President of MTU President Maggie Cusack, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD and Jimmy Deenihan, Chair of the Governing Body MTU at the official opening of the MTU Arena I’m the Bishoptown campus.
Photo Darragh Kane
Today, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science, Simon Harris, TD, officially opened the MTU Arena on MTU’s Bishopstown Campus. The €13 million state-of-the-art multi-purpose facility is the first of several new buildings which will be built at the University to provide a much-needed facility for the MTU community.
The MTU Arena is anchored by a 1,340m2 hall, two studios, a café and a spacious state-of-the-art gym. It will be open seven days per week, and membership of the gym will be open to students, staff and members of the public.
Construction of the Arena began in 2020, with the then Tánaiste, Simon Coveney TD, turning the sod on 22nd of June. It was constructed in under two years and the MTU Arena opened to students, staff and members of the public in February of 2023.
Speaking at the official opening at MTUs Bishopstown Campus today, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD said: “I am delighted to be here in Bishopstown to officially open the state-of-the-art MTU Arena. This fantastic facility, which cost €13 million and took two years to build during a global pandemic, will benefit students and staff and is available to them seven days a week.
“This gives them a space to meet and socialise in the large café here, go to the gym or take part in other activities to help them look after their health and wellbeing. This large space allows the university to hold conferring ceremonies here on campus as well as provides space for students to sit exams.
“And it’s not just the university who benefit from this wonderful building, the people of Bishopstown and beyond also benefit. Here they can hold local community events, concerts, major sporting events – the list is endless.”
Commenting on the official opening of the MTU Arena, MTU President, Professor Maggie Cusack, said: “MTU Arena was built in just two years despite many challenges, not least a global pandemic. The delivery of this state-of-the-art building is a testament to the dedication of all those involved in the project and to MTU’s commitment to being a truly great university. The Arena has had its soft opening earlier this year, and the past six months have already shown what a huge benefit it is to current students and staff, as well as the wider South West Region.”
Commenting on the official opening of the MTU Arena, Chair of MTU’s Governing Body, Jimmy Deenihan, said, “The MTU Arena is a wonderful addition to the Bishopstown campus and it will greatly add to the student experience. The potential for the Arena for everything from graduation ceremonies to major sporting events and conferences is limitless and we look forward to a world of opportunity and success.”
Mervyn O’Mahony, MTU Arena Operations Manager, said, “This is, first and foremost, a place for our students. They are key to the life of the University and are the greatest beneficiaries of this stunning new building. But we also look forward to being able to host a wide variety of events at the MTU Arena to show how it really is a true community asset,” he added.
President of MTU Cork Students’ Union Isobel Kavanagh, said, “Since the Arena opened earlier this year we’ve quickly learned how central it has become to the University experience at MTU.
“It’s a huge addition to the campus as it provides a space for students to meet and socialise, play sports, go to the gym and participate in various other extra-curricular activities. The campus needs lots of spaces like this for our students so this is a great start in our journey to becoming an extremely attractive university which promotes the overall health and wellbeing of our students,” she added.
