Páirc Uí Chaoimh to charge Cork County Board for use of stadium

A general view of Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

The Cork County Board is to be charged for the use of Páirc Uí Chaoimh for its games, the Irish Examiner has learned.

The stadium authorities will charge a fee intended to cover the various costs incurred in opening the stadium, with the Cork Camogie Board one of the first organisations to be billed for using the venue.

The Cork senior camogie side which recently contested the All-Ireland senior camogie final was charged €500 for playing in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in August.

Before taking on Galway in the All-Ireland final Cork played a challenge game against Wexford in the Leeside venue and were subsequently billed by the stadium authorities.

The matter came to the attention of delegates at the most recent meeting of the Cork Camogie Board, which was held earlier this week.

However, a representative of the stadium authorities has confirmed that there is to be a charge for using the stadium which covers all games at all levels, from inter-county challenge games to local club championship matches.

Although the charge is intended to help cover the cost of opening the stadium, the costs incurred in doing so is believed to be far higher than the €500 bill given to the Camogie Board.

The Cork County Board will be charged by the stadium authorities for senior club championship games being played in the stadium, as well as for challenge games played there by the county teams.

The redeveloped stadium is not used routinely for training by Cork teams, with most training sessions held in Páirc Ui Rinn or other venues, but Páirc Uí Chaoimh has been used by Cork teams for challenge games with other county sides.

The county footballers played at least one challenge game there behind closed doors during the summer, for instance, but a Páirc Uí Chaoimh representative confirmed that the County Board will be charged for that game.

The cost overrun incurred in redeveloping the stadium means all potential income streams are under examination, with recent developments not encouraging for the venue.

On September 16, the GAA was refused planning permission for a controversial revamp of Páirc Uí Chaoimh which included contentious plans to build car parks on two parcels of publicly-owned land in an area identified to be part of the new linear Marina Park amenity.