Markets Field

The Markets Field is a UEFA category two stadium in Garryowen, Limerick, Ireland with a capacity of around 4,500. Formerly the home of Limerick FC, it is currently the home ground of Treaty United.^[1]

Markets Field

Páirc an Mhargaidh
Location	Garryowen, Limerick
Coordinates	52.6603°N 8.6149°W / 52.6603; -8.6149
Public transit	Limerick railway station Mulgrave Street bus stop Shannon Airport
Capacity	3,500 (1,650 seated)
Surface	Grass
Scoreboard	Yes
Opened	1880s
Tenants
Treaty United F.C. Treaty United W.F.C.

The ground has hosted underage international fixtures in 2015^[2] and 2021,^[3] as well as the 2016 League of Ireland Cup final between Limerick and St Patrick's Athletic.^[4]

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, with most of the All-Ireland semi-finals between Munster and Connacht teams taking place there in the 1900s. It was also the home of Garryowen from 1886 until 1957,^[5] when the club moved to new facilities in Dooradoyle. Until 2010, the stadium hosted greyhound racing, when Limerick Greyhound Stadium opened in the south-west of the city.^[6]

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; firstly in 1981, 3–0 loss to Southampton FC of England in the UEFA Cup, then a 1–1 draw in the 1982-83 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.

Limerick F.C. were the principal tenant until their demise in 2019, when the ground was purchased by Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership with funds provided by the JP McManus charitable foundation.^[7] During late 2013, LEDP redeveloped the pitch, investing €400,000 in a brand new playing surface.^[8] In early 2014, the Irish government announced additional funding for the redevelopment after planning permission was granted. The stadium hosted its first match in the refurbished ground on 5 June 2015,^[9] a League of Ireland Premier Division match between Limerick and Drogheda United.

Layout

The refurbished Main Stand holds 1,350 spectators for the home supporters and contains a corporate box. The new tunnel and dressing rooms are under the Main Stand and there are three turnstiles named after Limerick football legends. Away supporters are housed in a new stand with 300 seats behind the Geraldine Villas goal. The Popular side and the Cathedral End are both banked standing areas, with the former behind the dugouts and the latter housing the scoreboard. In 2016 the playing surface won the FAI Pitch of the Year Award.^[10]

Greyhound racing

The Limerick Greyhound Company was formed in 1933 but it was not until 1937 when racing began. The first directors were T.F.Ryan and J.P. Frost.^[11] 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.^[12][13]

The track 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.^[11] 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'.^[14]

In 1958 the Irish Greyhound Board 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.^[15] They installed a new totalisator system in 1960 as improvements became commonplace under the new ownership, including a new stand costing over £60,000. Brendan O’Connell was Racing Manager for over thirty years from 1966.^[11]

The track closed in 2009 with the entire operation moving to the newly built Limerick Greyhound Stadium at Greenpark.^[16] Racing Manager Gus Ryan retired after 42 years in racing.^[17]

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 19 September 1942 Oaks heats[18] 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 Flintfield Grosvenor[19] 30.98 June 1949 550 Prince of Bermuda 30.66 November 1956 St Leger final 550 Flaming King 30.48 19 October 1968 550 Ballybeg Prim[20] 30.44 18 October 1975 St Leger final 550 Oran Jack[21] 30.20 26 September 1981 St Leger 2nd Rd & National record 550 Oran Jack[21] 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. "Treaty United welcome Bray Wanderers to the Markets Field". Live95. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
2. Kinsella, Colm (25 August 2015). "Limerick's Markets Field to host two international fixtures". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
3. Kinsella, Colm (21 October 2021). "Rep of Ireland U19 women's side suffer narrow loss to England at Markets Field". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
4. "St Pats hit three late goals to retain EA Sports Cup title at Limerick's expense". Limerick Leader. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
5. Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership The Markets Field: Markets Field Past Present and Future Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
6. "Traps open for the last time at Markets Field". Limerick Post. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
7. "Limerick's Markets Field reopening within touching distance". Limerick Post. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
8. "€1.1m grant will help restoration of historic Markets Field". Irish Examiner. 2 January 2014.
9. Sheridan, Anne (4 June 2015). "Historic night for Limerick with Markets Field return". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
10. Kinsella, Colm (29 October 2016). "Markets Field wins 'Pitch of the Year' accolade". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
11. Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
12. Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
13. Fortune, Michael. "The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby". Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN 0332-3536.
14. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
15. Thompson, Laura (2003). The dogs: a personal history of greyhound racing. London: Old Castle. p. 18. ISBN 1843440164. OCLC 62223569.
16. "Traps open for the last time at Markets Field". Limerick Post. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
17. "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 2009) August edition". Greyhound Star.
18. "Dog-Racing". Larne Times. 24 September 1942. Retrieved 14 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
19. "From the Tracks". Evening Herald (Dublin). 30 June 1949. Retrieved 2 November 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
20. "Ballybeg Prim to top Poll". Belfast Telegraph. 4 February 1976. Retrieved 18 June 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
21. "Irish Greyhound Review". Vol. 4. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd. 1982. p. 87.