# Markets Field

The Markets Field is a UEFA category two stadium in Garryowen, Limerick, Ireland with a capacity of around 3,500. Formerly the home of Limerick FC, it is currently the home ground of Treaty United.
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

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, 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.
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. During late 2013, LEDP redeveloped the pitch, investing €400,000 in a brand new playing surface. 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, 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.

## 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

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 |
| 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 | 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 | 30.44 | 18 October 1975 | St Leger final |
| 550 | Oran Jack | 30.20 | 26 September 1981 | St Leger 2nd Rd & National record |
| 550 | Oran Jack | 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 | 57.94 | 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 | |