WORK WILL BEGIN in June on a revamp to Musgrave Park that will see the Cork rugby ground increase its capacity to just shy of 10,000.
The Musgrave Park Redevelopment Project will swing into effect next month and include a new West Stand, which will hold 3,500 supporters, and a stand to cover the East Terrace. There will also be improved dressing rooms, a hospitality area, media facilities, medical facilities, and public toilets in the West Stand. The current capacity is 8,500.
The ground, which plays host to Sunday’s Well RFC, Dolphin RFC’s Ulster Bank League games and up to five Munster matches per season, is set to be completed by November. Work will commence this summer following the 21 June concert featuring operatic group Il Divo and the City of Cork Symphony Orchestra.
Munster Rugby states that Musgrave Park will be in a position to hold four RaboDirect Pro12 games, although a pre-season match in Cork will not take place.
As part of the revamp, a temporary stand that was erected in 2011 has been dismantled and moved off-site. The project is being funded through several avenues – existing capital development funds, a National Lottery grant, funding from the Munster Rugby Supporters Club and through the sale of a plot of land on the east side of the ground.
Chairman of the Munster Rugby Development Committee, Denis Kelleher said, “The new stand and facilities ensure Munster can continue playing competitive matches in Cork, in addition to hosting numerous club and schools matches. I would like to thank all those that have made this project happen, both past and present, as we continue to enhance our playing facilities in the province.”
