Joint new sporting facility to open in Dunshaughlin this Saturday

Youths FC and Athletic Club to celebrate momentous day

Dunshaughlin Youths Football Club will see the official opening of new playing facilities at the weekend, which will also host Dunshaughlin Athletic Club.

FAI President Gerry McAnaney will join a host of special guests for the official launch on Saturday 1st October at the new home ground, adjacent to The Willows residential development.

Sited on land ceded to Dunshaughlin Youths FC by the late Tipperary businessman John O’Meara and Meath County Council in 1998, the playing facilities have been developed with the assistance of Willows developer, GEM Construction, and will include four football pitches - 11-a-side and small-sided - and parking along with a floodlit 1km track, a grass running track and dressing-room and meeting facilities to be upgraded in the future.

Dunshaughlin Youths FC, founded in 1990, and their partners in Dunshaughlin Athletic Club are mainstays of the sporting scene in this rapidly growing commuter belt town. With over 30 teams now providing football for 400 plus players, DYFC competes in the Northeast Counties League, the North Dublin Schoolboys/Schoolgirls League and the United Churches Football League, Leinster Football League, and Amateur Football League.

Dunshaughlin Athletic Club was founded in 1979 by a group of young local athletes, most of whom are still heavily involved with the club. From small founding numbers, the club has grown to hundreds of adult and juvenile members taking part in track and field events. Every June the club hosts Ireland’s oldest 10k, the Michael Manning Memorial 10k. It is regarded as the best 10k in the country, drawing runners from all over Ireland and beyond with many present and former Olympians taking part.

The new facility boasts a 1km running track along with a six lane, 400m grass track. With next year’s plan to light up the 1km track, it will be a top class facility for the whole community, young and old to be a part of.

To mark the opening of their new facility, DYFC and Dunshaughlin Athletic Club invite all members of their local community and guests from near and far to an open day at The Willows location from 3pm and 6pm on Saturday 1st October.

Current and former footballers and athletes will be in attendance with fun and games for all the family and a range of football matches featuring DYFC youngsters and also an adult friendly match with coaches and players involved.

To celebrate their move to a new home and the ongoing support of GEM Construction, DYFC has announced a new three-year sponsorship deal with the company which will see the GEM Construction logo on all club jerseys and on signage at the new ground.

“This is truly a landmark day in the history of our club and one so many people have waited so long to enjoy," said Dunshaughlin Youths Football Club chairperson, Oliver McKenna.

"It is a testament to the hard work of the current DYFC committee, the Development Committee and all those who served the club in the past that we are now about to open our new ground and play football on a site befitting a growing club that serves its community so well.

"Those who played, coached and served DYFC in the past and all those involved now can take great credit in this achievement and I want to thank them, all the Leagues we play in, everyone in our local area who has supported us, Meath County Council and all our local politicians and John O’Meara’s family for getting us to this point.

"Our near neighbours, Ratoath Harps, have been outstanding in providing us playing facilities for our adult teams over the last two years and likewise, Dunshaughlin Community College and Community Centre have been great support to us.

“Finally, it is also important that we recognise the unbelievable support, guidance and resources that GEM Construction have made available to us for this project and we are delighted that they have come on board as club sponsors for the next three years. Together with our friends and partners at Dunshaughlin Athletic Club, we look forward to an exciting and prosperous sporting future at our new home,” concluded Mr McKenna.

Speaking on behalf of Dunshaughlin Athletic Club, chairperson Mick Summerville said: “We are so proud to welcome everyone to our new home in conjunction with Dunshaughlin Youths FC on Saturday.

"Like DYFC, our club is at the sporting centre of our community and this wonderful new facility will allow us to offer even more opportunity to the men and women, boys and girls of Dunshaughlin and the surrounding area. At a time when sport has never been more important in all our lives, I want to thank everyone who has made this possible for ourselves and for our friends and partners at Dunshaughlin Youths Football Club.”

Martin Healy of GEM Construction added: “We are delighted to be associated with the development of this new state of the art facility and wish both DYFC and Dunshaughlin Athletic club every success at their new home. It has been a pleasure to work with them on behalf of GEM Construction and we look forward to many more happy and successful years working together.”