Turners Cross (stadium) - History

History

While known locally and amongst fans as "The Cross", the ground has also been nicknamed "The Box" in the past. This accounts for the title of Plunkett Carter's book on Cork soccer, From The Lodge to The Box, where 'the lodge' refers to 'Flower Lodge'. Flower Lodge was originally owned by the Ancient Order of Hibernians and was the previous home of Cork soccer. This ground was subsequently sold to the Gaelic Athletic Association, and renamed Páirc Uí Rinn, for Christy Ring, a famous County Cork hurler.

Cork Constitution, then a rugby and cricket club, was the first club to lease the Turners Cross grounds in 1897. (A once popular trivia question was "Which President of Ireland scored a penalty at Turner's Cross?" The answer is Éamon de Valera (1882–1975) who in his early years played rugby for Rockwell. The penalty in question was during a Rockwell vs Cork Constitution rugby match in the Munster Cup.)

Turners Cross was home ground for the local GAA club Nemo Rangers in the 1930s. In June 1940 the FAI negotiated a 98 year lease on Turner's Cross with owner Helena O'Sullivan.

In 1977, then League of Ireland side Cork Celtic looked for a longer lease on the ground only to be refused by the FAI who were unable to find the property owner. The ground passed into the hands of the Munster Football Association in the 1980s.

Turner's Cross has never hosted a full men's senior international; the closest in recent time was a "B" fixture against England in 1990. Elsewhere in Cork, Flower Lodge hosted a full international on 26 May 1985 between Ireland and Spain (0:0), while The Mardyke entertained Ireland vs Hungary in 1939 (2:2). The stadium has however hosted eight Republic of Ireland under-21 national football team games and other international underage games - including games in the 1994 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship.

Soccer, rugby, Gaelic games, boxing and gymkhana events have been held at Turner's Cross over the years.