Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Páirc Uí Chaoimh (Irish pronunciation: [ˈpˠaːɾʲc iː ˈxiːvʲ]) is a GAA stadium in Ballintemple, Cork, Ireland, which opened in 1976, on the site of the original Cork Athletic Grounds.

Primarily used as a venue for Gaelic games, it has been used to host Cork GAA's home league and championship games in both Gaelic football and hurling. The finals of both the Cork senior hurling and football championships have routinely been held at the venue. It has also hosted concerts by Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, U2, The Stone Roses and Oasis, as well as the annual Siamsa Cois Laoi festival.

Designed by Horgan and Lynch, the stadium had an original capacity of 50,288. This capacity was progressively reduced because of safety regulations, and before the commencement of redevelopment works in 2015, it had a capacity of 32,550. As of May 2015, the stadium is closed for demolition and redevelopment works.

History

Early ground

Sports meetings were frequently held on the area now occupied by Páirc Uí Chaoimh even before the establishment of the Gaelic Athletic Association. By the late 1890s the Cork County Board were allowed by the Cork Agricultural Company, the leaseholders of the land, to enclose a portion of the site for the playing of Gaelic Games. The county board built its own stadium on the land in 1898. The Cork Athletic Grounds opened in 1904 and hosted All-Ireland finals, Munster finals and National League games. These grounds were close to what is now the CAB Ford garage on the Monahan Road.