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Bishopstown Stadium

Coordinates: 51°52′28.2″N 8°32′53.6″W / 51.874500°N 8.548222°W / 51.874500; -8.548222
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Bishopstown Stadium
Map
LocationCurraheen Road, Bishopstown, Cork
Coordinates51°52′28.2″N 8°32′53.6″W / 51.874500°N 8.548222°W / 51.874500; -8.548222
Public transitCurraheen (Marymount Hospice) bus stop (Bus Éireann route 208)
OwnerMcCarthy Developments
Capacity2,000
SurfaceGrass
ScoreboardNo
Opened1992
Tenants
Cork City F.C. (Training ground)
Cork City Women's F.C. (Former)
Cork City FC U19[1]

Bishopstown Stadium is an association football stadium located in Bishopstown on the western outskirts of Cork, Ireland. It is formerly the home ground of League of Ireland men's club Cork City FC and League of Ireland Women's League club Cork City WFC. It is used as a training ground by Cork City.

History

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Built in the early 1990s,[2] the stadium was developed as a new home for Cork City FC ahead of the 1993/94 season.[1] However, the move to Bishopstown proved costly and unpopular with fans, while the condition of the pitch quickly became "notorious". As the venue was "not fit for purpose", a number of Cork City home games were played in other venues.[1]

By November 1995, and with Cork City on the verge of liquidation, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) bought the stadium for £70,000 to be shared amongst the club's creditors.[3] Under new ownership, Cork City returned to Turners Cross in 1996.[4]

Property speculators McCarthy Developments then bought the Bishopstown ground and twice tried to turn it into student accommodation serving the Cork Institute of Technology, only to be refused planning permission.[5] They rented the site back to Cork City as a training ground and administrative base in early 2010.[6]

Cork Women's FC began using the facility as their home ground in 2013, as they forged closer links with the owners of the male Cork City club.[7] Cork City Women's FC have played home Women's National League fixtures at Turners Cross since 2022.[8][9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Bishopstown". extratime.com. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  2. ^ Dalton, Alan (April 1992). "New Era for Cork". The Soccer Magazine. Dublin – via loihistory.wordpress.com.
  3. ^ Thornley, Gerry (23 January 1996). "FAI to meet liquidator in effort to rescue Cork City". The Irish Times. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  4. ^ "A Timeline of League of Ireland Soccer in Cork". Cork Past and Present. Cork City Council. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Former Cork soccer stadium to be knocked?". Irish Examiner. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  6. ^ Buckley, Éanna (4 March 2010). "McCarthy Developments Announced as Community Partner". Cork City F.C. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Cork Women's F.C. join forces with Cork City". ExtraTime.ie. 20 August 2013. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  8. ^ Duffy, Emma (2 February 2021). "'A huge step for the club' - Cork City women to play home matches at Turner's Cross". the42.ie. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  9. ^ Donovan, Shane (12 October 2022). "Cork City secure use of Turner's Cross for next 20 years". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. Retrieved 22 October 2022.