Community loan for Aisling Annacotty FC

At least one half of this proud football club can trace its origins all the way back to a Saturday afternoon card game in the local pub.

Aisling FC was the brainchild of regulars of The Regal, in Limerick’s Cecil Street, who formed the team in 1971 with the intention of playing teams from other local public houses. 

Ten years later, the club was playing in Limerick’s premier league. In 1988, it merged with the slightly older Annacotty FC - founded 1969 - to form the current Aisling Annacotty FC. 

With the area experiencing major population expansion, it made sense to combine resources to cater for the growing need at schoolboy and junior levels. The wisdom of that decision has been amply vindicated over the years, with both schoolboy and schoolgirl teams winning a multitude of underage leagues and cups. 

Deeply embedded in the surrounding community, Aisling Annacotty FC is now one of the leading soccer clubs in Munster, with some 550 juvenile and adult players. 

It fields a remarkable 20 competitive teams at Junior, Minor, schoolboy and schoolgirl level, along with under 10 years old teams. 

But that puts pressure on existingtraining and playing facilities. More problematic is that the club’s grass pitches become unplayable for long periods during wet weather. 

It also meant training had to take place at different locations during the winter months, hampering the development of an integrated coaching structure at the club. 

From these frustrations were born the plan to develop an all-weather, purpose built facility on the club grounds in Annacotty. 

Designed to meet rigorous FAI and FIFA standards, the all-weather pitch would be available for use 12 months of the year and could be used as a full size pitch, or divided into sections for training