Markets Field

Markets Field

Páirc an Mhargaidh
Location	Garryowen, Limerick
Coordinates	52°39′37″N8°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	4,500 (1,710 seated)
Surface	Grass
Scoreboard	Yes
Opened	1880s
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.^{[ citation needed ]}

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 300 Lucky Blunder 16.62 1970 300 Lazuli Mountain 16.45 25 September 1971 300 Fionntra Favour 16.34 3 October 1983 300 Clon Flash 16.26 19 August 1996 300 Go Queen Go 16.27 4 October 2001 300 Paws and Pray 16.20 24 November 2001 300 You Said So 16.15 16 June 2002 300 Silkey Joe 16.11 31 January 2004 300 Silkey Joe 16.06 15 January 2005 300 Ibetx Dot Com 15.99 22 December 2007 300 Primondo 15.91 5 July 2008 300 Tarbrook Henry 15.76 14 August 2008 315 Well Squared 17.84 1938 525 Master Eamonn 30.15 July 1939 Irish Derby heats 525 Irish Rambler 30.10 July 1939 Irish Derby semi-finals 525 Marching Through Georgia 30.02 15 July 1939 Irish Derby Final 525 Fair Mistress 29.98 1942 Oaks heats 525 Top Customer 29.27 1979 525 Flaming King 29.24 1968 525 Flaming King 29.15 23 September 1968 525 Squire Jones 29.12 December 1983 525 Grove Whisper 29.06 13 December 1986 525 Aulton Slippy 28.94 15 April 1988 525 Deep Decision 28.37 31 May 1997 525 Judicial Post 28.10 27 October 2002 525 Catunda Harry 27.99 17 June 2007 550 Dark Shadow 31.37 1945 St Leger final 550 Prince of Bermuda 30.66 November 1956 St Leger final 550 Flaming King 30.48 19 October 1968 550 Ballybeg Prim [13] 30.44 18 October 1975 St Leger final 550 Oran Jack [14] 30.20 26 September 1981 St Leger 2nd Rd & National record 550 Oran Jack [14] 30.16 3 October 1981 St Leger semi final & National record 550 Morans Beef 30.06 20 October 1984 550 Frisby Flashing 29.66 9 October 1999 St Leger semi-final 550 Frisby Flashing 29.64 16 October 1999 St Leger final 550 Manic Ranger 29.59 10 June 2002 550 Larking About 29.59 22 June 2002 St Leger semi-final 550 Mountleader Rolf 29.51 24 May 2003 550 Droopys Deco 29.50 28 May 2007 550 Hondo Dingle 29.32 2 June 2007 550 Skywalker Prince 29.50 2 June 2007 550 The Other Sonic 29.46 19 May 2008 St Leger first round 550 Shelbourne Aston 29.38 25 May 2008 St Leger second round 550 Timor Blue 29.33 30 May 2009 St Leger third round 600 Maidens Breach 35.25 1950 600 Nancys Laurel 34.70 13 September 1952 700 Muskerry Cream 40.85 700 Speir Bhean 40.80 August 1954 700 Rovingo 40.29 1970 700 Greenville Queen 40.07 2 November 1970 700 Dromlara Champ 39.75 23 August 1975 700 Game Misty 39.53 20 September 1990 700 Frosty Rose 38.72 23 July 2001 700 Sparkling Wave 38.68 1 June 2002 700 Hondo Dingle 38.62 25 September 2006 700 Mucky Tony 38.40 13 September 2008 700 Summerfield Jean 38.32 5 September 2009 750 One More Stop 42.12 8 April 2000 750 Related Object 41.73 23 September 2002 750 Tinas Girl 41.64 26 July 2003 750 Nobody Wants Me 41.53 9 July 2005 1000 Wise Susie 57.49 27 January 2007 525 H Jerrys Memory 30.95 9 September 1966 525 H Own Kuda 30.35 17 May 1975 525 H Silver Light 30.10 15 September 1976 525 H Ballymac Mich 29.14 4 August 2003 525 H Goofys Lofty 29.10 31 May 2004 525 H Lemon Rambo 28.91 9 October 2004 525 H Razldazl Denys 28.79 29 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. "Historic night for Limerick with Markets Field return".
7. "€1.1m grant will help restoration of historic Markets Field". 2 January 2014.
8. 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. "Ballybeg Prim to top Poll" . Belfast Telegraph. 4 February 1976. Retrieved 18 June 2022– via British Newspaper Archive.
14. "Irish Greyhound Review". Vol. 4. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd. 1982. p. 87.