Markets Field
Páirc an Mhargaidh
LocationGarryowen, Limerick
Coordinates52°39′37″N 8°36′54″W / 52.6603°N 8.6149°W / 52.6603; -8.6149
Public transitLimerick railway station
Mulgrave Street bus stop
Shannon Airport
Capacity4,500 (1,710 seated)
SurfaceGrass
ScoreboardYes
Opened1880s
Tenants
Treaty United F.C.

Markets Field is a stadium in Garryowen, Limerick, Ireland.[1] It has been redeveloped since 5 June 2015 when it hosted a soccer match between Limerick FC and Drogheda United in the League of Ireland Premier Division. It has been graded a UEFA Category Two stadium with a capacity of around 4,500. The ground has hosted underage international fixtures in 2015 and 2021.[2] The EA Sports Cup final between Limerick FC and St Patrick's Athletic was played in Markets Field on Saturday, 17 September 2016.

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 FC. In 1962 Limerick F.C. played Liverpool in a friendly at Markets Field with Liverpool winning 5–3. It has hosted two of Limerick's six European ties. First in 1981 they lost 3–0 to Southampton FC of England in the UEFA Cup. Then in 1982 they drew 1–1 in the Cup Winners Cup against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.

Limerick F.C. were the principal license holder until their demise in 2019, after the ground was purchased by LEDP (Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership) with funds provided by the JP McManus charitable foundation.[5][6] During late 2013, Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP) redeveloped the pitch, investing €400,000 in a brand new playing surface.[7] 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.[6]

Current use

Currently, the ground is predominantly used by Treaty United, a soccer club born in Limerick and now represents the city and Mid-West region in the 2021 League of Ireland First Division.

Layout

The refurbished Main Stand holds 1,350 spectators for the home supporters. Away support are housed in a new stand with 360 seats behind the Geraldine Villas goal. The Popular side and the Cathedral End are both standing areas with a corporate box beside the Main Stand. These terrace areas are grassy banks at present. The score board is situated at the Cathedral End. The new tunnel and dressing rooms are under the Main Stand and there are 3 turnstiles named after Limerick football legends. The dugout is at the Popular Side, across the pitch from the tunnel. In 2015 the playing surface at the ground won the "Pitch of the Year Award" from FAI.

Greyhound racing

The Limerick Greyhound Company was formed in 1933 but it was not until 1937 when the opening night took place at Markets Field. The first directors were T.F.Ryan & J.P.Frost.[8]

The 465 yard circuit came to prominence in 1939 when it was selected by the Irish Coursing Club to hold the Irish Greyhound Derby for first and only time. The event was won by Marchin' Thro' Georgia who won the final in a new track record time of 30.05.[9][10]

The track then hosted the classic race the Irish St Leger in 1940 before it moved permanently to Limerick in 1944. The track also staged the Irish Oaks in 1942. The allocation of the 1943 Grand National did not help because due to the lack of hurdlers during the war Mr Ryan the chairman of Limerick Stadium was left with no choice but to cancel the event.[8] Other events that took place at Limerick were the Bulger Cup and Kennedy Memorial Cup and J. P. McManus started as a bookmaker at the track and earned the nickname 'Sundance Kid'.[11]

In 1958 the Irish Greyhound Board (Bord Na gCon based in Limerick) was given the responsibility of all tracks in Ireland with the exception of the Ulster tracks that would remain under the jurisdiction of the Irish Coursing Club. They installed a new totalisator system in 1960 as improvements became common place under the new ownership. Major changes in 1966 included a new stand costing over £60,000 and Brendan O’Connell was Racing Manager for over thirty years from 1966.[8]

The track closed in 2009 with the entire operation moving to the newly built Limerick Greyhound Stadium at Greenpark, Dock Road. Racing Manager Gus Ryan retired after 42 years in racing.[12]

Track records

Extended content
Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes
300Lucky Blunder16.621970
300Lazuli Mountain16.4525 September 1971
300Fionntra Favour16.343 October 1983
300Clon Flash16.2619 August 1996
300Go Queen Go16.274 October 2001
300Paws and Pray16.2024 November 2001
300You Said So16.1516 June 2002
300Silkey Joe16.1131 January 2004
300Silkey Joe16.0615 January 2005
300Ibetx Dot Com15.9922 December 2007
300Primondo15.915 July 2008
300Tarbrook Henry15.7614 August 2008
315Well Squared17.841938
525Master Eamonn30.15July 1939Irish Derby heats
525Irish Rambler30.10July 1939Irish Derby semi-finals
525Marching Through Georgia30.0215 July 1939Irish Derby Final
525Fair Mistress29.981942Oaks heats
525Top Customer29.271979
525Flaming King29.241968
525Flaming King29.1523 September 1968
525Squire Jones29.12December 1983
525Grove Whisper29.0613 December 1986
525Aulton Slippy28.9415 April 1988
525Deep Decision28.3731 May 1997
525Judicial Post28.1027 October 2002
525Catunda Harry27.9917 June 2007
550Dark Shadow31.371945St Leger final
550Flintfield Grosvenor[13]30.98June 1949
550Prince of Bermuda30.66November 1956St Leger final
550Flaming King30.4819 October 1968
550Ballybeg Prim[14]30.4418 October 1975St Leger final
550Oran Jack[15]30.2026 September 1981St Leger 2nd Rd & National record
550Oran Jack[15]30.163 October 1981St Leger semi final & National record
550Morans Beef30.0620 October 1984
550Frisby Flashing29.669 October 1999St Leger semi-final
550Frisby Flashing29.6416 October 1999St Leger final
550Manic Ranger29.5910 June 2002
550Larking About29.5922 June 2002St Leger semi-final
550Mountleader Rolf29.5124 May 2003
550Droopys Deco29.5028 May 2007
550Hondo Dingle29.322 June 2007
550Skywalker Prince29.502 June 2007
550The Other Sonic29.4619 May 2008St Leger first round
550Shelbourne Aston29.3825 May 2008St Leger second round
550Timor Blue29.3330 May 2009St Leger third round
600Maidens Breach35.251950
600Nancys Laurel34.7013 September 1952
700Muskerry Cream40.85
700Speir Bhean40.80August 1954
700Rovingo40.291970
700Greenville Queen40.072 November 1970
700Dromlara Champ39.7523 August 1975
700Game Misty39.5320 September 1990
700Frosty Rose38.7223 July 2001
700Sparkling Wave38.681 June 2002
700Hondo Dingle38.6225 September 2006
700Mucky Tony38.4013 September 2008
700Summerfield Jean38.325 September 2009
750One More Stop42.128 April 2000
750Related Object41.7323 September 2002
750Tinas Girl41.6426 July 2003
750Nobody Wants Me41.539 July 2005
1000Wise Susie57.4927 January 2007
525 HJerrys Memory30.959 September 1966
525 HOwn Kuda30.3517 May 1975
525 HSilver Light30.1015 September 1976
525 HBallymac Mich29.144 August 2003
525 HGoofys Lofty29.1031 May 2004
525 HLemon Rambo28.919 October 2004
525 HRazldazl Denys28.7929 November 2008

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 December 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  3. Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership The Markets Field: Markets Field Past Present and Future Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Traps open for the last time at Markets Field". Limerick Post. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  5. "Limerick's Markets Field reopening within touching distance". Limerick Post. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Historic night for Limerick with Markets Field return".
  7. "€1.1m grant will help restoration of historic Markets Field". 2 January 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
  9. Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
  10. Fortune, Michael. "The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby". Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN 0332-3536.
  11. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  12. "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 2009) August edition". Greyhound Star.
  13. "From the Tracks". Evening Herald (Dublin). 30 June 1949. Retrieved 2 November 2023 via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. "Ballybeg Prim to top Poll". Belfast Telegraph. 4 February 1976. Retrieved 18 June 2022 via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. 1 2 "Irish Greyhound Review". Vol. 4. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd. 1982. p. 87.
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