Cork Harlequins Hockey and Cricket Club is a multi-sports club based in Cork City in Ireland. The club was founded in 1925. Although Harlequins is best known for its field hockey and cricket teams, during its history the club has also organised teams in various other sports including table tennis, association football, rugby union and tennis. In 2008–09 Cork Harlequins were founder members of both Men's Irish Hockey League and the Women's Irish Hockey League. As of 2018–19, the club's senior women's team played in the national league Division 1 but have played in Division 2 since 2021 and the Women's Irish Senior Cup. The club's senior men's team have also played the Men's Irish Senior Cup and were All-Ireland club champions in 2002. The senior men's team currently plays in the national league Division 2. Reserve teams play in the Men's Irish Junior Cup and the Women's Irish Junior Cup. Cork Harlequins have also represented Ireland in European competitions.

History Women's field hockey Cork Harlequins was founded in 1925, initially as a women's field hockey team. A group of women employed by Dowdall and O'Mahony, a dairy shop on St Patrick's Street, decided to enter a tournament at Church Road in Blackrock. The team captain chose their name after noticing the ball in their first match was made by Harlequins of London. Cork Harlequins women won the Irish Senior Cup for the first time in 2000. In 2008–09 Cork Harlequins were founder members of the Women's Irish Hockey League. In 2009–10 with a team that included Yvonne O'Byrne, Cliodhna Sargent, Rachael Kohler and Sinead McCarthy, Harlequins finished as league runners up. In 2016–17 with a team that included Yvonne O'Byrne, Roisin Upton and Naomi Carroll, Cork Harlequins were Irish Senior Cup finalists. In 2017–18 O'Byrne, Upton and Carroll helped Harlequins finish as runners up in both the national league and the EY Champions Trophy. In 2019 the team including Caoimhe Perdue won the Irish Senior Cup for the 2nd time against Loreto in the final, winning on shuttles.

Women's Irish Hockey League Season Winners Score Runners up 2009–10Railway Union4–0Cork Harlequins2017–18UCDn/aCork Harlequins

Irish Senior Cup Year Winners Score Runners up 2000Cork Harlequins2–1Hermes 2003Loreto3–2 After extra timeCork Harlequins2017 2019|| UCDCork Harlequins 1–0 2-2 win on shuttles||Cork Harlequins Loreto

Irish Junior Cup Year Winners Score Runners up 1990Cork Harlequins 1992Cork Harlequins

Notes

Men's field hockey Cork Harlequins men's field hockey team were All-Ireland club champions in 2002. They won the Irish Senior Cup for the first time in 2006. Their squad included schoolboys, David and Conor Harte. Cork Harlequins subsequently went onto represent Ireland in the 2007 European Cup Winners Trophy. They won the trophy after defeating Kolos Sekoia of Ukraine 4–1 in a penalty shoot-out. In 2008–09 Cork Harlequins were founder members of the Men's Irish Hockey League.

Irish Senior Cup Season Winners Score Runners up 1938Railway Union1–0 After replay and two periods of extra time, first game finished 0–0Cork Harlequins 1950YMCA (Dublin)4–1 After extra timeCork Harlequins 1991Lisnagarvey3–0Cork Harlequins 1995Instonians2–1Cork Harlequins 2003Lisnagarvey3–2Cork Harlequins 2004Instonians1–0 After extra timeCork Harlequins 2006Cork Harlequins 2–1Lisnagarvey 2012Cork Harlequins 4–3Railway Union

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Irish Junior Cup Season Winners Score Runners up 1930Naas Belfast Newsletter 10/03/1930 Page 36–0Cork Harlequins 1979Three Rock Rovers IIBelfast Newsletter 02/04/1979 Page 123–2Cork Harlequins II 1988 Aer Lingus2–0Cork Harlequins II 1991 Holywood '87 II1–0Cork Harlequins II 1997Avoca II2–0Cork Harlequins II 1999Cork Harlequins II5–4Lisnagarvey II 2005 Banbridge II2–1Cork Harlequins II 2007Pembroke Wanderers3–1Cork Harlequins II

Cricket Cork Harlequins formed a cricket team in 1967. They enter senior, junior and minor teams in various Munster Cricket Union leagues.

Harlequin Park The land for Harlequin Park was purchased at Farmers Cross in the early 1960s from Tom Young for £900. In September 1970 the Lord Mayor of Cork opened the new club pavilion which today houses the club bar. In the 1970s a new playing pitch was developed, which became the first "grit" playing surface in the Republic of Ireland. More land was purchased and car parking and the pavilion were extended to include two new dressing rooms, a function hall and a kitchen. The grit pitch was converted into a sand based astroturf surface in 1987, the second of its kind in the Republic. In the 1980s and 1990s more land was purchased from Murphy's Caravan Park and from the Rolf family to increase the size of the facility. A second astroturf pitch was constructed in 1998. The first astroturf pitch fell into disrepair and was used as a car park for a period of time. The club now has two functioning field hockey pitches as well as cricket facilities.

Notable players Men's field hockey internationals

Ivan Bateman Wesley Bateman Jason Black Mark Black David Eakins Julian Dale Philip Hardy Sean Nicholson Conor Harte David Harte Paul Lombard Brian Long Sean Nicholson Alan O'Driscoll David O'Driscoll Ian O'Keefe

Women's field hockey internationals

When Ireland won the silver medal at the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup, the squad included two Cork Harlequins players, Yvonne O'Byrne and Roisin Upton.

Rebecca Barry Emma Buckley Naomi Carroll Eimear Cregan Aoife Falvey Sinead McCarthy Mary Goode Sharon Hutchinson Sarah Kelleher Rachael Kohler Karen O Brien Karen O'Brien Yvonne O'Byrne Julia O'Halloran Cliodhna Sargent Roisin Upton

Honours Men's field hockey European Cup Winners Trophy Winners: 2007: 1 All-Ireland Club Championship Winners: 2002: 1 Irish Senior Cup Winners: 2006, 2012: 2 Runners Up: 1938, 1950, 1991, 1995, 2003, 2004: 6 Irish Junior Cup Winners: 1999: 1 Runners Up: 1930, 1979, 1988, 1991, 1997, 2005, 2007: 7 Women's field hockey European Cup Winners Cup B Division Winners: 2001 Women's Irish Hockey League Runners Up: 2009–10, 2017–18 EY Champions Trophy Runners Up: 2018 Irish Senior Cup Winners: 2000, 2018–19 Runners Up: 2003, 2017 Irish Junior Cup Winners: 1990, 1992

References

External links Cork Harlequins on Facebook Cork Harlequins on Twitter