 | |||
| Full name | Dundalk Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | The Lilywhites[1] The Railwaymen (original)[2] | ||
| Short name | DFC | ||
| Founded | September 1903; 122 years ago (1903-09) asDundalk G.N.R. Association Football Club | ||
| Ground | Oriel Park | ||
| Capacity | 4,500 (3,100 seated) | ||
| Coordinates | 54°00′00″N06°25′00″W / 54.00000°N 6.41667°W /54.00000; -6.41667 | ||
| Owner | Dundalk Town FC Ltd (consortium) | ||
| Chairperson | Chris Clinton | ||
| Manager | Ciarán Kilduff | ||
| League | League of Ireland First Division | ||
| 2025 | League of Ireland First Division, 1st of 10 (Champions) | ||
| Website | dundalkfc | ||
 Current season | |||
Dundalk Football Club (/dʌnˈdɔː(l)k/dun-DAW(L)K) is a professionalfootball club that competes in theLeague of Ireland. It was founded in 1903 as Dundalk G.N.R., theworks-team of theGreat Northern Railway. It is based inDundalk,County Louth and its home ground isOriel Park. The club crest is threemartlets on a shield, which was adopted from the town'scoat of arms. The team's traditional kit colours are white shirts (which give the team their nickname 'the Lilywhites') with black shorts and white or black socks. As of the end of the2025 season, they are the League of Ireland First Division Champions andLeinster Senior Cup holders.
Dundalk were a junior club until they were invited to join theLeinster Senior League in 1922–23. After four seasons at that level, they were elected to theLeague of Ireland for the1926–27 season.Six seasons later, they became the first club from outsideDublin to win the league title. They are the only club to have won a league title or an FAI Cup in every decade since the 1930s, with four distinct eras of success: the mid-1960s led byAlan Fox, the late-1970s/early-1980s underJim McLaughlin, the late-1980s/early-1990s underTurlough O'Connor, and the 2010s led byStephen Kenny. They have won 48 trophies at national level as of 2025, including 14 League titles and 12FAI Cups (with four League and Cup 'Doubles'), and have won a further 21 trophies at All-Ireland and provincial level[a]. They were also the winners of both thefirst and themost recent All-Ireland club competitions.
They made theirEuropean debut in the1963–64 European Cup, and that season became the first Irish side to win an away match in Europe. Their best performance in theEuropean Cup was in1979–80, when they reached the last 16, and they reached the last 16 of theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup in1981–82. They are the only Irish club to have qualified more than once for theEuropa League group stage and, in2016–17, they became the first team from Ireland to both win points and win a match at that level of European competition. They remain the only Irish team to have won points in the Europa League group stage as of the 2025–26 European season.
The Dundalk Great Northern Railway (G.N.R.) Football Club was established during the 1883–84 season as arugby football club.[3] They played their final rugby match in February 1903, and in September 1903 the club switched codes toassociation football,[4] setting in motion their journey to become the modern-day Dundalk F.C. The new club, known locally as "the Railwaymen", used theDundalk Athletic Grounds as their home ground. They played challenge matches at first, then became founder members of the first Dundalk and District League (DDL), formed in 1906.[5] There are no records of the club being active between 1907–08 and 1912–13, but they re-joined the local league in 1913–14 for what was the final season before the outbreak ofWorld War I.[6]
The local league was dormant during the war, but the G.N.R. club entered both the Irish Junior Cup and Leinster Junior Cup competitions during the war years.[7] After exiting the Irish Junior Cup in January 1917, the club was inactive again for the following two seasons. It re-formed for 1919–20, affiliated with theLeinster Football Association, and joined both the Newry and District League and the revived DDL.[8] The G.N.R. club spent three seasons in the DDL, winning it twice,[9] and represented the district in both Junior Cup competitions those seasons.[10] They reached the Leinster Junior Cup final in 1920 (the club's first cup final), which they lost to Avonmore after two replays.[11]
Their junior record led to them being elected to the Leinster Senior League for 1922–23, to replace sides that had been promoted to the nascent Free State League.[12] They spent four seasons at that level, before being elected to theFree State League on 15 June 1926 to replace Dublin clubPioneers as the national league looked to spread to the provinces.[13][14]
On 21 August 1926, they travelled toCork to faceFordsons for their league debut,[15] eventually finishing eighth in the1926–27 season. The team represented the G.N.R. works in name only by this stage, and the club's management committee decided to make it independent of the company. New colours of white shirts and blue shorts with a crest of the town's coat of arms were adopted in December 1927.[16] They contested their first cup final as a senior club in April 1929, the Leinster Senior Cup final, which they lost after a replay. It was the last time that the club was billed to appear as 'Dundalk G.N.R.',[17] and the name of the club was formally changed to 'Dundalk A.F.C.' in the summer of 1930.[18]
When Dundalk G.N.R. joined theLeague of Ireland in 1926, it was one of fourworks-teams in the 10-team league—the others beingJacobs,St. James's Gate andFordsons. Another railway team—Midland Athletic of theMidland Great Western Railway—had competed for two seasons but had resigned after the company went through amerger.[19] By1944–45, Dundalk were the only club with works-team roots remaining. In1948–49,Transport (representing theCIÉ works) were elected to the league. They survived until1961–62, leaving Dundalk again as the only surviving club with works-team roots. The works themselves becameDundalk Engineering Works Ltd with the demise of the G.N.R.(I) company in 1958.[20]
With a new manager,Steve Wright,[21] Dundalk finished as runners-up in both the League and theFAI Cup in1930–31, and they won that season'sLFA President's Cup, defeating Shamrock Rovers 7–3 in a replay to take the trophy.[22] Proof that they could compete at a national level gave the management committee the confidence to form a membership-based limited company, 'Dundalk A.F.C. Limited', in January 1932.[23][24]
They became the first team from outside Dublin to win a league title in the1932–33 season, sealing it inDalymount Park with their first victory overBohemians.[25] In becoming champions, they also became the first team from outside Dublin or Belfast to win a league title in Ireland since the inception of the originalIrish League in 1890. Hoping to improve revenue, the club decided to move from the Athletic Grounds to a new ground—'Oriel Park'—in 1936.[26]
After winning the league title, they were runners-up eight times across the five main competitions (League,Shield, FAI Cup,Dublin City Cup andLeinster Senior Cup), before winning the 1937–38 City Cup—their first cup final victory.[27] They won their first FAI Cup (in their fourth appearance in the final) with victory overCork United inDalymount Park in1942.[28] Five weeks later, they won the inauguralDublin and Belfast Inter-City Cup to become (unofficially) 'Champions of All Ireland'.[29] The following September, in the new season, the City Cup was won for a second time.[30]
During the mid-1940s, the management committee relied on player sales to English clubs to bankroll the club, as gate receipts alone did not meet its running costs. After missing out in both the League and the City Cup by a point in1947–48, the committee decided to invest the surplus from its transfer dealings on several professional players from Scotland and a player-coach,Ned Weir.[31] The investment paid off when the City Cup was won for a third time at the start of the new season by topping its new league format unbeaten,[32] while the club's second FAI Cup was won with victory over Shelbourne in the1949 final.[33] But the new team fell short in both the Shield and the League and, despite the cup double and improved gate receipts, the additional income was not enough to cover the increase in costs.[34]
The attempt to maintain a full-time squad had not paid off and the 1949 cup-winning team was broken up. A surplus from transfer dealings prevented a more serious financial crisis arising,[35] and despite the turnover in players, Dundalk won the Leinster Senior Cup for the first time in 1950–51.[36] The cutbacks started to have an impact, and they finished second from bottom in the league table thefollowing season. They went on a memorable FAI Cup run, however, coming from 3–1 down against Waterford in a semi-final replay to win 6–4 in extra time;[37] then defeatedCork Athletic in the1952 FAI Cup final (also in a replay), to win the Cup for a third time.[38]
Midway through the1952–53 season, Club SecretarySam Prole left to take over atDrumcondra.[39] Prole, a Great Northern Railway employee, had played for Dundalk G.N.R. in junior football, and had been Secretary for 25 years. He had been responsible for the club's scouting and transfer activities, and player sales tailed off after his departure.[40] The subsequent drop in income obliged the club to further cut costs,[41] and they finished bottom of the league in the two seasons after he left. They continued to struggle for the rest of the decade but, in contrast to their league form, they won their fourth FAI Cup with a 1–0 victory over Shamrock Rovers in the1958 final.[42]
Having not challenged for the League or Shield during the 1950s, they ended the decade at the top of the league table, with new signingJimmy Hasty, the 'one-armed wonder', starring for the side.[43] Although they subsequently fell short of winning the title, the club was competitive again. A second Leinster Senior Cup was won in 1960–61,[44] and a first league title in 30 years followed in1962–63.[45] That success meant that Dundalk entered European competition for the first time, where they became the first Irish side to win an away leg of a European tie by beatingFC Zurich, 2–1 (in a 4–2 aggregate defeat), in the1963–64 European Cup.[46] They could not manage to retain the titlethat season, finishing as runners-up, and they were also runners-up in the Shield. But they did win the season-endTop Four Cup for the first time.[47]
A poor 1964–65 followed, and the club's management committee decided that it was time to hire a modern-stylemanager, who would have sole responsibility for recruitment and player selection. They appointedGerry Doyle, who had spent most of his career as both a player and a coach with Shelbourne.[48] The new season saw little improvement, however, and with financial losses growing and investment in Oriel Park needed, it became clear early in the 1965–66 season that the membership-based ownership model could not provide the financial support required to take the club forward.[49] A newpublic limited company took over in January 1966, after the voluntary liquidation of the old company.[50]
The new board invested heavily in both Oriel Park and the squad ahead of the1966–67 season,[51] and signed a newplayer-coach,Alan Fox, fromBradford City.[52] The pay-off was immediate. Dundalk finally won their firstLeague of Ireland Shield,[53] then charged to the league title, winning it by seven points,[54] to seal the club's only League and Shield Double. They then won that season's Top Four Cup to complete the club's first 'treble' of trophies in one season.[55]
Thefollowing season, Oriel Park hostedEuropean football for the first time with the visit ofVasas SC of Hungary.[56] But Fox fell out with the club's board during the trip to Budapest for the return leg, and he was released the following March, despite his side being set to retain the title.[57] The Dublin City Cup of 1967–68 was his final success at the club.[58] Dundalk subsequently finished as runners-up in the League, qualifying for the1968–69 Fairs Cup, where they won a European tie for the first time with victory overDOS Utrecht.[59] But fourth-place in the Leaguethat season, and another City Cup, was all that the remnants of Fox's team could achieve.[60]
Future Ireland managerLiam Tuohy took over in the summer of 1969 and also joined the board,[61] and as a result of his managerial experience, Dundalk entered the new decade at the top of the league table. But Tuohy was obliged to thin the squad and cut the wage bill because of the scale of the debts still hanging over the club from the redevelopment of Oriel Park,[62] and he could not build a side able to sustain a title challenge. The1971–72 Shield success would be the high point of his reign,[63] and he quit at the end of that season, criticising a lack of local support in the process.[64] His only other trophy at the club was the 1970–71 Leinster Senior Cup.[65]
Dundalk had to sell or release several players to survive after Tuohy left,[66] and they slid down the table with a young, inexperienced team finishing second from bottom in1972–73.[67] To recover the situation, a new board took over the running of the club, and hiredJohn Smith fromWalsall as player-manager.[68] After renegotiating the club's debts, they were able to provide Smith with funds to sign several players. Smith delivered a Leinster Senior Cup in his first season,[69] but they subsequently fell away in the league after a good start, and Smith quit two matches into his second season for a job outside football.[70]
The club then appointedJim McLaughlin as player-manager in November 1974,[71]and it was under McLaughlin that they recovered and reached a new level of success. With the remnants of Smith's squad, and players unwanted elsewhere, he won his first league title (the club's fourth) in1975–76.[72] The title brought European football back to the town for the first time since 1969 and in thefollowing season's European Cup, they metPSV Eindhoven and were deemed unlucky not to win the first leg at home.[73] That match started an unbeaten run in Europe in Oriel Park of eight matches over the following five seasons.[74] They ended the 1976–77 season by first winning the Leinster Senior Cup,[75] then winning the club's first FAI Cup since1958, when they defeatedLimerick United in thefinal.[76]
League form had been mixed in the two seasons following the league title and, despite winning theirfirst League Cup and retaining the Leinster Senior Cup,[77][78] a poor end to the1977–78 league season led to rumours that McLaughlin would be let go.[79] The club supported the 'reorganisation' he demanded, however, and it used the funds from the sale of three players toLiverpool to invest in the squad and to make ground improvements at Oriel. McLaughlin's second league title followed in1978–79,[80][81] and they went on to defeat Waterford in theCup final to complete the club's first League and CupDouble.[82] The Double winning side's1979–80 European Cup run the following season, where they narrowly missed out on qualifying for the quarter-finals (losing 3–2 on aggregate toCeltic),[83] was the club's best European performance until2016.[84]
They finished as runners-up in the league for the next two seasons, and achieved their only domestic cup double in 1980–81—winning both theLeague Cup and theFAI Cup.[85][86] McLaughlin's third and final league title at the club arrived in1981–82,[87] after an early season 10-point gap to Bohemians was overhauled. A trophy-less1982–83 season, which saw them miss out on Europe, signalled that the team was entering a transition period. McLaughlin resigned in May 1983, saying he needed a change.[88][89]
After two seasons that ended in mid-table, former playerTurlough O'Connor was appointed ahead of the League's split into two divisions in1985–86.[90] O'Connor quickly built a squad capable of challenging for honours and his sides consistently finished in the top four for the following eight seasons. They won the1987 League Cup,[91] and finished as runners-up in both the League and the FAI Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in five years. Thefollowing season started with a visit from Cup Winners' Cup holdersAjax Amsterdam,[92] and ended with the club's second League and CupDouble—with the title being won on the last day of the season,[93] and theFAI Cup being won with victory overDerry City.[94]
O'Connor won his second League Cup in1989–90,[95] and another league title followed in1990–91 in an end of season, winner takes all match inTurners Cross againstCork City.[96] But Dundalk spurned an opportunity to progress in theEuropean Cup, when a 1–1 draw away toHonved was followed by a 0–2 home defeat. Attendances started to drop noticeably during1992–93,[97] as the new EnglishPremier League broadcast live onBSkyB was growing in popularity.[98] By the end of the season, the board was facing financial issues that threatened the club's survival—a "healthy" surplus in 1989,[99] had become a serious deficit, with income falling due to some of the lowest gate receipts in memory.[100] The1993–94 season started with mixed results, with away victories being followed by defeats at home and, after a home defeat toMonaghan United, O'Connor resigned.[101]
O'Connor was replaced byDermot Keely, who had captained the club under Jim McLaughlin.[102] The older players were released, and a thin squad struggled—missing out on the 'Top Six'round-robin that decided the title. They played out the final third of the season in a meaningless 'bottom six' round-robin in front of tiny crowds, which contributed to the worsening financial position.[103] Early thefollowing season, the financial issues came to a head, and several local businessmen formed a new interim company to take the club over, saving it from bankruptcy.[104] Despite the financial problems, Keely led his team to the club's ninth league title on a dramatic final day. In third place in the table, they needed to win their match at home toGalway United and for both Shelbourne and Derry City to fail to win their games. Dundalk won their match and with players and fans waiting on the pitch for the other results to filter through, they were eventually confirmed as champions.[105][106]
The 1994–95 title did not halt the club's decline, and Keely did not see out the title defence, quitting midway through the1995–96 season—reportedly frustrated at being unable to strengthen his squad.[107] Dundalk sank down the table and had to survive a promotion/relegation play-off in1996–97.[108] The Board turned to Jim McLaughlin (who had retired from management and was now a director at Dundalk) to try to turn things around,[109] but early in the1998–99 season it was revealed that the club was in serious financial trouble again and that the whole squad had been transfer-listed.[110] An end-of-season collapse saw the club drop from the top-tier for the first time, with relegation confirmed 20 years to the day after they had won their first Double.[111]
The club was taken over by a supporters'co-op in 2000,[112] and initial expectations were of an immediate return to the top-flight. But Dundalk became embroiled in a losing battle with the league's hierarchy andKilkenny City over the latter playing an improperly registered player, which reached theHigh Court.[113] The following season, the co-op invested heavily in the playing squad and, under new managerMartin Murray, they were promoted as2000–01 First Division Champions.[114] Although seemingly well-placed for the return to the top-flight, they were relegated again thefollowing season, with the league being reduced from 12 teams to 10.[115] Despite this setback, Murray's side won the club's ninth FAI Cup a week later, with victory over Bohemians inthe final.[116]
After being relegated again, Dundalk were stuck in the lower reaches of the First Division for the next four seasons.[117] With no sign of promotion, the co-op members agreed to the club being taken back into private ownership by its CEO, Gerry Matthews. They finished second under new manager John Gill in2006, securing a play-off tie against Waterford United. Even though they won the play-off,[118] they were still denied a place in the2007 Premier Division, withGalway United (who had finished third in that season's First Division) selected by theFAI's 2006 IAG Report to be promoted ahead of both Dundalk and Waterford.[119] In 2008, they won promotion back to thePremier Division, pipping Shelbourne to the top spot on the final night of the season.[120][121] Gill was replaced byIan Foster for the return to the top flight, despite winning the First Division title.[122]
At first, Dundalk stabilised their position back in the Premier Division—qualifying for the2010–11 Europa League, leading the league table midway through the 2010 season, and reaching the2011 Setanta Sports Cup final. But results subsequently deteriorated and, with financial losses mounting as the2011 season drew to a close, Matthews decided he wanted to exit the club and he let Foster's contract expire.[123] With the club in danger of insolvency during a disastrous2012, it was taken over by local businessmen Andy Connolly and Paul Brown (owners of the team's official sponsors, Fastfix), and Dundalk subsequently managed to remain in the top-flight by defeating Waterford United in the play-off.[124]
.jpg)
Having saved the club, the new owners turned toStephen Kenny to become the new manager.[125] They mounted an unexpected title challenge in hisfirst season, eventually finishing as runners-up.[126] Kenny kept the nucleus of the new side together for thefollowing season, and went on to guide the club to its first league title since1994–95.[127] They also won that season'sLeague Cup,[128] the club's first League and League Cup Double. The2015 season saw them dominate, winning the club's third League and FAI CupDouble—with the title being won by 11-points and the Cup with victory over Cork City in thefinal.[129] They also won the Leinster Senior Cup—the club's first 'treble' of trophies since1966–67.[130]
A third successive league title was sealed with two games to spare in2016, in the midst of the club's best performance in European competition.[131] They qualified for theChampions League play-off round after they first defeatedFH of Iceland,[132] then came from a goal down in the tie to defeatBATE Borisov 3–1 on aggregate.[133] They drewLegia Warsaw for the play-off, with the first leg played in theAviva Stadium in Dublin in front of a crowd of 30,417.[134] They suffered a 2–0 defeat in the home leg, but shocked Legia in the return leg by taking a 1–0 lead. Legia equalised late in the game and won the tie 3–1 on aggregate.[135] As a result, they were entered in the Europa League and inGroup D, they drew withAZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands,[136] and defeatedMaccabi Tel Aviv inTallaght Stadium, to win the first points earned by an Irish club in the group stage of European competition.[137]
The departure of some key players after the European run,[138] and a slow start to thenew season, meant that they slipped to runners-up spots in both league and FAI Cup although they won their sixthLeague Cup.[139] The club's European form had attracted interest from abroad, however, and a consortium of American investors led byPEAK6 completed a takeover in January 2018.[140] Kenny's side reasserted itself in2018, winning another League and Cup Double—the second under Kenny and fourth in the club's history—breaking points-total and goals scored-total records in the process.[141][142] In the aftermath, Kenny resigned in order to accept theRepublic of Ireland U-21 manager's role.[143]
Hoping to achieve continuity, the new owners replaced Kenny with his assistant manager,Vinny Perth, as head coach, with John Gill returning as first-team coach.[144] Despite falling 13-points behind early2019 leaders Shamrock Rovers in April,[145] they overhauled the deficit within weeks,[146] and subsequently won the club's 14th league title, with four games to spare.[147] They also won the League Cup by defeating Derry City on penalties in thefinal, to secure a second League and League Cup Double.[148] They were denied a first domesticTreble of League, FAI Cup and League Cup, however, when they were beaten in a penalty shoot-out in theFAI Cup Final.[149] But they ended the season with a comprehensive 7–1 aggregate victory over Northern Irish champions,Linfield, in the inauguralChampions Cup.[150]
Thefollowing season, a goal scored byJordan Flores wentviral and was later nominated for theFIFA Puskás Award.[151] Soon after, the outbreak of theCOVID-19 pandemic saw the cessation of football in line with other European countries. The season resumed with a reduced schedule of 18 matches in total and matches being played behind closed doors.[152] Manager Vinny Perth was dismissed following Dundalk's exit from Europe in the first qualifying round of the2020–21 UEFA Champions League. He was replaced by ItalianFilippo Giovagnoli.[153] Dundalk subsequently qualified for the group stage of the2020–21 Europa League after victories overInter Club d'Escaldes,Sheriff Tiraspol andKÍ Klaksvik in the qualifying rounds.[154] They were drawn in Group B alongsideArsenal,Rapid Wien, andMolde. They failed to win any points and finished bottom of the group.[155]
In theFAI Cup, they had an 11–0 semi-final victory overAthlone Town—setting a new record for the biggest win in the competition's history, which was also a new club record victory.[156] They followed that with a 4–2 extra-time victory over Shamrock Rovers, withDavid McMillan scoring a hat-trick, towin the Cup for a twelfth time and qualify for Europe for a 25th time.[157]
The2021 season sawShane Keegan named first-team manager, with Giovagnoli reverting to the position of 'coach' because he did not have aUEFA Pro Licence.[158] The season began with a victory in thePresident's Cup,[159] but after a run of defeats at the start of the league campaign, both Keegan and Giovagnoli left the club.[160] Dundalk struggled for the remainder of the domestic season with their lowest league finish since 2012, and they went out toVitesse Arnhem in the third qualifying round of the inauguralEuropa Conference League.[161] Before the season ended, the club was returned to local ownership when a consortium led by former co-owner Andy Connolly and sports technology firm STATSports agreed a takeover with Peak6.[162] The new owners then installed former captainStephen O'Donnell as the club's new head coach in the close season.[163]
In his first season in charge, O'Donnell steered his new-look side to a third-place finish and qualification for the Europa Conference League.[164] They failed to capitalise in2023, exiting the Conference League in thesecond qualifying round and finishing mid-table and outside the European qualification places.[165] The club's finances were quickly deteriorating and there was another change of ownership in the close season, when it was taken over by a US-based Irish businessman, Brian Ainscough.[166] A poor start to the2024 season resulted in O'Donnell being let go,[167] beginning a turbulent month in which he was replaced byNoel King,[168] whose tenure lasted 25 days before he resigned citing medical issues.[169] Head of Football OperationsBrian Gartland was sacked following a clash with the owner over King's appointment. Gartland would later sue the club forwrongful dismissal and it was ordered by theWorkplace Relations Commission to pay him €64,434 compensation.[170]
The club hiredJon Daly to replace King and there was a brief improvement in form.[171] However, in September, after several defeats and with seven games left to play, Daly confirmed that players and staff at the club had not been paid their wages. It was subsequently revealed that the club had amassed losses of €1.2 million to the end of 2023 and was in danger ofinsolvency before the end of the season.[172][173] Ainscough passed control of the holding company to a Dundalk-based barrister, John Temple, which avoided a mid-season withdrawal from the league.[174] The concurrent collapse in form was not halted and relegation was confirmed before the end of the season, with Daly leaving after the final match.[175]
Ciarán Kilduff, who had played for the club during Stephen Kenny's reign, was named the new manager within days.[176] The club was belatedly awarded a licence to compete in the2025 League of Ireland First Division following Temple's efforts to get the debt situation under control, thus avoidingexaminership.[177] They led the table fromstart to finish, sealing their third First Division championship and automatic promotion with a game to spare.[178] They ended the season by winning theLeinster Senior Cup for the eighth time.[179] The club then saw yet another change of ownership, when minority shareholder Chris Clinton acquired John Temple's shareholding.[180]
After outgrowing its links with the Great Northern Railway, the football club adopted the then coat of arms of the town of Dundalk (three goldmartlets on an azure field) in December 1927, and incorporated the crest on the club's new white playing shirts.[16] This coat of arms had represented the town since 1673.[182] It appears as the 'Corporation Seal' in a town plan dated 1675.[183] The crest disappeared from the playing shirts in 1930, however, after the urban district council proposed to remove the 'three black crows' from the town seal.[184] A modified crest was reintroduced to the shirt for the1952 FAI Cup Final, consisting of three black martlets on a white shield bearing the club name. After some minor redesigns in the following years, the white shield became a red shield with white martlets in 1997, and in 2015 this crest was modified to incorporatea gold star, to commemorate Dundalk's tenth League of Ireland title.[185]
Dundalk's colours have been white shirts with black shorts and black or white socks since the start of the 1940–41 season. It is known that the Dundalk G.N.R. club wore blue shirts when it started in 1903.[186] and were reported to be wearing "yellow and black" in 1906,[187] but there is no further evidence of defined club colours in the pre-World War I years. When the club was revived for the 1919–20 season, the colours adopted were black and amber-striped shirts with white shorts. In advance of dropping the 'G.N.R.' moniker and becoming 'Dundalk A.F.C.', the club changed to a strip of white shirts with the town crest as its badge, and blue shorts matching the azure shield of the crest. The new colours were first worn on St Stephen's Day 1927 in the opening match of the 1927–28 League of Ireland Shield.[16]
This combination was worn until 1939 but came to be seen as unlucky due to the number of cup final defeats Dundalk had during the 1930s.[188]Hoping a change would bring luck, the club introduced a sky blue and maroon quartered shirt with white shorts and maroon socks in1939–40,[189] but they promptly lost to non-league opposition in the first round of that season's FAI Cup,[190] and went back to wearing white shirts for thefollowing season, this time paired with black shorts. Possibly by coincidence, when the clubs of the town amalgamated to form the first Dundalk Association Football Club in 1904, the colours chosen were "white shirt, bearing the Dundalk coat of arms, and black pants".[191][192] The 'home' colours have remained essentially unchanged with red trims being incorporated since the 1990s. An all-white kit was introduced for the first time in the1965–66 season,[193] and was also the combination used in1973–74 and2003. All-white kits are still worn occasionally when required to avoid kit clashes.[194]
         Dundalk G.N.R. colours 1919–1927 |  Dundalk A.F.C. colours 1927–1939 |   Dundalk A.F.C. colours 1939–40 |     'Home' colours since 1940 |
The earliest photographic record of the team in 'away' colours comes from the1928–29 season. For their first visit to playFordsons after adopting white shirts, Dundalk were obliged to wear borrowed shirts with their own blue shorts and black socks, as the home side also wore white shirts.[195] For the next two seasons, they wore their old black and amber-striped shirts when travelling to face teams wearing white.[196]
The club did not have an official away kit until 1977–78. In the interim, red shirts were worn if change colours were needed.[197] An all-red kit was produced for theCup Winners' Cup tie away toHajduk Split in 1977 and this became the away kit for domestic games that season.[198] An all-red away kit was worn againstTottenham Hotspur in 1981 but otherwise official away colours were not required again until the1990–91 season, when all-red was again adopted. Since then, away kits have usually been based on red or black.[199] The club has twice introduced away colours that pay homage to its G.N.R. roots—in 2016 and again in 2021.[200]
   Traditional 'Away' colours – variant 1 | Traditional 'Away' colours – variant 2 | Traditional 'Away' colours – variant 3 |      'Away' kit 2016–2017 |      'Away' kit 2021–2022 |
Prior to2019,ad hoc third colours had been worn by the team only when both home and away kits clashed with an opponent's colours. An official commercially available third kit was introduced that season for the first time—an all-lilac strip with white and black trim. It was designed by then kit supplier CX+ Sport, as part of a fundraising partnership between the club andTemple Street Children's University Hospital. The logo of the charity replaced that of the official sponsorFyffes on the chest of the shirt.[201] This kit was worn in all rounds of the successful2019 League Cup campaign, and in the early rounds of that season's FAI Cup.[148] The next season that the club released third colours was in 2023.[202]
     Third kit 2019 |     Third kit 2023 |
The club's kit supplier is Playr-Fit, who signed a three-year deal beginning with the2023 season.[203] They replacedUmbro, who had been the supplier between 2007 and2015, and between2020 and2022. Previous suppliers include Dundalk-based companies CX+ Sport (2016–2019) and Eros Sportswear (1985–1988).O’Neills (1976–1984; 1990–2004) have also been a long-term supplier.Erreà (2005) andDiadora (2006) have each been suppliers for one season whileAdidas Teamwear was used temporarily during 1982–83. ACork-based company, Union Sport, supplied kits for two seasons (1988–89 and 1989–90).[204] Their products were notable in that the company used aConfederate flag (the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia) as its logo, which featured prominently on team shirts and other apparel.[205]
Between 1903 and 1936, Dundalk mostly played at the Athletic Grounds near the town centre (land which was eventually sold in 1959 for a factory development).[206] The Athletic Grounds were owned by the Dundalk Young Ireland's Athletic Grounds Company and made available for all local team sports. Dundalk's matches were usually played on Sundays, enabling a large Northern Irish contingent of spectators (inconvenienced bySunday Observance laws) to attend games. When matches had to be moved to Saturdays, the club suffered financially from lower gate receipts.[207] If the Athletic Grounds were unavailable altogether, then matches were played at the grounds of the Dundalk Educational Institution (nowDundalk Grammar School), the grounds at St Mary's College, or theCarroll's Recreation Ground.[208]
In 1936, the club moved permanently to land on the Carrick Road made available by former committee member P.J. Casey on a long-term land lease and named the new ground 'Oriel Park'.[26]Cork F.C. were the first visitors to Oriel Park, with the home team winning 2–1.[209] Oriel's attendance record is an estimated 18,000, set in 1982 for Dundalk'sEuropean Cup Winners' Cup second round tie againstTottenham Hotpsur[b][211] On occasions when Oriel has been unavailable due to works, matches have been moved to either United Park inDrogheda or Gortakeegan inMonaghan. The ground has had an artificial playing surface since 2005.[212]
Dundalk played their first home European match, againstF.C. Zurich in the1963–64 European Cup, inDalymount Park in Dublin—as Oriel Park did not have floodlights.[213] Floodlighting was installed in 1967 to allow matches to be played there—the first being the visit ofVasas SC of Hungary in the1967–68 European Cup.[56] The1995–96 UEFA Cup tie againstMalmö was moved toUnited Park in Drogheda as the Oriel pitch was being re-laid that summer, and the2002–03 UEFA Cup tie againstVarteks was moved toTolka Park in Dublin because Oriel did not meet UEFA's upgraded standards for football stadiums at that time.[214]
Oriel has since been upgraded to aCategory 2 Stadium, able to accommodate 3,100 seated spectators for European matches.[215] Matches requiring a ground to have Category 3 status have been played inTallaght Stadium and matches requiring a ground meeting Category 4 status have been played at theAviva Stadium.[216]
The Supporters Club is called 'The 1903', in honour of the football club's year of formation.[217] There is also a Ladies Supporters Club, the 'Lilywhite Ladies'.[218] The Dundalk G.N.R. club's members formed its first Supporters Club during the 1928–29 season.[219] The Supporters Clubs have raised vital funds in support of the club through the decades, money that was often required to keep the club viable.[99]
Dundalk fans have nicknamed the team 'the Lilywhites' and supporters also use 'the Town' as shorthand for the club. Both nicknames have been in use since at least the 1950s.[1] The hashtag#CmonTheTown is used by fans on social media.[220] From when the club was first formed until its change of colours in 1927–28, the team's nickname was 'the Railwaymen'.[2] Later, the team was known as 'the Northerners",[221] or 'the Bordermen' (due to the town's location close to the border withNorthern Ireland).[222]
The current generation of fans—who followed the club out of the First Division, through the ownership crisis of 2012, and into the subsequent successful period—style themselves the 'Shedside Army'. They are responsible for Oriel's 'tifo' displays. One such display—the flying of Palestinian flags in Oriel Park during a Europa League tie—resulted in aUEFA fine for Dundalk of €18,000.[223]
Supporters have two mottoes: "We See Things They'll Never See" owing to the roller-coaster of highs and lows the club has experienced;[224] and "Dundalk Will Never Die But You Will",[225] a riff on aMogwai album title that references the club's many financial crises. The club anthem has becomeThree Little Birds byBob Marley and the Wailers (both because of the club crest and because of the sentiments expressed in the lyrics).[226]
The club's support base is theDundalk Municipal District, the adjacentCarrickmacross–Castleblayney Municipal District ofCounty Monaghan, and southCounty Armagh.[227] The average Friday night home league attendance is approximately 2,700,[228] with attendances at 'bigger' matches of approximately 3,500.[229][230]
TheLouth Derby is contested between Dundalk andDrogheda United, who entered the League of Ireland in 1963. The clubs played an annual friendly from 1966 to 1984—the Donegan Cup,[231] presented by former LouthTDPaddy Donegan. The friendly was reintroduced as a pre-season match in 1997 with a new trophy—the Jim Malone Cup, in honour of three-time chairman of the board, the late Jim Malone.[232]
The two clubs have rarely competed for honours simultaneously, although they did meet in the final of the 1971–72League of Ireland Shield, with Dundalk winning 5–0.[63] Many of Dundalk's most successful periods have corresponded with Drogheda being at the lower end of the league table or in the First Division, while Drogheda's mostsuccessful period (between 2004 and 2008) occurred while Dundalk were in the lower tier. In addition to the Louth Derby, Dundalk fans would see Shamrock Rovers as their main rivals because Rovers hold the records for both the most league titles and the most FAI Cups, with Dundalk next in the honours list for both competitions.[233]
Dundalk Football Club is owned by Dundalk Town F.C. Limited. Chris Clinton has been the majority shareholder since 10 November 2025.[180]
As an association football club for the workers of the Great Northern Railway works in the town, it was run by a management committee of GNR employees elected by members. The committee converted it to a membership-based limited company, 'Dundalk Association Football Club Limited', on 25 January 1932.[23][24] This ownership structure survived until the end of 1965, when the company was voluntarily liquidated by the members and the club was taken over by a public limited company, 'Dundalk Football Club Limited', in January 1966.[50]
The financial issues that occurred in late 1994, which saw the club become effectivelyinsolvent, forced the liquidation of the 1966 company. A new company, 'Dundalk AFC Interim Limited', led by former chairman Enda McGuill took over.[104] However, the solvency issues that had faced the club through most of the 1990s arose again in 1998–99, resulting in relegation that season for the first time in the club's history.[110] A membership-based supporters'co-op, 'Dundalk F.C. Co-operative', took over in 2000.[112] The co-op was unable to sustain the investment required to keep the club in the Premier Division,[234] and decided to sell the club's training ground, Hiney Park, to local developer Gerry Matthews to raise funds.[235][236] Matthews was subsequently invited to join the board as CEO in 2006 and he then took the club into private ownership as 'Dundalk FC Limited' when it was accepted that the co-op had run its course.[237]
Matthews' decision to end his financial support in 2012 led to another threat of insolvency.[123] With the assistance of the Dundalk FC Supporters Trust, the club was rescued by Paul Brown and Andy Connolly—owners of its official sponsor, Fastfix. They formed a new trading company 'Dundalk Town FC Limited' and completed a takeover in time for the 2013 season. Brown and Connolly then sold their interest to a consortium of investors led by the American investment firm Peak6 in 2018.[140] At the end of the 2021 season, the club was returned to local ownership when a group led by the returning Connolly and the owners of sports technology firm STATSports agreed a takeover deal with Peak6.[162] After two seasons, there was another change of ownership, whenIrish-American businessman Brian Ainscough took control.[166]
Ainscough's ownership lasted less than a year. It was revealed in September 2024 that the club had amassed losses of €1.5 million to the end of 2023 and was in danger of going out of business. Ainscough's shareholding in the club was subsequently acquired by Dundalk-based John Temple.[174] During Ainscough's tenure, he had brought in several minority shareholders including the US-based businessman, Chris Clinton. Clinton had remained as 'Executive Director' during 2025 and he then acquired Temple's shareholding at the end of the 2025 season.[180]
Dundalk's first shirt sponsor was National Aluminium after shirt sponsorship was introduced in 1980.[238] The company's brand remained on the team's shirts until 1984. From 1987 until 2002, the official sponsor wasHarp Lager (the brand being synonymous with the town). Other long-term sponsors includedFyffes, who had a deal that ran from 2012 until 2020.[239]
For the2025 season, the team playing shirt's chest logo is that of official sponsors, the ZOMA digital marketing agency. The shirt's sleeve and upper back sponsor is (Renault) Blackstone Motors, and the lower back sponsor is UHY business advisory service. There are several other club partners and academy sponsors.[240]
There are other sponsorship arrangements, such as sponsorship of individual players,[241] and sponsorship of individual home matches. The club's Lotto is managed in partnership with Clubforce.[242] There is a merchandise shop at Oriel Park and an online store on the official website.[243] In addition to sponsorship, Oriel Park is made available for junior and schools football, and is also available for rent to private groups and clubs in other sporting codes.[244] The ground's public bar, 'The Lilywhite Lounge', is available for social events, as is the members' bar—the 'Enda McGuill Suite'.[245]
Transfer fees both paid and received have generally remained undisclosed. The record transfer fee received is believed to be for Sean Keogh, when he was transferred toBrighton in August 2025, in what was reported as a 'record sale' (therefore in excess of the €175,000 received forDaniel Kearns in 2011).[246][247]
The previous record transfer (corrected for inflation and after all clauses were triggered and paid) was approximately £80,000 (equivalent to €200,000 in 2019)[248] forSteve Staunton, who was signed byLiverpool in August 1986 for an initial fee of £20,000. Dundalk subsequently received a further estimated £70,000 (equivalent to €150,000 in 2019)[248] when Staunton was transferred by Liverpool toAston Villa in 1991.[249]
LOITV is a subscription service that makes all League of Ireland matches available to view live worldwide, with clubs being responsible for producing their own live match coverage.[250]
Live radio commentary of matches is broadcast on Dundalk FM (a community station) andLMFM. The radio broadcasts do not have licensing restrictions and can be accessed online in Ireland and globally from the stations' websites.[251]
Two documentaries centred on the club have been produced.Once In a Lifetime, released in 2015, was a retelling of stories of the club's 1979–80 European Cup campaign.[252]
One Armed Wonder: The Extraordinary Story of Jimmy Hasty, released in 2023, was produced byUEFA TV and told the life story of former Dundalk playerJimmy Hasty.[253] The documentary won the 'Outstanding Short Documentary' award at the 2024Sports Emmy Awards.[254]
The club's official website isdundalkfc.com. The "DFC Magazine" is the official match-day programme. In addition, the following books have been published about the club:
As of 10 November 2025.[255][256]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Dundalk maintains an academy with youth teams in the U-14, U-15, U-17, and U-20 age brackets of the 'EA Sports LOI Academy'.[257][258]
Dundalk do not currently have a women's team in theLeague of Ireland Women's Premier Division. Teams are maintained at Under-17 and Under-19 level that compete in theEA Sports LOI Academy.[259]
Prior to the formation of the Women's National League, a loosely affiliated club,Dundalk City L.F.C., competed in theDublin Women's Soccer League during the 2000–2005 period and won the 2005 Women's FAI Cup Final.[260][c]
.jpg)
Source:[261]
|
|
|
|
The record for the most appearances in all competitions is currently held byTommy McConville, who appeared in 580 matches in two stints at the club between 1964 and 1986.[262] Several players have won five league titles—Martin Lawlor being the first to reach the mark.[263]Patrick Hoban is the club's leading goalscorer in all competitions. Five other players—Joey Donnelly,Eddie Carroll,Joe Martin,Jimmy Hasty, andPaddy Turner—have also scored 100 goals or more.[264] Hoban broke Donnelly's club record for league goals during the2019 season and subsequently became the first Dundalk player to score 100 league goals for the club during the2022 season. He then broke Donnelly's record for goals in all competitions during the2023 season and finished his Dundalk career in2023 with 150 goals.[265][266]
Bob Egan became the first Dundalk player to win an international cap on 20 April 1929, when he representedIreland in a 4–0 victory overBelgium.[267] The player who has won the most caps while at the club isBilly O'Neill, who won 11 caps for Ireland—his international career being cut short at the age of 23 by the outbreak ofWorld War II.Mick Fairclough was the most recently capped player, earning two caps in May 1982.[268] In 2021,Raivis Jurkovskis became the first Dundalk player to be capped for a country other than Ireland while at the club.[269]
Dundalk's record win is an 11–0 victory overAthlone Town in the2020 FAI Cup.[156] The record league win is 9–0, achieved againstJacobs in 1932, and again against Shelbourne in 1980. The biggest victory in a European match is 4–0, achieved with home wins againstFram Reykjavík in the1981–82 European Cup Winners' Cup,[270] andNewtown in the2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League.[271]
The record home attendance is 30,417 vLegia Warsaw in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin for the Champions League play-off round in 2016.[272]
.jpg)
Dundalk have qualified for European competition 26 times as of the 2024–25 European season. They made theirEuropean debut in the1963–64 European Cup and in that campaign, they became the first Irish side to win an away match in Europe. Their best performance in theEuropean Cup was in1979–80, when they reached the last 16, and they reached the last 16 of theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup in1981–82. They have qualified twice for theEuropa League group stage and they became the first team from Ireland to both win points and win a match at that level of European competition in2016–17.[273]
They have played against several major names in European football such asLiverpool,Tottenham Hotspur,Arsenal,Celtic,FC Porto,PSV Eindhoven,Ajax,Red Star Belgrade,Hajduk Split,Legia Warsaw, andZenit St Petersburg. They have faced opponents fromthe Netherlands most often, having played ties against PSV, Ajax,DOS Utrecht,AZ Alkmaar, andVitesse Arnhem.[274]
As of 3 August 2023.[275]
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Cup / UEFA Champions League | 33 | 4 | 12 | 17 | 24 | 60 |
| UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League | 37 | 9 | 5 | 23 | 34 | 73 |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 13 |
| European Cup Winners' Cup / UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 14 |
| Inter-Cities Fairs Cup | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 25 |
| TOTAL | 94 | 20 | 23 | 51 | 87 | 185 |
| Competition | Winners | Seasons | Runners-up | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National competitions | ||||
| League of Ireland / Premier Division | 14 | 1932–33,1962–63,1966–67,1975–76,1978–79,1981–82,1987–88,1990–91,1994–95,2014,2015,2016,2018,2019 | 12 | 1930-31,1936-37,1942-43,1947-48,1963-64,1967-68,1979-80,1980-81,1986-87,1988-89,2013,2017 |
| FAI Cup | 12 | 1941–42,1948–49,1951–52,1957–58,1976–77,1978–79,1980–81,1987–88,2001–02,2015,2018,2020 | 8 | 1930–31, 1934–35, 1937–38, 1986–87, 1992–93,2016,2017,2019 |
| League of Ireland First Division | 3 | 2000–01, 2008,2025 | 1 | 2006 |
| President of Ireland's Cup | 3 | 2015,2019,2021 | 3 | 2016, 2017, 2018 |
| League Cup (discontinued) | 7 | 1977–78,1980–81,1986–87,1989–90,2014,2017,2019 | 4 | 1982–83, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1994–95 |
| League of Ireland Shield (discontinued) | 2 | 1966–67, 1971–72 | 6 | 1932–33, 1941–42, 1946–47, 1963–64, 1967–68, 1968–69 |
| Dublin City Cup (discontinued) | 5 | 1937–38, 1942–43, 1948–49, 1967–68, 1968–69 | 8 | 1935–36, 1936–37, 1940–41, 1947–48, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1970–71, 1983–84 |
| Top Four Cup (discontinued) | 2 | 1963–64, 1966–67 | 0 | |
| TOTAL | 48 | 42 | ||
| All-Ireland, Leinster, and Junior competitions | ||||
| Champions Cup (discontinued) | 1 | 2019 | 0 | |
| Dublin and Belfast Inter-City Cup (discontinued) | 1 | 1941–42 | 1 | 1948–49 |
| Setanta Sports Cup (discontinued) | 0 | 2 | 2011,2014 | |
| Leinster Senior Cup | 8 | 1950–51, 1960–61, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1977–78,2014–15,2024–25 | 13 | 1928–29, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1981–82, 1993–94, 1994–95,2016–17 |
| LFA President's Cup (discontinued) | 9 | 1930–31, 1951–52, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1988–89, 1989–90 | 14 | 1932–33, 1943–44, 1949–50, 1952–53, 1958–59, 1968–69, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1995–96, 2002–03, |
| Leinster Junior Cup | 0 | 1 | 1919–20 | |
| Dundalk and District League | 2 | 1919–20, 1920–21 | 1 | 1921–22 |
| TOTAL | 21 | 32 | ||
Source:[276]
Dundalk's growing thousands of supporters, from the town, the hinterland and north of the Border
| History | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home ground | |||||||||
| Seasons | |||||||||
| Matches |
| ||||||||
| Related articles | |||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
