Marquee Masters brings second night of world-class darts to Cork — here's everything you need to know
Nathan, George and Carina Hume from Castlemagner at the Marquee Masters. Picture by Noel Sweeney.
Cork is set for a second historical night of sporting entertainment as The Marquee Masters brings world-class darts to Live at the Marquee, transforming the tented venue into the Ally Pally for the very first time.
The Marquee Masters is showcasing some of the biggest names in global darts, all appearing together under one iconic roof.
Leading the lineup this weekend is the current World Champion Luke Humphries, joined by two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis, history-making superstar Fallon Sherrock, and fan favourite Simon Whitlock, as well as Robert Thornton and John Henderson.
On Saturday night, people dressed in cowboy boots and hats, costumes and more casual attire were seen making their way down Centre Park Road for night one of the darts extravaganza, packed with high-octane action, walk-ons, entertainment, and the unique atmosphere only darts can deliver.
Tonight will be no different, with the legendary Phil Taylor, winner of 16 world championships, attending as VIP host. While Taylor will not be playing on the night, fans have the opportunity to meet the man who is one of the greatest players the sport has seen.
Tickets are still available to purchase for Sunday night via the official Ticketmaster.ie website. Prices start at €50.65.
Organisers have advised that those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by persons aged 21 years or older.
The Live at the Marquee tented venue can be found on the former Tedcastle's Yard on Centre Park Road outside Cork city centre. The venue is about a seven-minute drive from the city centre in low-traffic conditions. Walking, it will take about 30 minutes from the city, or 15 minutes from Ballintemple.
Parking in the area is limited, but the current location has 300 car park spaces which can be booked on Ticketmaster.ie for €14.20. It is strongly recommended to purchase parking tickets via Ticketmaster in advance.
With recent breakout stars such as Fallon Sherrock and Luke Littler, darts is garnering more mainstream attention than ever before. In January 2024, Sky Sports posted its highest viewing figures for a non-football event during the PDC World Championship final between Littler and Luke Humphries. The emergence of talented young players and female players competing on the same world stage as males has also shifted dated perceptions of the game.
Another undeniably large part of the appeal of darts to many spectators is the social aspect – culturally, darts is seen by many as fun and relatable. Theatrical-like walk-ons, entertaining MCing and its reputation as an excuse to enjoy some beverages are what make it notably appealing to spectators.
Last year, the man behind one of the country’s largest concert-promoting companies, Peter Aiken, anticipated that the loudest cheers from the Live at the Marquee tent would be heard during the venue’s two-night Marquee Masters residence.
Speaking to the media at the launch of Live at the Marquee 2026 in Cork back in November, Aiken said: “It’s getting big, darts. It’s not just about the sport; it’s more entertainment. The darts is something that everybody can follow, no matter what age you are. It used to be men who used to go to darts clubs; now they all seem to follow it,” he said.
When asked back in November if hosting an event such as The Marquee Masters opens the door to venture into more of these types of events in the future, Aiken said he is always looking toward new things.
- For more information on food and drink at the Marquee, parking options, and public transport options, click here.
