UCC confirms talks with FAI as hopes high of new 'centre of excellence' plan for Cork city

There are fresh hopes of an announcement of a new Cork-based Munster Centre of Excellence for the Football Association of Ireland (FAI). University College Cork (UCC) has confirmed to The Echo that the two organisations are in talks.

The FAI is set to soon reveal the location of its long-awaited Munster centre of excellence. When UCC was asked if it was involved in the new plan, a spokesperson told The Echo: “UCC can confirm that it is in negotiations with a number of sporting bodies, including the FAI, in relation to the development of sports capital projects.”

Charlie McConalogue, minister of state at the Department of Culture, Communications, and Sport, said in the Dáil, in response to Cork North Central TD Pádraig O’Sullivan: “The FAI has confirmed that negotiations are actively progressing, with discussions at an advanced stage regarding a potential new site for the centre [of excellence].

“The FAI plans to present the proposed site and project details to its board at the next scheduled meeting at the end of this month.”

The original site for the FAI centre of excellence in Cork was on a 30-acre site in Glanmire, but the project was shelved in May 2023.

Mr McConalogue added that, subject to board approval, the FAI intends to seek the department’s support in transferring the original grant funding for the project to the newly-proposed location.

“The FAI will submit a business case to the department outlining the revised project location, scope, and partnership arrangements for consideration.

“As negotiations are ongoing, further details cannot be disclosed now.”

Mr O’Sullivan told The Echo he believes UCC is being identified for the centre of excellence.

He said that the project is long overdue for Cork and the surrounding regions.

“The one good thing the Minister said in his response is that he has been told at the next board meeting of the FAI, a proposal is going to be brought forward. Assuming that is the case, and that the FAI follow through on that, then at least there will be a project announced in conjunction with UCC.”

But he added a note of caution: “My fear is that we have been here before with the FAI. I hope that the FAI come with a proposal at their next board meeting and that it is ratified by the board. But I genuinely want to see the project done.”

He added: 

“Once it is done somewhere, and done to an adequate standard, it will be massive for the development of young players coming through. Other clubs, particularly in Dublin, are at a major advantage to clubs in the south at the moment, without something like this.”

The original Glanmire project was to include seven pitches, along with a purpose-built pavilion with a viewing area, housing a classroom, gymnasium, dressing rooms, physiotherapy, medical and team rooms, as well as a community area and other purpose built-facilities.

The project was also to include training facilities for Cork City Football Club, as well as pitches for its underage teams.

Meanwhile, UCC’s multimillion-euro sports development on the outskirts of the city is taking shape, with a €10m capital construction budget now in place for the project’s first phase.

Its UCC Sports Park in Curraheen is on a site beside Cork Showgrounds, where it is planning five synthetic pitches for soccer, GAA, and hockey, plus dressing rooms.

The university also plans a major upgrade of the facilities at the Mardyke Sports Grounds with the existing rugby stand replaced with a new two-storey 2,000sq m stand with changing facilities, offices, indoor rowing training, storage and public toilets.

Other developments would include two new floodlit padel tennis courts, outdoor table tennis tables, a hurling wall, resurfacing of the existing synthetic hockey pitch, boat storage, and new drainage and irrigation systems.