Bishopstown

**Town Legend** · 27/01/2015, 10:57 PM

An interesting article posted by Dodge on Twitter earlier about Cork City's plans for a new ground back in 92. I was only a young gosson back then and I never knew the full story about the move in and out again!!

So my few questions are:

Did Cork City play at the Cross before they moved to Bishopstown?

What were the reasons for pulling out? Something sticks in my mind from back then that it was constantly waterlogged. But not sure if that's true!

Was it completed as per the drawings? Seated stands on all four sides? Lights?

From reading the article the under 19's still use it. Seems like an awful lot of money was pumped into it and only used for 2 seasons.

**Pablo Escobar** · 27/01/2015, 11:20 PM

Cork City played in Turners Cross from 1986 until the move to Bishopstown in 1992.

The club went into liquidation and moved back to Turners Cross.

1 stand was completed which still stands. The other 3 sides were raised up banks which were levelled since. If you youtube Cork City Galatasaray you'll see what it was like.

The lights that are now in Turners Cross were originally in Bishopstown.

**Dodge** · 27/01/2015, 11:23 PM

Article and plans here
https://loihistory.wordpress.com/201...r-bishopstown/

**disgruntled** · 28/01/2015, 12:43 PM

I remember it well.
Never seemed to stop raining out there.
The pitch was more used to Olympic swimming than Soccer.
Nice idea but once again the wrong people in charge.

**Real ale Madrid** · 28/01/2015, 12:54 PM

I was at the last league match in Bishopstown a 0-1 defeat to Derry city in front of about 200 people thanks to a Stephen Napier own goal. I think it was an 11.45am kick off.

A few weeks later we played St. Pats in front of about 6,000 people and a heaving Shed. I could never figure out where everybody came from - I suppose there was huge disillusionment with the old regime etc. I was was from out in the "sticks" near Macroom so Bishopstown was only 20mins away - used to love going to games there. The majority would complain wickedly about its location. Today it would be damn near perfect location to develop a 10k stadium.

**Pablo Escobar** · 28/01/2015, 1:36 PM

Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

I was at the last league match in Bishopstown a 0-1 defeat to Derry city in front of about 200 people thanks to a Stephen Napier own goal. I think it was an 11.45am kick off.

A few weeks later we played St. Pats in front of about 6,000 people and a heaving Shed. I could never figure out where everybody came from - I suppose there was huge disillusionment with the old regime etc. I was was from out in the "sticks" near Macroom so Bishopstown was only 20mins away - used to love going to games there. The majority would complain wickedly about its location. Today it would be damn near perfect location to develop a 10k stadium.

It's still always extremely cold out there whenever I go out there. The CIT soccer ground (which has a superb stand btw) is only about 1km away, as the crow flies, doesn't have that issue. The dual carriageway that now runs by it is the main artery to the west. Cork busiest bus route which runs almost 100 times a day each way now stops right outside the ground. And also, Ballincollig is now a large urban area to the west of the ground and that was not the case when the ground was built. It was before it's time.

**Dodge** · 28/01/2015, 1:40 PM

Wasn't there an issue at the start about players having to change in a nearby facility too?

**Real ale Madrid** · 28/01/2015, 1:56 PM

Originally Posted by Pablo Escobar

It's still always extremely cold out there whenever I go out there. The CIT soccer ground (which has a superb stand btw) is only about 1km away, as the crow flies, doesn't have that issue. The dual carriageway that now runs by it is the main artery to the west. Cork busiest bus route which runs almost 100 times a day each way now stops right outside the ground. And also, Ballincollig is now a large urban area to the west of the ground and that was not the case when the ground was built. It was before it's time.

I'm not sure was it the " cold" that was its downfall. Every ground is cold when empty. The pitch I remember had huge problems alright - the CIT pitch ( as a point of reference ) was possibly in a worse position in relation to the nearby river was laid correctly and never had any major drainage issues Also all the UCC pitches next door never seemed to have the problems the pitch in Bishopstown had.

Originally Posted by Dodge

Wasn't there an issue at the start about players having to change in a nearby facility too?

I think so but I was young enough at the time so can't fully remember. I think we played Bohs in Round 1 of the league playoff there (1993) and the players had to change in the nearby ESB sports ground - I could have that all mixed up mind you.

**Pablo Escobar** · 28/01/2015, 2:00 PM

Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

I'm not sure was it the " cold" that was its downfall. Every ground is cold when empty. The pitch I remember had huge problems alright - the CIT pitch ( as a point of reference ) was possibly in a worse position in relation to the nearby river was laid correctly and never had any major drainage issues Also all the UCC pitches next door never seemed to have the problems the pitch in Bishopstown had.

I think so but I was young enough at the time so can't fully remember. I think we played Bohs in Round 1 of the league playoff there (1993) and the players had to change in the nearby ESB sports ground - I could have that all mixed up mind you.

The cold was not its downfall, but I could never work out why it just seemed so much colder there (and still does) than anywhere else in that vacinity.

To this day the pitch is still awful.

**disgruntled** · 28/01/2015, 3:02 PM

Originally Posted by Pablo Escobar

The cold was not its downfall, but I could never work out why it just seemed so much colder there (and still does) than anywhere else in that vacinity.

To this day the pitch is still awful.

I remember a drainage system being put into the pitch to try & sort it out.
One of the problems is that the stadium is right in the Lee valley which makes it like a wind tunnel.
If a stand was built behind the western goal that would have helped a lot.