# League of Ireland in Cork city

Cork is a city in Ireland, located in the South-West Region, in the province of Munster. It is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the third most populous on the island of Ireland. Eight association football clubs/teams or franchises from Cork have represented the city in the League of Ireland. In 1924–25 Fordsons became the first team from the city to join the league. Since then, apart from the two seasons, 1982–83 and 1983–84, the league has featured at least one Cork team. The current representative, Cork City F.C., was elected to the league in 1984–85. Between them, teams from Cork have won the league title on twelve occasions.

## Clubs

| Club | From/to | Seasons |
| Fordsons/Cork F.C. | 1924–1938 | 14 |
| Cork Bohemians | 1932–1934 | 2 |
| Cork City I | 1938–1940 | 1½ |
| Cork United I | 1940–1948 | 7½ |
| Cork Athletic | 1948–1957 | 9 |
| Evergreen United/Cork Celtic | 1951–1979 | 28 |
| Cork Hibernians | 1957–1976 | 19 |
| Albert Rovers/Cork Alberts/Cork United II | 1976–1982 | 6 |
| Cork City II | 1984-present | 39 |
^1 Where multiple names are listed, the clubs have changed names. See below

## Timeline

| Year | Event |
| 1924 | Fordsons F.C. become first club from Cork to play in League of Ireland. Finish 4th in 1924–25 season |
| 1930 | Fordsons changed their name to Cork F.C. |
| 1932 | Cork Bohemians F.C. enter league. |
| 1934 | Cork win the 1933–34 FAI Cup. Cork Bohemians resigned from league. |
| 1938 | Cork are replaced by Cork City |
| 1940 | On 13 February Cork City was dissolved and Cork United was immediately formed. United took on the playing record and fixtures of the defunct club. |
| 1941 | Cork United win league and FAI cup double. They finished level with Waterford AFC on points and the league decided a play off should be played in Cork. Waterford refused to play in Cork, preferring a neutral ground or a two legged game. The league awarded the championship to Cork United. Cork also beat Waterford in the FAI Cup final after a replay. |
| 1942 | Cork United win league for second season in a row |
| 1943 | Cork United complete hat-trick of league titles |
| 1945 | Cork United win fourth league title |
| 1946 | Cork United win 5th league title in six seasons |
| 1947 | Cork United win FAI Cup |
| 1948 | On 10 October United resigned from the league after competing in the Dublin City Cup and some of the League of Ireland Shield. Cork Athletic was immediately formed with the same personnel and took their place in the league |
| 1950 | Cork Athletic win the league |
| 1951 | Cork Athletic win the league and FAI Cup double. Evergreen United elected to the league |
| 1953 | Cork Athletic win FAI Cup |
| 1957 | Cork Athletic resign from league. Cork Hibernians elected to league. |
| 1959 | Evergreen United change their name to Cork Celtic |
| 1971 | Cork Hibernians win the league championship |
| 1972 | Cork Hibernians win FAI Cup. Miah Dennehy scores first ever hat trick in final. |
| 1973 | Cork Hibs win FAI Cup for second year in a row |
| 1974 | Cork Celtic win league championship |
| 1976 | Cork Hibernians resign from league. Albert Rovers elected to league |
| 1977 | Albert Rovers change their name to Cork Albert and in October changed again, adding an 's' to become Cork Alberts |
| 1979 | Cork Celtic expelled from league. Cork Alberts change their name to Cork United |
| 1982 | Cork United expelled from the league |
| 1984 | Cork City formed and elected to the league |
| 1985 | Cork Hibernians formed and elected to the League of Ireland First Division. Due to cost of insurance at Turners Cross, the club were removed from the League without playing a match |
| 1993 | Cork City win league title |
| 1998 | Cork City win FAI Cup |
| 2004 | Cork City go on an Intertoto Cup run beating a record number of teams, compared to other Irish competitors |
| 2005 | Cork City win league title |
| 2007 | Cork City win FAI Cup |
| 2008 | Cork City win the Setanta Sports Cup |
| 2008 | Cork City go into examinership |
| 2009 | High Court issues order to wind up Cork City FC, order later removed |
| 2010 | Tom Coughlan is banned by the FAI and forced to relinquish control as chairman and enter takeover talks |
| 2010 | Cork City Investments Fc Ltd is wound up but the club is saved and competes under the temporary name Cork City FORAS Co-op in the League of Ireland First Division. The underage teams continue to compete under the name Cork City Football Club, now owned and funded by the fans. |
| 2010 | Cork City purchased the name and other rights of Cork City Football Club from the former holding company Cork City Investments Fc Ltd., and resume competing under the Cork City name in the 2011 season. |
| 2011 | Cork City win the League of Ireland First Division, ensuring promotion to the League of Ireland Premier Division. |
| 2017 | Cork City win their first league and cup double |
| 2020 | Cork City finish bottom of the 2020 League of Ireland Premier Division table, meaning relegation to the First Division for the 2021 season. While, later in 2020, the FORAS supporters trust votes to sell the club to Preston North End owner Trevor Hemmings, this is not progressed. |
| 2022 | Cork City win the 2022 League of Ireland First Division title, providing for a return to the premier division. |
Source:

## Champions
### List of winners by season
#### A Division

| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
| 1925–26 | Shelbourne | Shamrock Rovers | Fordsons |
| 1931–32 | Shamrock Rovers | Cork | Waterford |
| 1933–34 | Bohemians | Cork | Shamrock Rovers |
| 1935–36 | Bohemians | Dolphin | Cork |
| 1940–41 | Cork United | Waterford | Bohemians |
| 1941–42 | Cork United | Shamrock Rovers | Shelbourne |
| 1942–43 | Cork United | Dundalk | Drumcondra |
| 1944–45 | Cork United | Limerick | Shamrock Rovers |
| 1945–46 | Cork United | Drumcondra | Waterford |
| 1949–50 | Cork Athletic | Drumcondra | Shelbourne |
| 1950–51 | Cork Athletic | Sligo Rovers | Drumcondra |
| 1953–54 | Shamrock Rovers | Evergreen United | Drumcondra |
| 1957–58 | Dumcondra | Shamrock Rovers | Evergreen United |
| 1958–59 | Shamrock Rovers | Evergreen United | Waterford |
| 1959–60 | Limerick | Cork Celtic | Shelbourne |
| 1961–62 | Shelbourne | Cork Celtic | Shamrock Rovers |
| 1967–68 | Waterford | Dundalk | Cork Celtic |
| 1968–69 | Waterford | Shamrock Rovers | Cork Hibernians |
| 1969–70 | Waterford | Shamrock Rovers | Cork Hibernians |
| 1970–71 | Cork Hibernians | Shamrock Rovers | Waterford |
| 1971–72 | Waterford | Cork Hibernians | Bohemians |
| 1973–74 | Cork Celtic | Bohemians | Cork Hibernians |
Source:

#### Premier Division

| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
| 1990–91 | Dundalk | Cork City | St Patrick's Athletic |
| 1991–92 | Shelbourne | Derry City | Cork City |
| 1992–93 | Cork City | Bohemians | Shelbourne |
| 1993–94 | Shamrock Rovers | Cork City | Galway United |
| 1997–98 | St Patrick's Athletic | Shelbourne | Cork City |
| 1998–99 | St Patrick's Athletic | Cork City | Shelbourne |
| 1999–00 | Shelbourne | Cork City | Bohemians |
| 2000–01 | Bohemians | Shelbourne | Cork City |
| 2003 | Shelbourne | Bohemians | Cork City |
| 2004 | Shelbourne | Cork City | Bohemians |
| 2005 | Cork City | Derry City | Shelbourne |
| 2009 | Bohemians | Shamrock Rovers | Cork City |
| 2014 | Dundalk | Cork City | St Patrick's Athletic |
| 2015 | Dundalk | Cork City | Shamrock Rovers |
| 2016 | Dundalk | Cork City | Derry City |
| 2017 | Cork City | Dundalk | Shamrock Rovers |
| 2018 | Dundalk | Cork City | Shamrock Rovers |
Source:

### List of winners by club

| Club | Titles | Seasons |
| Cork United | 5 | 1940–41, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1944–45, 1945–46 |
| Cork City | 3 | 1992–93, 2005, 2017 |
| Cork Athletic | 2 | 1949–50, 1950–51 |
| Cork Celtic | 1 | 1973–74 |
| Cork Hibernians | 1 | 1970–71 |
Source: