All set for Rebel Weekend at Marina Market on April 25/26

While the weekend’s Cork-Limerick clash is now in the rearview mirror, another one looms.

Cork must of course face Tipperary before renewing acquaintance with the Shannonsiders on Sunday, April 26 but preparations are already underway for what should be a huge occasion.

Much will ride on the meeting at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and the massive interest has been harnessed by the organisers of the Rebel Weekend at Marina Market.

The two-day event is the brainchild of a group of four MTU Cork fourth-year marketing students, who have managed to turn a college project into reality.

“It was a competition in college, run in conjunction with Marina Market,” says Mark Linehan, who worked on it with colleagues Eoin Nash, Brian Moore and Cillian Hickey.

“Everybody would have presented to the lecturers and then they picked the top five ideas that they thought would align with Marina Market.

“It was a bit of a sales-pitch, really – we’re four GAA-mad fellas in my group so we were able to really sell that side of it.

“That was just before Christmas and they spoke to us on the day of the competition results. We were saying that we hadn’t done anything like it before but we’d love to have the opportunity, especially when we had a lot done for the project in terms of the project.”

On the Saturday night before the game, the market will host a discussion featuring Tomás Mulcahy, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and Seánie McGrath on the Cork side as well as former Limerick players Declan Hannon, who retired last year after captaining the county to five All-Irelands, and Pat Ryan. The panel will look at the opening set of fixtures, look ahead to the Cork-Limerick game and share some stories from the past.

After Saturday’s event, the market’s exhibition space will be quickly turned into a fanzone for Sunday’s clash, catering for those unable to secure a ticket for what will be a sell-out by showing the game on a large LED screen. Games will also be laid on for younger supporters.

“I suppose our key message from the beginning has always been about the Cork fans,” Linehan says.

“We see so often how great they are to support the team and this is kind of giving back to them in a way. That’s been the angle from the beginning and we still stick with that – the fact that it’s a central location, so close to the stadium, was all tied into the project at the beginning.

“One other important thing to mention is that, during the interval on Saturday night, we’ll be selling tickets for a raffle and all of the proceeds will be going to the Dillon Quirke Foundation.

“There some great prizes that were generously donated, like a signed Cork jersey and various vouchers. On the Sunday, we’ll also have spot-prizes from Sports Direct to give away to kids.”

And, all going well, could it become a regular fixture?

“We’ve love to,” Linehan says, “but for this one it’s all about getting it off the ground, getting exposure and trying to make it a success.

“We’d love to do it again but that’s far away at the moment.”

· For more information, see https://www.marinamarket.ie/events/rebel-weekend