History of Dundalk F.C. (1903–1965) facts for kids
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| Founded | September 1903 as Dundalk G.N.R. Association Club |
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| League | League of Ireland Premier Division |
Welcome to the exciting history of Dundalk Football Club! This famous Irish football team started way back in September 1903 as the Dundalk G.N.R. Association Club. G.N.R. stood for Great Northern Railway, as the club was first formed by workers from the railway company. This article will tell you all about their journey from a small railway team to a big club, right up until 1966. You'll learn about the early days of football in Dundalk, how the club grew, and some of the amazing players and moments that made them special.
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How Football Started in Dundalk (1889–1914)
Football first came to Dundalk, Ireland in the late 1800s. It's a bit hard to find all the old records, but we know that a team from the Educational Institution (now Dundalk Grammar School) played in a cup competition in 1889. Their principal, Thomas A. Finch, helped them start playing the game.
In 1892, a new team called 'Dundalk' was formed. They became the best team in town for a while. They even reached a final in 1897, the Leinster Senior Cup Final, but lost to Bohemians. They tried to join a bigger league, the Leinster Senior League, in 1900 and changed their name to "Dundalk Rovers." But they didn't last long in that league.
Later, in 1904, all the local clubs in Dundalk decided to join forces. They wanted to create one strong team to represent the town. This new team was called 'Dundalk Association Football Club'. They reached another final, the Leinster Junior Cup Final, but lost to Shamrock Rovers. The next year, they helped start a local league called the Dundalk and District League (DDL). The club then became known as Rovers again.
For a few years, Gaelic football became very popular in the area. The DDL stopped for a while, and another team, St Nicholas's, represented Dundalk in cup games. But the DDL started up again in 1913, and Rovers returned. However, World War I broke out, and Rovers stopped playing in competitions until 1924. By then, the 'Railwaymen' (Dundalk G.N.R.) had become the top football club in the area.
Dundalk G.N.R. in Early Football (1903–1922)
The Dundalk Great Northern Railway (G.N.R.) Football Club actually started as a rugby football club in 1883. But in September 1903, they decided to switch to association football. This was the real beginning of the modern-day Dundalk Football Club! People called them 'the Railwaymen'. They played their games at the Dundalk Athletic Grounds, a shared sports facility.
At first, they played friendly matches against other local teams, including soldiers from the British Army. Then, in 1905, they helped create the Dundalk and District League (DDL). The club wasn't very active for a few years, but they rejoined the local league in 1913. Even during World War I, Dundalk G.N.R. played in some cup competitions.
After the war, in 1919, a man named P.J. Casey helped restart the Dundalk and District League. Dundalk G.N.R. also reformed and decided to enter every competition they could! They joined both the DDL and the Newry and District League. They became the strongest team in the local area for the next three seasons. In 1920, they reached their first final, the Leinster Junior Cup Final, but lost after two replays.
Moving Up to the Big Leagues (1922–1930)
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| Dundalk G.N.R. colours 1919–1927 |
After Ireland was divided into two parts, a new football league was formed in 1921 called the Free State League. It only had teams from Dublin at first. In 1922, Dundalk G.N.R. applied to join the Leinster Senior League (LSL). They were accepted and became the only team in the LSL from outside the Dublin area.
They did well in their first few seasons in the LSL, finishing fourth and then third. In June 1926, they were invited to join the Free State League, which was trying to include teams from other parts of Ireland. This was a huge step! From that moment on, Dundalk has played continuously in the League of Ireland.
On August 21, 1926, the team, still called Dundalk G.N.R., played their first League of Ireland match. They traveled to Cork to play against Fordsons, another team linked to a factory. Dundalk lost 2–1, but Joey Quinn scored their first-ever League of Ireland goal. They finished their first season in eighth place.
By 1927, the team was no longer just for railway workers. The club decided to become independent from the Great Northern Railway company. They changed their colours to white shirts with the town's crest. In April 1929, they played in their first final as a senior club, the Leinster Senior Cup final, but lost. This was the last time they were called 'Dundalk G.N.R.'. In the summer of 1930, the club officially changed its name to 'Dundalk A.F.C.' (Association Football Club).
Winning Trophies (1930–1949)
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| Dundalk A.F.C. colours 1927–1939 |
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| Dundalk A.F.C. colours 1939–40 |
With a new manager, Steve Wright, Dundalk had a fantastic season in 1930–31. They finished second in both the League and the FAI Cup. This showed everyone they could compete with the best teams in the country. In January 1932, the club became a company called "Dundalk A.F.C. Limited," owned by its members.
Then, in 1932–33, Dundalk made history! They became the first team from outside Dublin to win a league title in Ireland. This was a huge achievement! They also beat Dublin's two original Irish League clubs, Shelbourne and Bohemians, for the first time.
After Steve Wright left in 1934, the club started to lose a lot of cup finals. They lost finals in the FAI Cup, Leinster Senior Cup, and Dublin City Cup. In 1936, the club moved to a new home ground called "Oriel Park".
In their first season at Oriel Park (1936–37), they were runners-up in three different competitions. The club and the town really wanted to win a cup! They had lost so many finals. Finally, in 1938, they won the Dublin City Cup, beating Cork 2–1 in extra time. Everyone was so happy! The Irish Press newspaper even shouted, "Dundalk have at last won a Cup Final!"
They came close to winning the League again in 1938–39, but a few losses at the end cost them the title. They also lost another FAI Cup Final. The club faced financial challenges, sometimes having to sell players to cover costs.
In 1940–41, they were runners-up in the City Cup again. Supporters started to think the club was jinxed (had bad luck). But then, in 1942, they finally won their first FAI Cup! They beat Cork United in the final. Thousands of fans greeted the team at the railway station when they returned, cheering them through the streets.
Five weeks later, they were unofficially named "Champions of All Ireland." They won the first-ever Dublin and Belfast Inter-City Cup, beating teams from Northern Ireland like Glentoran and Belfast Celtic, and then Shamrock Rovers in the final. The next year, they won another Dublin City Cup.
For the next few seasons, Dundalk finished in the middle of the league table. The club often sold players to English clubs to make money. But with a better squad, they started to come close to winning more trophies. They just missed out on the Shield in 1946–47 and the League and Dublin City Cup in 1947–48.
So, the club decided to invest in a player-coach, Ned Weir, and some full-time players. This big move paid off right away! They won the City Cup at the start of the new season without losing a game. Then, they won their second FAI Cup, beating Shelbourne in the final. Even with these wins, the extra costs of the full-time players were too high.
Ups and Downs in the League (1950–1965)
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| 'Home' colours since 1940 |
The plan to have a full-time squad didn't work out financially, so the team had to be changed. Even with many players leaving, Dundalk won the Leinster Senior Cup for the first time in 1950–51. They beat St. Patrick's Athletic in a very close final. This match was special because it was the first time a white ball was used in a game in Ireland!
However, the financial cuts started to show. In 1951–52, they finished second from last in the League. But they had an amazing run in the FAI Cup! They came back from being 3–1 down to win 6–4 in extra time in the semi-final. Then, they beat Cork Athletic in the final (after a replay) to win their third FAI Cup.
In 1953, the club's Secretary, Sam Prole, left. He had been very important to the club, especially with player transfers. After he left, the club struggled financially and spent most of the 1950s near the bottom of the league. In 1954, they lost an FAI Cup game at Oriel Park for the first time in 18 years. The worst season was 1954–55, when they finished last in both the Shield and the League.
Slowly, things started to get better. In 1958, they had a great cup run where they didn't let in any goals, and they won their fourth FAI Cup, beating Shamrock Rovers in the final. Hughie Gannon scored the only goal but broke his jaw doing it!
The next season wasn't great, but in 1959–60, the committee finally put together a strong team. Dundalk was at the top of the League table in early 1960 and finished just three points off the top. This was their best finish in 12 seasons, and it gave everyone hope that the tough times were ending.
In 1960–61, they won their second Leinster Senior Cup. Then, in 1962–63, they won their first League title in 30 years! It was a very exciting finish. In their last game, they were two goals down against Bohemians but scored twice in the last five minutes to get a draw. They then had to wait a week to see if other teams would falter, and they did! Dundalk were champions!
After winning the League, Dundalk played in a European competition for the first time. They made history by becoming the first Irish team to win an away game in Europe! They beat FC Zurich 2–1 in Switzerland in the 1963–64 European Cup. Jimmy Hasty was the star, scoring one goal and helping with another. Dundalk didn't win the League again that season, finishing second to Shamrock Rovers. But they did win the Top Four Cup.
The 1964–65 season was not good. The club decided it was time to hire a modern manager who would be in charge of picking players. They hired Gerry Doyle. But the new season didn't start well, and the club was losing money. It became clear that the old way of running the club (owned by members) wasn't enough. So, in January 1966, a new public limited company took over the club.
Important Parts of Dundalk's History
When Was Dundalk F.C. Founded?
The exact year Dundalk Football Club was founded is a bit of a puzzle! Here are some ideas:
- 1884: This is when the Dundalk G.N.R. rugby club was formed.
- 1903: This is when the G.N.R. club switched from rugby to football.
- 1919: This is when Dundalk G.N.R. restarted after not playing for two seasons. The club has been playing continuously since then.
- 1922: This is when Dundalk G.N.R. moved from playing in local leagues to the bigger Leinster Senior League.
- 1926: This is when Dundalk G.N.R. joined the League of Ireland.
Because old records are missing, the club has used different dates over the years. But after a lot of research by club historian Jim Murphy, it seems that 1903 is the most likely true founding year. This is because the G.N.R. Football Club simply changed the sport they played, rather than being a completely new club.
What Were Works Teams?
A "works team" or "factory team" is a sports team started and run by a business or factory. Dundalk F.C. began as the works team for the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) in 1903. When they joined the League of Ireland in 1926, four out of the ten teams in the league were works teams! These included Jacobs, St. James's Gate, and Fordsons.
Over time, Dundalk F.C. grew bigger than just the G.N.R. company. In 1932, it became a company owned by its members. The railway works itself closed down in 1985. Dundalk F.C. is now the only club left in the League of Ireland that started as a works team.
Dundalk: All-Ireland Champions!
After Ireland was divided in 1921, two different football associations were formed: the Belfast-based IFA and the Dublin-based FAI. Both claimed to represent all of Ireland.
Even with this split, people tried to bring football in Ireland back together. Dundalk's Sam Prole was one of the main people who pushed for this. He believed it was good for football and for Dundalk's finances to play against Northern teams.
During World War II, both leagues were struggling financially. So, the two associations agreed to create a new competition that crossed the border: the Dublin and Belfast Inter-City Cup. This was the first time teams from both parts of Ireland formally played against each other since the country was divided.
In the first season of this cup, six League of Ireland teams played against six Irish League teams. Dundalk had an amazing run! They beat three Northern teams – Glentoran, Distillery, and Belfast Celtic. Then, they defeated Shamrock Rovers in the final to become Irish football's first 'All-Ireland Champions'! The competition continued for a few more years but eventually stopped.
The Scottish Team (1948–1949)
In 1948, Dundalk had a good season, finishing second in the League and making some money from games and player sales. The club decided to take a big risk. They hired Ned Weir from Scotland as their new coach, a Scottish physio, and signed six full-time Scottish players.
This was an ambitious plan to make the club much more successful. They hoped that more success would bring in more fans and money. They won the City Cup at the start of the season without losing a game. They also won their fourth FAI Cup, beating Shelbourne in the final.
However, even with two cup wins, the plan didn't work out financially. The cost of wages and other expenses almost tripled, and the club ended up in debt. On the day of the FAI Cup final, the players even demanded more money before they would play! Because of the high costs, the "Scottish team" was broken up at the end of the season. The dream of having a full-time squad was over for a while. Only one player, Johnny Fearon, stayed with the club for their next FAI Cup win.
Famous Names from Dundalk's Past
Samuel Robert Prole (1897–1975)
Sam Prole was the Secretary of Dundalk F.C. from 1928 to 1952. He was known for doing whatever it took to keep the club going. Sam worked for the Great Northern Railway. He played for the club from 1919 until a broken leg ended his playing career in 1923.
Sam's ambition helped the club move up to the Leinster Senior League and then the Free State League. Without his hard work, especially in buying and selling players, the club might not have survived its early years in the League of Ireland.
Sam was also a very important person in Irish football. He was on many committees for the FAI and the League of Ireland. He even led efforts to bring the FAI and IFA back together after their split in 1921. He wanted to make Irish football better. For example, he suggested playing the League in the summer instead of winter as early as 1937. He also complained in 1965 when RTÉ (the Irish TV station) stopped showing soccer highlights.
After leaving Dundalk, Sam joined Drumcondra and helped them become very successful. He retired from football administration in 1972 and passed away in 1975.
Eddie Carroll (1901–1975)
Eddie Carroll was Dundalk's first big star player. He joined the club in 1927 and scored an amazing 75 goals in 65 games over two seasons! He even scored three goals in his very first game, which was a first for a Dundalk player in the League. He could play in any position, even goalkeeper!
After a disagreement, he left the club but returned in 1932 for Dundalk's first League-winning season. He scored another 37 goals and was the first player to score four goals in a single League of Ireland match. He left Dundalk again in 1935 and had one more short time with the club in 1937. He still holds club records for goals in the League of Ireland Shield and Leinster Senior Cup.
Billy O'Neill (1916–1978)
William 'Billy' O'Neill holds the record for the most times a Dundalk player has played for the Ireland international team, with 11 appearances between 1935 and 1939. Billy's father was the first secretary of the G.N.R. Association Football Club back in 1903.
Billy played 330 games for Dundalk from 1934 to 1944. He started as a defender but once scored 16 goals in 20 games when he played as a forward! He also scored in every round of the 1934–35 FAI Cup, including the final. But he mostly played as a right defender.
His first international game was in 1935 when he was just 19. A newspaper called him "brilliant" in that game. World War II sadly cut short his international career when he was only 23. He never won a League title with Dundalk, but he did win medals in the club's first four cup victories, including the important FAI Cup win in 1942 that broke the "jinx."
Jimmy Hasty (1936–1974)
Jimmy Hasty was a very popular player for Dundalk in the early 1960s. Sadly, he was murdered in 1974. A special match was played to remember him.
Jimmy joined Dundalk in November 1960 and scored in his first game. Five weeks later, he scored the only goal to win Dundalk their second Leinster Senior Cup. Jimmy had lost his left arm in a factory accident when he was 14. But he was known as a great goalscorer who learned to use his injury to his advantage on the field.
A Dundalk director, Jim Malone, was so impressed with Jimmy that he personally paid for his transfer, even when others on the board were unsure. Jimmy quickly became a star, and many people came to watch him play. By the time he left the club in 1966, he had won League, Top Four Cup, and Leinster Senior Cup medals. He was also one of the top scorers in the 1963–64 season. He scored the second goal in the famous game in Zurich, which was the first away victory for an Irish team in European competition.
Jimmy played 170 games for Dundalk over six seasons, scoring 103 goals. He is still remembered as a legend of the club.
