Ever since I saw the Gaelic football All-Ireland Final between Kerry and Mayo in 2006, I lost all interest in soccer. Even so, the announcement last year that Poland and Ukraine would be joint hosts of Euro 2012 made me feel proud for my nation.
However, this feeling is now deeply shaken every time I pass the redeveloping Lansdowne Road on the Dart. Our new stadiums in Poland should be at the same stage as the new Aviva Stadium, but where are they? The one in WrocÅ‚aw – where I was born and where I would be living now if I were back in Poland – is certainly behind schedule, which is worrisome.
And it’s getting harder to find the answer for the state of our preparations (or the lack thereof). The problem is not the financial crisis, nor the planning permission, nor the architects. Maybe it’s with the Polish Football Federation itself? I will say no more.
I’ve passed through WrocÅ‚aw every time I go home for a visit and I am there often enough to see how fast and vivid the city has been developing. Even in the hard times, cultural initiatives and events that are well established by now – like the Survival art festival – are top quality. So I just don’t believe that WrocÅ‚aw cannot afford its own stadium – a resemblance of Croke Park, at least.
Once in the Middle Ages, Poland was divided into princes’ domains, which made a lasting impression on the fabric of the nation. Even after the kingdom was restored, local power was quite strong. It is of course a simplification, but sometimes I wish our regions were less dependent on a central power, that they were more like the counties of Ireland.
Here in Ireland there is a huge association between people and county, but in Poland this would only apply in a few particular regions. Introducing ourselves, we might mention our town, village or city but hardly ever the region.
Perhaps if our society gave greater support to local governments, then we will finally find pride in our regions again.
– Anna Paluch
