Published on: Friday, 20 May 2011

CIT has signed a licensing agreement with Munster Rugby which will see the Cork based members of the professional Munster Squad and Academy headquartered at CIT’s Elite Gym on its Bishopstown Campus.

The four-year agreement will see Munster Rugby utilising the sports and ancillary services at CIT. Squad members and Coaching Staff will be based at the Elite Gym which includes a 625sq metre gym area along with video analysis rooms, squad meeting rooms, physio treatment rooms, dressing rooms, offices, and recreation area. Squad sessions will be held on a dedicated training pitch as well as the use of all CIT’s sporting facilities such as the athletics track. Pictured: Donnacha O'Callaghan; Dr Barry O'Connor, Registrar and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Tony McGahan, Director of Rugby; and James Coughlan.

Part of the cooperation agreement between CIT and Munster Rugby will also see academic development and research into training equipment, as well as strength and conditioning on the Sports Engineering side.

The Institute will also cooperate with Munster staff and players facilitating enrolment in CIT and further learning.

Dr Barry O’Connor, Registrar and Vice President for Academic Affairs, said that he was delighted that CIT and Munster Rugby had created this linkage. “The growth and success of Munster over the past number of years has been one of Ireland’s greatest achievements and so we are very pleased that the Cork based squad members and staff will be utilising the world class facilities we have here at CIT. All of our sporting facilities are located here on the Bishopstown campus which is fantastic for our staff and students.

We are confident that this agreement will be beneficial to both sides in terms of making a contribution to the success of Munster and in helping CIT continue to attract the best students from around the country. Munster squad members will also be able to benefit from CIT’s business/enterprise focussed programmes combined with accessible and flexible delivery mechanisms.”

Tony McGahan, Director of Rugby, said, “Munster Rugby is very pleased to be associated with CIT. The quality of the facilities at the campus consolidates both the professional and academy operations in Cork and will, I know, show benefit over time in the quality of player development. We are also enthused with the possibilities for cooperation in research projects and the academic opportunities made available.”

The Elite Gym is fully kitted out for the purpose of Team and Athlete Training in Strength and Conditioning and is available for CIT Sports Clubs and CIT Sports Bursary Recipients.

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Cork Institute of Technology has a long and successful tradition of helping to produce some of Ireland’s finest sporting talent. This is a tradition it seeks to strengthen and progress by significantly supporting the Elite Student Athlete and High Performance Teams. The CIT Sports Bursary & Munster Council Scheme has been in place in CIT since 1996 and are awarded to students across a wide section of sports.

In addition to the Elite Gym, CIT’s main sports facilities are:

• A 1,200 seat fully-covered stadium that houses a two-tier gymnasium, meeting room, doctor’s room and six dressing rooms that complements a floodlight Sand Based Multi Purpose Pitch;
• A Multi Purpose Sports Hall incorporating a state of the art Gym & Weights Room;
• Synthetic International Standard Athletics 8 Lane Track with full track & field facilities. Includes a new 800-seat stand (Complete with a Sports Meeting Administration Centre) and indoor 60m running/warm-up area;
• Three full size Soccer Pitches;
• Two Rugby Pitches;
• Two GAA Pitches;
• A Floodlit Full Size Astro Turf Pitch;
• A Synthetic Surfaced Tennis Court;
• A 3km Jogging Track encompassing the campus;
• A further Multi-Purpose Sports hall, with swimming, diving and sailing facilities at our National Marine College in Ringaskiddy;

Just off the main CIT campus there is a leisure and recreational complex with two swimming pools, Gym and Multi-purpose area. CIT is also the annual venue for the international Cork City Sports.