Markets Field

Markets Field
Location Garryowen, Limerick
Coordinates 52°39′37″N 8°36′54″W / 52.6603°N 8.6149°W / 52.6603; -8.6149Coordinates: 52°39′37″N 8°36′54″W / 52.6603°N 8.6149°W / 52.6603; -8.6149
Public transit Limerick railway station
Mulgrave Street bus stop
Shannon Airport
Capacity 5,000 (1,350 home stand, 500 away stand, rest standing areas)
Surface Grass
Scoreboard Yes
Opened 1880s
Tenants
Limerick FC

Markets Field is a stadium in Garryowen, Limerick, Ireland.[1] It has now been redeveloped since 5 June 2015 when it hosted a soccer match between Limerick F.C. and Drogheda United in the League of Ireland Premier Division. It has been graded a UEFA Category Two stadium with a capacity of around 5,000. The ground has hosted underage international fixtures in 2015.[2]

History

The site was originally a Gaelic games ground, having been used as a venue for Munster championship games in both hurling and Gaelic football. Most of the All-Ireland semi-finals between Munster and Connacht teams also took place there in the early years of the 1900s. It was also the home of Garryowen, a rugby club founded in Limerick in 1884, from 1886 until 1957.[3] Garryowen have since moved to new facilities in the Dooradoyle area of Limerick. For most of its life it has been greyhound racing stadium. Greyhound racing ceased on 17 July 2010 with the opening of a new greyhound stadium at Greenpark in the south of the city.[4]

The Markets Field is also the former home of soccer side Limerick F.C. as well as a possible, future Rugby League side known as Limerick Flame.[5] In 1962 Limerick F.C. played Liverpool in a friendly at Markets Field with Liverpool winning 5-3.

Current use

Limerick FC - the anchor tenants of Markets Field

Limerick F.C. is now the anchor tenant, after the ground was purchased by LEDP (Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership) with funds provided by the JP McManus charitable foundation.[6][7] The ground is also available as a municipal stadium. During late 2013 Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP) redeveloped the pitch, investing €400k in a brand new playing surface.[8] In early 2014 after the granting of planning permission for the ground redevelopment the government announced additional funding to redevelop the stadium. The stadium hosted its first match in the refurbished ground on 5 June 2015[7] The refurbished main stand holds 1350 spectators with additional seating for 360 behind the Geraldine Villas goal. The Popular side and the Cathedral End are both standing areas with a Corporate box beside the Main Stand.

References

  1. ↑ "Limerick (Markets Field) information". Greyhound-data.com. Retrieved 14 July 2009.
  2. ↑ Kinsella, Colm (25 August 2015). "Limerick’s Markets Field to host two international fixtures". Limerick Leader. Archived from the original on 2 February 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  3. ↑ Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership The Markets Field: Markets Field Past Present and Future
  4. ↑ "Traps open for the last time at Markets Field". Limerick Post. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  5. ↑ Malone, Emmet (27 February 2009). "Limerick FC make Markets Field return a priority". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 July 2009.
  6. ↑ http://www.limerickpost.ie/2013/12/31/limericks-markets-field-reopening-within-touching-distance/
  7. 1 2 http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/community/historic-night-for-limerick-with-markets-field-return-1-6780500
  8. ↑ http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2014/0102/ireland/11m-grant-will-help-restoration-of-historic-markets-field-254079.html


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