It has played host to some of the greatest names in Irish sport over the past 100 years but yesterday, the Mardyke Pavilion at University College Cork revealed its new face after a €1.4 million makeover.
Damaged in 2009 when the river Lee burst its banks and flowed down through the western reaches of Cork city, the newly refurbished Mardyke Pavilion was yesterday officially opened by the Minister for Sport Leo Varadkar.
He said he was highly impressed with the manner in which the building, now protected by flood defences, had been refurbished to cater for the university’s many outdoor sports.
“I am delighted to officially open the Mardyke Pavilion today and to recognise the importance of the Mardyke as the sporting heart of UCC for the last 100 years. The redevelopment of the Mardyke Pavilion and other developments under way this year heralds a new era for sport at UCC,” he said.
The original Mardyke Pavilion was constructed with timber and materials from the Cork International Exhibition Buildings of 1902 and 1903