Páirc Uí Chaoimh prepares for biggest year yet
Daniel O’Neill
Cork GAA is expecting this year to be one of the most successful for SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh since its renovation and has confirmed major sporting events this year across a number of sports.
Major fixtures have been confirmed for hurling, Gaelic football, and soccer for the rest of 2025 with hopes that a major rugby game will be announced too.
One of the sellout events, the Division 1A National Hurling League final between Cork and Tipperary, and the Division 1B National Hurling League final between Waterford and Offaly are both happening this Sunday. 40,000 fans are expected to show up to the games.
Two other anticipated events at the venue are the Cork v Tipperary and Cork vWaterford matches in this year’s Munster Hurling Championship. The games take place on 27 April and 25 May, and tickets are expected to sell out. Depending on the final pairing, the venue could host the Munster Hurling Final on 6 June.
Depending on whether Cork senior footballers defeat Limerick this weekend, they could play Kerry on 19 April at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the Munster Football Championship. The venue will also host games for Cork under 20 hurlers and footballers and camogie and ladies football championship games.
The venue will host several non-GAA events this year such as the Republic of Ireland versus Slovenia in the Women’s Nations League on 3 June and the inaugural Cork Super Cup between Cork City FC and Celtic FC on 8 July. There are hopes that Munster Rugby will play a Champion Cups match game in the famous stadium this December.
While the venue is booked and busy with sporting events, there are no confirmed concerts for the near future. Several major musical stars have played in the past including Elton John, Westlife and most recently Bruce Springsteen in May 2024.
Both 5 and 10 year season tickets have sold well with all 2,575 seats now sold out on both premium and South Stand Lower levels.
Kevin O’Donovan, CEO of Cork GAA said: “These announcements come on the back of a very busy period with record crowds turning out to see Cork’s hurlers in the National League.
The stadium is now showing its true potential, with each sell-out event estimated to be worth in the region of €6 million euro to the local economy.”
He gave his thanks to the GAA community saying: “We are very grateful for the support of the GAA community, who have helped sell out our premium level tickets, and the dedicated seating that was on sale through the South Stand. Couple that with the business events that are held regularly at the stadium, and the significant plans we have for other events in the months ahead, and we can truly see the stadium as the asset to Cork that it is.”