Connell Street (top middle of map below marked with green circle) Look out for the large stainless steel spire, the hotel is close by that. Thursday 23 rd March 11am 3pm Friday 24 th March 10:30am 2:30pm Lucy ,Matt NO TICKET SALES WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE DAY

5 Still unbeaten Wales suffered a setback in their World Cup qualifying campaign as a sloppy display saw them held at home by lowly Georgia. Gareth Bale headed Wales into an early lead but Georgia, ranked 137th in the world, equalised as an unmarked Tornike Okriashvili nodded in. Wales unravelled from that point and were lucky not to lose as their opponents squandered several late chances with Valeri Kazaishvili hitting the bar attendance was 32,652 The next home match was against Serbia in November and a late Serbian equaliser stunned Welsh fans as Aleksandar Mitrovic's late equaliser for Serbia denied them victory in Cardiff. Despite a strong start from the visitors, Gareth Bale fired Wales ahead after the tireless Robson-Kanu forced Serbia's Matija Nastasic into a mistake. An occasionally scrappy but absorbing encounter featured chances at both ends and, just moments after Bale hit the post, Mitrovic headed in, the attendance was 33,000 Our next fixtures are Serbia away June 11 th 2017 Austria Home September 2 nd 2017 Moldova away September 5 th 2017 Georgia away October 6 th 2017 Ireland home October 9 th 2017

6 Ireland Travel advice from the Foreign and commonwealth office (FCO) Crime Most visitors to Ireland experience no difficulties during their stay. Take sensible precautions to protect yourself from bag snatching and pick pocketing. Try to avoid carrying valuables and large sums of money. Make sure your vehicle is properly secured, and where possible park in secure parking areas. Most incidents occur in the Dublin area. If you need to contact the emergency services call 112. The Irish Tourist Assistance Service (ITAS) offers free support and practical help to victims of crime. This includes liaison with travel companies and financial institutions and, in emergency situations, arranging accommodation, meals and transport. ITAS recommends that you report any incident in person to the nearest Garda (Police) Station who will then contact the organisation. The British Embassy (pictured right) is located not too far from the Arriva stadium on Merrion Road in the Ballsbridge area of the city. Telephone number is In the unlikely event of you needing Embassy assistance the office is open 9-5 Monday to Friday Urgent assistance If you re in Ireland and you urgently need help (e.g. if you ve been attacked, arrested or there has been a death), call +353 (0) Entry requirements for Welsh fans for Ireland Ireland, along with the UK, is a member of the Common Travel Area. British nationals travelling from the UK don t need a passport to visit Ireland. However, Irish immigration officers will check the ID of all passengers arriving by air from the UK and may ask for proof of nationality, particularly if you were born outside the UK. You are therefore advised to take your British passport with you. For more information about the types of ID you might be asked to present, see the website of the Ireland Citizens Information Board. (see next page) Before travelling, check with your carrier about their ID requirements, as most airlines and other transport providers won t carry passengers to and from Ireland unless they ve seen satisfactory photographic ID. Passport validity If you re using a passport to enter Ireland, it should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you don t need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this. UK Emergency Travel Documents UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) are accepted for entry into, transit through, and exit from Ireland. Don t become involved with drugs of any kind. Possession of even small quantities can lead to a long term of imprisonment. Don t offer to carry any items for anyone else when entering or leaving Ireland.

7 Common Travel Area between Ireland and the United Kingdom A common travel area is in existence between Ireland and the UK (including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man). The Common Travel Area has been in operation since the 1920s but is not specifically provided for in legislation. The first legal recognition of the Common Travel Area between Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK) is contained in the Treaty of Amsterdam. The Irish Government and the UK government have agreed reciprocal visa arrangements; measures to increase the security of the external Common Travel Area border; and to share immigration data between the two countries immigration authorities. The Common Travel Area means that there are no passport controls in operation for Irish and UK citizens travelling between the 2 countries. You do not need to have a passport in order to enter the other country. However, all air and sea carriers require some form of identification and some regard a passport as the only valid identification. Immigration authorities may also require you to have valid official photoidentification which shows your nationality. As you are being asked to prove that you are an Irish or UK citizen who is entitled to avail of the Common Travel Area arrangements, it is advisable to travel with your passport. Ryan air insist on passports but check with other airlines The Common Travel Area also involves some co-operation on matters relating to immigration issues. A third country national, for example, may be refused permission to enter Ireland if it is their intention to travel onwards to the UK and they would not qualify for admission to the UK under the Aliens (Amendment) Order Irish immigration officers have the power to carry out checks on people arriving in the State from the UK and to refuse them entry to the State on the same grounds as apply to people arriving from outside the Common Travel Area. These checks are carried out selectively. In December 2011, the Irish and UK governments agreed measures to secure the external Common Travel Area border. This includes exchanging biographic and biometric visa data and co-operating on establishing information about failed asylum seekers. There is a joint UK-Ireland Common Travel Area Forum which implements these measures.

8 Dublin general information Dublin is located on the East Coast of Ireland, stretching along the Irish Sea in a half moon shape. The city is bordered to the South by the dramatic Wicklow Mountains. Famous for its easy-going charm and cultural heritage and always a good craic. The language spoken in Dublin is English. Street signs and official buildings are signposted in both English and Gaelic, the indigenous Irish language. Despite this, you are highly unlikely to hear any Gaelic spoken on your travels across the city although swearing is quite common but not in a nasty sort of way. Currency The currency in use in Ireland is the Euro. Cash machines (ATMs) are widely available. Bank opening hours are typically between 10:00-16:00 Mondays to Fridays. Most hotels, shops, restaurants and some bars accept all major credit cards. Visa and Master Card are the most widely used credit cards in Ireland. If you plan on visiting a pub it is advisable to bring some cash. You will also need cash for taxis and most public transport. Pubs, shops, late bars Opening Hours Shops are typically open from 9:00-18:00 Mondays to Saturdays. Many shops are open late on Thursdays and Fridays (typically up to 20:00) and a good number also open from 12:00-18:00 on Sundays. Pubs open at 10:30 and close at 23:30 Mondays to Thursdays, 0:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. On Sundays, pubs open 12:30 and close at 23:30. Clubs and late night bars typically stay open until 2:30. A city of two halves Dublin is a city of two halves, the North side and the Southside, divided by the River Liffey in the city centre. The North side is generally more working class, the Southside is more upmarket. Exceptions apply, but by and large this is a good rule of thumb to apply when exploring the city. Dubliners on both sides can get very passionate about this division and it is the basis of many a joke or smart remark you may overhear in conversation. The North side of the city is home to the main thoroughfare of Dublin, O'Connell Street, running northsouth from Parnell Square, and the popular shopping district at Henry street. The North side is also home to many museums, theatres, Croke Park Stadium and to Phoenix Park, Europe's largest city park which houses Dublin Zoo. On the Southside, you find the famous Temple Bar district with its galleries and nightlife, the main shopping area centred around Grafton Street and the beautiful park Saint Stephens Green. The Southside is also home to Ireland's oldest and most famous university, Trinity College, the Government Buildings, Dublin Castle, the Aviva Stadium and the oldest parts of the city around Christchurch Cathedral and St Patrick's Cathedral.

9 Dublin pubs Where do you start? Well, you will be spoilt for choice with hundreds of different alternatives but for the purpose of this booklet we will concentrate on the city centre and the route from there to the Aviva stadium. The very popular Temple bar will be on most peoples to do list although it can get expensive there being a tourist hotspot. BBC radio on air from (Eleri Sion and Owen Money) and (Good Evening Wales) will be based at the Busker bar on Fleet Street ( below right) where you will find many other great pubs including the Palace bar and Auld Dubliner which was recommended by the locals. Just a short walk away you will pass Doyle s Bar, Chaplin's bar and the long stone onto where the Fan Embassy will be mostly based in Mulligans bar on Poolbeg Street. Directions on foot to stadium Walk south on Tara street, turn right onto Pearse Street and then onto Sandwith street upper and then onto Hogan place, you then follow the Grand Canal Street lower and upper until you reach Shelbourne road which is in the Ballsbridge area of the city where you will find the Aviva stadium. It is a thirtyminute walk from Mulligan s pub and the temple bar area but give yourself a few hours because there are many pubs on the route. On the opposite side of the river you will find O Connell street and the maze of streets that surround it where again you will find a variety of pubs to suit all tastes. The ones we had recommended were Madigan s, Murrays, The Parnell bar, The Oval bar and the Grand Central but don t take our word for it, go and explore and try to find the best pint at the best price, but expect to pay at least 5 Euros a pint and probably a lot more as the evening progresses prices sometimes go up in some places. Pubs close to the Aviva stadium include the Bath pub, Slattery s Pub, Paddy Cullen s pub and Ryan s Beggars bush. Again our advice is look about and you wont be far away from a watering hole to suit you. FSF Cymru Fans Embassy help line

10 Transport Buses Dublin Bus provides bus services for the city and county of Dublin and adjoining areas. Many other private bus companies also offer transport in and out of the city. Please make sure that you have the correct change to pay for your fare, drivers cannot accept Euro notes or give change. City centre singles cost 75c then raise to 2 euro for Stage 1-3 rides and 2 Euro 70 for stages 4-13 The cost of the many buses that travel back and from the airport and city centre is 6 Euro Each way on most buses or a couple of Euros more on others but cheap and fast. Trains A frequent train service called DART runs along the coast of Dublin, from Malahide and Howth in north Dublin to Greystones in the south. Other train services from Irish Rail connect Dublin city with suburbs in the west, north and south. For the stadium from the City centre near the Temple bar area go to TARA STREET and you can catch the Dart there to the stop before Lansdowne Road called GRAND CANAL DOCK (station closest to Welsh end of stadium) This will cost 2.20 single. To get back after the match the Grand canal station is closed so use the Lansdowne road station Trams A frequent tram service called LUAS connects Dublin city centre with suburbs in the south and southwest of the city. For those travelling on Luas only for a single or return journey. Ticket Vending Machines are located at every stop. Please note that tickets may not be purchased on board the trams. Ticket prices depend on which zones you travel with the cheapest being 2.00 adult and 1.00 child ranging up to 3.30 and 1.20 child for zones 5-8 these are for single journeys For return journeys it is cheaper. Taxi The actual fare might differ due to time of the day, tolls, works (available routes), different car companies but on average expect to pay 4 Euro to start and then 1 Euro 25c every KM you travel. You can get fixed tariffs if you ask. Expect to pay Euro from the airport to the city centre.

11 Aviva Stadium Dublin Getting there The Aviva Stadium is located in central Dublin in the Ballsbridge area, about 2 kilometres from the city centre. The walk from St Stephen s Green park or the Trinity College area will take 20 to 30 minutes. From Connolly Station or Pearse Station one can take a DART train southbound. Get off at station Grand Canal dock which is closet to Welsh end of ground, you must return from Lansdowne road station as the Grand dock is closed after games. From the Temple Bar area you can take bus 7 to Loughlinstown/Cherrywood. Aviva Stadium The stadium opened in May 2010, it is the stunning replacement for 48,000 capacity Lansdowne Road Rugby Stadium which was demolished in The new stadium, which cost 410m to build, was constructed on the old stadium footprint, and was funded by a joint venture between the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Football Association of Ireland, aided by significant government funding. Welsh fans have fans are allocated 3,300 seats in the North Stand, (see pic top right) which is accessed from the Red Ticket entrance walkway on Bath Avenue, to the side of the housing estate. Every seat has an unobstructed view or the pitch, and there is also a good number of spaces for wheelchair users along pitch side however there are a couple of drawbacks to being seated on this side of the ground. The North Stand's roof, designed specifically to be as low and as unobtrusive as possible to the housing estate which sits behind it, doesn t really overhang the seating in any way, so if it rains expect a soaking and this also in turn means any kind of atmosphere generated by fans tends to leave the ground rather than echoing back down from the roof. Welsh fans are advised to arrive early as there are just 6 turnstiles allocated to them.(see pic top left) Alcohol is served in the ground but there are narrow walkways and these could get blocked if overfull. Please go to the correct block of seats from the concourses, and your correct seats, the game is sold out so every seat is taken. You may hang flags at the stadium but they must not be on Poles and can go on the match day afternoon to hang them if you want to, please contact the FSF to find out the times. The actual stadium opens for the game at for general admission The stadium capacity is 51,700 and it hosted the 2011 UEFA Europa League Final between Porto and Braga. Due to UEFA rules against corporate sponsorship outside the federation, the stadium was referred to as the "Dublin Arena" for this final, that ended with a 1 0 victory for Porto.

12 The Aviva stadium

13 Dublin airport is about six miles north of the city centre. The airport is easily accessed via either the M1 or M50 motorways. Dublin airport is accessible by over 700 buses and coaches daily. From the airport, you can reach many areas in and around Dublin, as well as lots of places outside the capital. There is no direct rail link to Dublin airport, however there are bus services to most train stations throughout the Dublin area. Taxis can be picked up outside the terminal forecourt. Most of the shops are located after security control, but there is Hughes and Hughes book store, a Spar shop, a Vodafone store and an airport pharmacy available before security. Once you have checked-in and passed through passenger security, you can check out Dublin airport's airside shopping on 'The Street'. The impressive airside shopping area at Dublin airport has over 25 shops. To get to the airport from the city centre you will find buses are very frequent and cost approx. 7 Euros for a single trip Dublin Port and Airport Dublin Port is Ireland s premier port, handling almost 50% of all trade in the Republic of Ireland. Located in the heart of Dublin City and at the hub of the national road and rail network, Dublin Port is a key strategic access point for Ireland, especially the Dublin area. Almost 2 million passengers used the port during The port is easily accessible only minutes from Dublin city centre. Buses, Luas and taxis provide a regular service from the port to the city and beyond. Today four ferry companies, between them, operate up to thirteen sailings daily connecting Dublin with Holyhead, Liverpool and Douglas. Irish Ferries offering several daily several cruise and fast ferry options from Holyhead. Its Ulysses is the largest car ferry in the world, carrying up to 2,000 passengers on a 3hr 15min crossing. Fast sailings take just under two hours. Stena line operates the Stena Adventurer and Nordica between Holyhead and Dublin Port, with four daily sailings each way.

14 Pembroke and Fishguard Ferry Crossings to Ireland Pembroke to Rosslare ferries have two daily crossings and get Port to Port in 4 hours, you can bring as much luggage as you can carry and all fares include taxes. You will have an easy 30-minute check in on arrival at the port Directions: From M4: From the east take the M4 Motorway. Go past Swansea which turns into the A48 & then the A40. Pass St Clears & turn left onto the A477 to Pembroke and Pembroke Dock. From A4076: When driving from the west, drive along the A4076 from Haverfordwest and the A477 to Neyland. Pembroke Dock is across the Toll Bridge. Follow the signs to the Ferry Port. Passenger Terminal- incorporates a ticket office, refreshment facility and Tourist Information centre Fishguard Harbour provides crossings to Rosslare with the Super ferry Stena Europe providing two daily crossing all year round. The port has numerous facilities including tickets and reservations, disabled toilets and baby changing facilities, coffee shop, motorist lounge with TV, children s play area and disabled assistance. Arriva Trains Wales operate 7 trains daily to and from Fishguard Harbour and have special trains to connect with the arrival and departures of the Stena Line Super ferry that operates to/from Rosslare. If driving it is very easy to get to the port From M4: Take the M4 motorway towards Swansea. At the end of the motorway take the A48 towards Carmarthen then take the A40 towards Haverfordwest and then onto Fishguard. As you approach Fishguard follow signs to Ferry Port which is located 1 mile north of the town centre. From A487: If travelling from the North follow the A487 via Aberystwyth and Cardigan. Continue through Newport and on to Fishguard. The port of Rosslare Harbour, 8km south of Rosslare village, is the primary ferry terminal for the southeast of Ireland. It is approximately 98 miles to Dublin and should take less than two hours by car. There are 4 trains daily from Rosslare Euro port to Pearse Street station in Dublin city centre, the journey takes 2hours and 45 minutes and the train makes ten stops. Rosslare Euro port is situated at the end of the N25 in Rosslare Harbour. Rosslare Harbour along with ferry symbols can be found on all road signs leading to the port. The port is 20 minutes from Wexford. Rosslare is a small village, with a supermarket, bank, hotels, guesthouses, pubs and restaurants.

15 Sports Stadiums to visit in the area If you are still in Dublin on Saturday and fancy having a look at a local Derby, then your luck is in. St Patricks FC are home to Shamrock Rovers at Richmond Park. The ground has a capacity of over 5,000 and there should be a cracking atmosphere when these two Dublin rivals meet for the 5pm kick off. The Richmond park address is 125 Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8 It is just 4 miles from Dublin City centre. The closest pub to Richmond Park is The Dowell's which sits pretty much opposite the stadium on Emmet Road. The admission into the stadium is 15 Euro for adults,under 12 is 5 Euro s. An alternative game can be found on Saturday evening when Bray Wanderers take on Limerick at the Carlisle Grounds 7.30 pm Bray Wanderers ground is next door to our light railway system Dart Bray station. Bray is an old seaside resort town about 30 minutes from central Dublin, undergoing a small renaissance having been neglected. The biggest stadium in Dublin can be found at Croke Park in the North of the city. (Below) Croke Park

16 Y WAL GOCH TOGETHER STRONGER THE RED WALL Temple Bar area Join the FSF for free please visit FSF CYMRU HELP LINE or