Over 120 Years In Existence, Founding Members Of The League Of Ireland, Inaugural Winners Of Both The League Of Ireland & FAI Cup.
The club was founded in 1902. The prime mover behind forming the club was John Lumsden, then serving as a medical officer at St James’s Gate Brewery. The club first gained national recognition in 1909–10 when they won both the Leinster Senior League title and the Irish Intermediate Cup. In 1919–20, with a team that included Charlie Dowdall, Paddy Duncan and Ernie MacKay, Gate won four trophies – the Leinster Senior League title, the Irish Intermediate Cup, the Leinster Senior Cup and the LFA Metropolitan Cup.
FOUNDING MEMBERS
In 1921–22, together with Shelbourne, Bohemians, Jacobs, Frankfort, Olympia, YMCA and Dublin United, Gate became founder members of the League of Ireland. Like Gate, the other seven founding members had spent the 1920–21 season playing in the Leinster Senior League. Gate initially emerged as one of the strongest teams in the league and in their debut season won a treble. In addition to winning the inaugural league title, they also won the 1921–22 FAI Cup and the 1921–22 Leinster Senior Cup.
End of an Era
This season proved to be the highlight of Gate’s time in the League of Ireland. In 1939–40 they won a second league title, however after finishing in last place in 1943–44 they failed to gain re-election. It had been suggested that the reason for this was the club announcing its intention to revert to amateur status.
However, when the vote was being taken, the representative for Shamrock Rovers stated, “the St. James’s Gate club has not full control over their own finances, as any profit made during the season goes to the Guinness Athletic Union and is therefore lost to football.” The other clubs were also known to be unhappy that members of the Guinness Athletic Union did not have to pay into home matches, depriving those clubs of their share of gate receipts
RETURN
In 1990–91 Gate joined the League of Ireland First Division, replacing Newcastlewest. In 1995, the club was taken over by a consortium. Only one year later, however, just before the start of the 1996–97 they pulled out of the league, unable to meet their financial responsibilities. They were replaced by St. Francis.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND INTERNATIONALS
On 28 May 1924 when Ireland made their international debut at the 1924 Olympics against Bulgaria, the Ireland team included three Gate players – Paddy Duncan, Michael Farrell and Ernie MacKay. A fourth member of the team, Paddy O’Reilly, would also later play for the club. Duncan also scored the Republic of Ireland’s first international goal. Joe O’Reilly, with 20, was also the most capped player for Ireland in the pre–Second World War era.
Paddy Bermingham
Paddy Bradshaw
Pat Byrne
Johnny Carey
Martin Colfer
Charlie Dowdall
Bobby Duffy
Paddy Duncan
Michael Farrell
Dominic Foley
Peadar Gaskins
Matty Geoghegan
Billy Kennedy
Owen Kinsella
Charlie Lennon
Ernie MacKay
Emmet McLoughlin
Tom Murphy
Joe O’Reilly
Paddy O’Reilly
Alf Rigby
Republic of Ireland women’s Internationals
Katie Taylor
Mary Waldron
Republic of Ireland U21 internationals
John Bacon
Martin Bayly
Ritchie Bayly
League of Ireland XI representatives
Mick Byrne
Pat Byrne
Paul Byrne
Martin Colfer
Ireland (IFA) internationals
In addition to playing for Ireland teams selected by the FAI, at least five Gate players also played for Ireland teams selected by the Irish Football Association.
Johnny Carey – Senior
Ernie MacKay – Junior
Emmet McLoughlin – Amateur
Frank Heaney – Amateur
Harry Litton – Amateur
GOALSCORERS
On seven occasions St James’s Gate players finished as the League of Ireland’s top goalscorer. On 30 March 1930, Willie Byrne scored six goals in a 7–1 win against Sligo Rovers. Paddy Bradshaw, with 68, remains Gate’s top goalscorer in the League of Ireland.
1921–22 – Jack Kelly – 11
1932–33 – George Ebbs – 20
1933–34 – Alf Rigby – 13
1934–35 – Alf Rigby – 17
1937–38 – Willie Byrne – 25
1938–39 – Paddy Bradshaw – 22
1939–40 – Paddy Bradshaw – 29
BOXER
Katie Taylor – Irish, European, World and Olympic boxing champion
IVEAGH GROUNDS
We originally played our home games at Bellevue Lodge by the Grand Canal near Inchicore. The same venue was also used by Olympia. Between 1921 and 1928 we played at St. James’s Park in Dolphin’s Barn on a pitch hired by the Guinness board. In 1928 we moved to our current home at the Iveagh Grounds.
