The Markets Field is a UEFA category two stadium in Garryowen, Limerick, Ireland and the home ground of Treaty United. Formerly the home of Limerick FC, it has a capacity of 3,075.
After departing for Hogan Park in 1984, Limerick F.C. returned to Markets Field in 2015 and were the principal tenant until their demise in 2019. The ground has hosted underage international fixtures in 2015 and 2021, as well as the 2016 League of Ireland Cup final between Limerick and St Patrick's Athletic.
History Markets Field was first used as a sporting venue in 1886. A Limerick Chronicle newspaper from that time reported that the Irish Cycling Association and the Gaelic Athletic Association paid £8 per day for the use of the Markets Field over three consecutive weekends. The first Gaelic games held at the ground took place on 19 September 1886. Rugby was also played at the venue for the first time that same year and the ground hosted the 1888 Munster Cup final where Queens College (UCC) beat Garryowen by a try to nil.
The venue later hosted its first Limerick County Hurling Championship final on 22 November 1896, which was played between Caherline and Ballingarry. The county final remained at the Markets Field, with the exception of 1916 and 1919, until the late 1920s when the finals were moved to the Gaelic Grounds. Tournament games continued to be played in the Markets Field up to 1932. The ground also hosted inter-county games. It was the site of 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. The ground was also used by Young Irelands GAA club for training and matches.
It was also the home of Garryowen from 1886 until 1957,Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership The Markets Field: Markets Field Past Present and Future when the club moved to new facilities in Dooradoyle. The Markets Field hosted the first meeting of the two oldest rugby clubs in the Munster Senior Cup, Garryowen and Cork Constitution, in 1900. The ground was also chosen to host the first All-Blacks rugby match against Munster in 1905.
Until 2010, the stadium hosted greyhound racing, when Limerick Greyhound Stadium opened in the south-west of the city.
Limerick F.C. was formed in 1937 and Markets Field became the association football club's home ground. In 1962, Markets Field hosted a friendly match between Limerick and Liverpool F.C. which the visitors won 3–5. The stadium hosted European football for the first time in 1981, when Southampton F.C. beat Limerick 0–3 in the 1981–82 UEFA Cup. The following season, Markets Field was the setting for Limerick's 1–1 draw with Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the 1982–83 European Cup Winners' Cup.
Limerick F.C. departed Markets Field for Hogan Park in April 1984. Discussions were held with the stadium owners, Bord na gCon (the Irish Greyhound Board), in 2009 about Limerick F.C. returning to Markets Field, who were by then playing in Jackman Park. After the Irish Greyhound Board also vacated in 2010, the future of the ground was left in doubt.
Purchase and renovations On 2 March 2011, the JP McManus Foundation confirmed they had purchased the ground from Bord na gCon. Although the foundation had provided the funding, the owners of Markets Field would be the Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP), a charitable organisation with links to JP McManus. By October 2012, Limerick F.C. had announced their intention to return to their former home. After mooted dates but no progress, Limerick instead moved from Jackman Park to Thomond Park in 2013 while the pitch at Markets Field was re-laid.
Work on the pitch's new playing surface was completed by January 2014. In early 2014, the Irish government announced funding for the redevelopment of the stadium after planning permission was granted. The LEDP and the JP McManus Foundation provided additional funding towards stadium renovations. Although the redevelopment work began in January 2015, further delays announced in February prevented Limerick F.C. returning to Markets Field and the club relocated to Jackman Park for the start of the 2015 League of Ireland season.
The club returned to Markets Field in 2015. The stadium hosted its first match in the refurbished ground on 5 June 2015, a League of Ireland Premier Division match between Limerick and Drogheda United. Limerick F.C. remained as the principal tenant of Markets Field until their demise in 2019.
The Garryowen venue later became the home ground of Treaty United. In May 2025, the LEDP announced that Treaty had signed a long-term lease at Markets Field.
Layout
The refurbished Main Stand holds 1,340 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. Opposite the main stand is the Popular Side, where the team dugouts and television gantry are located. Away supporters were previously housed in a demountable stand, with 360 seats, behind the Geraldine Villas goal and entered through a gate at this end. In November 2022, a row of seats in the demountable stand collapsed during the 2022 First Division play-off final between Galway United and Waterford F.C., bringing the game to a halt in order to evacuate the stand. As of February 2025, this stand remains closed to supporters. 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. The ground itself has no car parking.
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. 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.
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. 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'.
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. 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.
The track closed in 2009 with the entire operation moving to the newly built Limerick Greyhound Stadium at Greenpark. Racing Manager Gus Ryan retired after 42 years in racing.
Track records
Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes300 Lucky Blunder 16.62 1970300Lazuli Mountain 16.45 25 September 1971300 Fionntra Favour 16.343 October 1983300 Clon Flash 16.26 19 August 1996300 Go Queen Go 16.27 4 October 2001300 Paws and Pray 16.20 24 November 2001 300 You Said So 16.15 16 June 2002300 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 2008300Tarbrook Henry 15.7614 August 2008315 Well Squared 17.84 1938525 Master Eamonn 30.15 July 1939 Irish Derby heats525 Irish Rambler 30.10 July 1939Irish Derby semi-finals525 Marching Through Georgia30.02 15 July 1939Irish Derby Final525 Fair Mistress 29.9819 September 1942 Oaks heats525 Top Customer 29.27 1979 525 Flaming King 29.24 1968 525 Flaming King 29.15 23 September 1968525 Squire Jones 29.12 December 1983525 Grove Whisper 29.06 13 December 1986 525 Aulton Slippy 28.94 15 April 1988525 Deep Decision 28.37 31 May 1997525 Judicial Post 28.10 27 October 2002525 Catunda Harry 27.99 17 June 2007550 Dark Shadow 31.37 1945 St Leger final550Flintfield Grosvenor 30.98June 1949550 Prince of Bermuda 30.66 November 1956St Leger final550 Flaming King 30.48 19 October 1968 550 Ballybeg Prim30.44 18 October 1975St Leger final550 Oran Jack30.2026 September 1981St Leger 2nd Rd & National record550 Oran Jack 30.163 October 1981St Leger semi final & National record550 Morans Beef 30.06 20 October 1984550 Frisby Flashing 29.66 9 October 1999St Leger semi-final550 Frisby Flashing 29.6416 October 1999 St Leger final550 Manic Ranger 29.59 10 June 2002550 Larking About 29.59 22 June 2002St Leger semi-final550 Mountleader Rolf 29.51 24 May 2003550 Droopys Deco 29.50 28 May 2007550 Hondo Dingle 29.32 2 June 2007550 Skywalker Prince 29.50 2 June 2007550 The Other Sonic 29.46 19 May 2008 St Leger first round550 Shelbourne Aston 29.38 25 May 2008 St Leger second round550 Timor Blue 29.33 30 May 2009 St Leger third round600 Maidens Breach 35.25 1950600 Nancys Laurel 34.70 13 September 1952700 Muskerry Cream 40.85 700 Speir Bhean 40.80 August 1954 700 Rovingo 40.29 1970 700 Greenville Queen 40.07 2 November 1970700 Dromlara Champ 39.75 23 August 1975700 Game Misty 39.53 20 September 1990700 Frosty Rose 38.72 23 July 2001700 Sparkling Wave 38.68 1 June 2002700 Hondo Dingle 38.62 25 September 2006700 Mucky Tony 38.40 13 September 2008700 Summerfield Jean 38.32 5 September 2009 750 One More Stop 42.12 8 April 2000750Related Object 41.73 23 September 2002750 Tinas Girl 41.64 26 July 2003750Nobody Wants Me 41.53 9 July 20051000 Wise Susie 57.94 27 January 2007525 H Jerrys Memory 30.95 9 September 1966 525 H Own Kuda 30.35 17 May 1975525 H Silver Light 30.10 15 September 1976525 H Ballymac Mich 29.14 4 August 2003525 H Goofys Lofty 29.10 31 May 2004525 H Lemon Rambo 28.91 9 October 2004525 H Razldazl Denys 28.79 29 November 2008
References