About Us

Shamrock Rovers F.C. and Tallaght Town A.F.C. merged in 1997 to form a new schoolboys section to serve the Tallaght area in South West Dublin.

Tallaght Town A.F.C. remained in operation with three intermediate teams participating in the Leinster Senior League. Two of these teams remain in operation today but are now playing under the name of Shamrock Rovers.

Tallaght Town A.F.C. remains as a limited company and as trustees of Carolan Park - the ten acre site located on the Kiltipper Road where the Schoolboy teams and the Leinster Senior League teams share playing pitches and training facilities.

Shamrock Rovers Schoolboys have continued to grow each year since 1997. There are currently sixteen teams with a total of 208 players and these are looked after by 35 managers and coaches.

Seven of the teams comprise of players from the ages of six to ten years inclusive. The remaining twelve teams cater for players in the eleven years to nineteen years of age group. Of the eleven-a-side teams, six play at the highest level in the Dublin and District Schoolboys League.

Many of the players have progressed to the eircom League Under 21 section, which is a development league. In the short space of time that the SRFC Schoolboys have been in operation several players have come through the ranks and into the first team playing at the highest level in the National League. These include Paul Caffrey, Mark O’Brien, Bernard Daniel, David Mooney, Barry Murphy and James Reilly. In addition to these, some other players have also come through the ranks of SRFC Schoolboys and are now playing at other eircom League clubs at both Under 21 and senior level.

The committee comprises of eight persons who are responsible for the day to day running of the club. Shamrock Rovers Schoolboys operate as a separate financial entity and despite the massive outlay they do not depend on the senior club to contribute to their considerable operation. A small grant towards the purchase of gear and equipment is provided by the senior club each year.

Several of the players have been capped by the Republic of Ireland at various schoolboy levels as well as Youths and Under 21 levels. In 1998 Lar Farren from Derry was capped for Northern Ireland in an Under 16 international against the Republic of Ireland and against his SRFC team-mate Sean Breen.

In 2002 the Under 17 team came through eight rounds to beat off the best and lift the Football Association of Ireland All Ireland Youths Cup.

In 2003 the then Under 14 team won the DDSL Major Division unbeaten and added the Harmon Cup to make it a memorable double. A couple of months after that magnificent achievement this team played in the Northern Ireland Milk Cup - reckoned by observers to be the most prestigious youth tournament in Europe - and were very unlucky to lose to Hearts F.C. in the last minute of the quarter finals. On the way to the quarter finals the Hoops beat the much fancied Israeli side Maccabi Haifa by 3-1. The team eventually finished seventh out of twenty-four teams and just behind Everton who were the holders from 2002. In the 2005 tournament, Shamrock Rovers took on the mighty Barcelona and did the club and Tallaght proud with a superb performance in a game in which they were unlucky to lose 2-1. Barcelona went on to win the tournament.

In addition to the Schoolboys committee a sub committee was set up in late 2004 to undertake a mammoth and detailed survey of the club, its managers, coaches and players as well as facilities. The Technical Committee are currently putting together a blueprint to point the way forward for further development and it will be then up to the Executive Committee to put into operation a plan which it is hoped will result in SRFC competing for all the top honours on a consistent basis as well as attracting the best talent in the area and the city of Dublin and beyond.

In early 2005, Shamrock Rovers Schoolboys and Tallaght Town A.F.C. combined to set up a special working committee to put in place a plan for the development of Carolan Park. Members of this committee have already met public representatives and officials of South Dublin County Council and they have been given assurances that any detailed plan will be given careful and due consideration for development grants that are currently available from the Department of Sports and the County Council.

In addition to Carolan Park, Shamrock Rovers Schoolboys also play at Tymon Park, and Dodder Valley Park and at weekends the area of Tallaght witnesses considerable movement of young players wearing the famous green and white hoops.

Shamrock Rovers Schoolboys have played their part in the community beyond their commitments on the pitch. A special Toy Appeal was held in aid of Tallaght Hospital for the last two years running and last year was featured on the national television station TV3 on Christmas Day.

The committee of Shamrock Rovers are working diligently to provide the club, its supporters and the people of Tallaght and Dublin with top class facilities, quality coaches and teams that offer the opportunity for the best players to progress and further their careers in a sporting capacity. The club has already contributed handsomely to the sporting and social fabric of the community and aim to continue and further this role from a position of strength.

Our motto is a simple one: “Their future is our future”