We’re delighted to announce, what is a massive step forward for our club, we have established a new player pathway partnership with Lourdes Celtic FC.

The aim of this partnership is to provide a pathway from underage football with Lourdes Celtic into senior football with us here at St, James’ Gate in the Leinster Senior League.

From the 23/24 season the 1st team to transition to play under the lights at the Iveagh Grounds, as St. James’ Gate FC and play in the U19s Leinster Senior League.

Looking into the future we hope to be able to be a safe environment for players graduating from the prestigious Lourdes Celtic into senior football.

We are delighted, not only to have re-established this link but are really excited about welcoming the new players and coaches into the Club. The partnership has been worked on from both sides for the last number of months and this announcement could not have happened without the hard work and determination on both sides to provide a safe, positive pathway for players to develop and play football within the Community.

We’ve recently appointed a new Senior Management Team and our hope, is that when the time is right, those young adults will want to stay and play their Senior football with us in the Iveagh Grounds. We also hope to add a Saturday/Development side soon which will offer another route for those who wish to play more community-based football with the opportunity to keep developing and playing in competitive environment.

David Murtagh, Lourdes Celtic Chairman said “Lourdes Celtic FC are delighted to announce a new partnership with St James Gate FC, this partnership will provide a pathway for Lourdes Celtic schoolboy players to continue their football journey into senior football at all levels.
Both clubs have exciting plans for the future and will look to work closely together to build a strong partnership and bond within the local community

Our first link up will see our current U18P schoolboy team represent St James Gate in the U19 Leinster Senior League for the coming 2023/2024 season, under the stewardship of Brian Morgan and Bren Farrell who have had great success during the past number of years coaching and managing Premier level schoolboy teams at Lourdes Celtic

Both are really looking forward to the new challenge and can’t wait to get started, they will also continue their current roles coaching Lourdes Celtic U17 and U12 teams for the coming season”.

David ‘Jacko’ Doyle, a man with deep ties to both clubs, (St. James’ Gate FC, Chairman) had this to say on the new partnership “I am delighted to be able to announce this link with a club that is close to my heart and has a wealth of talent being developed in it. We have been working on this for a long time and we are happy that it is now being made official. As a senior club it is important for St. James’ Gate FC to have a strong link with a juvenile club and what better club to have it with than Lourdes Celtic.

Being involved with Lourdes myself for many years I get to witness 1st hand the level of coaching and education that these players have been given the excellent coaches at the club.

Our aim is to continue that education and pick up where they left off and to provide these players with a consistent and seamless transition to Senior Football. Playing in the u19s league of the Leinster Senior league will allow these young men to gradually immerse themselves into what we hope will be their footballing home for years to come.

We’d like to say a sincere thanks to David Murtagh, Alo Byrne and all the Lourdes Celtic committee for their support in this partnership and we look forward to serving them and the community well as the partnership flourishes over the coming years”.