The O'Malley baseball fields in Dublin, Ireland - a short history of Ireland's home of baseball

Ahead of The Peter O’Malley International Invitational tournament, a part of The Gathering, we take a quick look at the baseball field funded by Peter O'Malley of LA Dodgers fame

The O'Malley Fields at Corcaigh Park in Clondalkin, West Dublin are the main home of Irish Baseball. The fields are named after legendary LA Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley, who generously funded their construction in 1998. The majority of league games are held at the fields, along with playoff games and Ireland National Team games and practice sessions.

Peter’s father, Walter Francis O'Malley (October 9, 1903 – August 9, 1979) was an American sports executive who owned the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers team in Major League Baseball from 1950 to 1979. Calling him a baseball executive, however, is not paying him anything close to his full due, he is a Dodgers legend. The Dodgers were initially successful under O'Malley's leadership, winning National League pennants in 1952, 1953, 1955, and 1956. In 1958 he brought major league baseball to the West Coast, moving the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. They remained successful on the field, winning the World Series in 1959, 1963, and 1965.

On March 17, 1970, Walter turned over the presidency of the team to his son Peter. Peter O'Malley held the position until 1998 when the team was sold on. In that time he became friendly with legendary baseball Ireland emissaries Anne Murphy, Mike Kindle and Mick Manning, a trio who have worked tirelessly championing the sport in Ireland. Through that friendship, Peter generously funded the construction of the O'Malley baseball Fields at Corcaigh Park in Clondalkin, West Dublin in 1998 and those fields have been the home of Irish Baseball ever since.

The fields are not only the logistical home of baseball in Ireland, they are the spiritual home of same also. Since their constructions in 1998 thousands of moments and memories have been born at that field, quite literally hundreds of great games of baseball have been played there. It is safe to say that people’s lives have been elevated by those fields, and most people who have played ball in Ireland owe a great debt to the generosity of Peter O’Malley and his family.

Baseball Ireland, proudly supported by The Gathering Dublin and Fingal Leader Partnership, will be holding the inaugural Peter O'Malley International Invitational Baseball Tournament from July 12-14, 2013 in Corkagh Park, West Dublin. Participating teams are expected from Ireland, continental Europe, and the UK. Find out more on the tournament on the official Baseball Ireland website

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