A round-up of the club’s community activity during the month of May.
Zach Humston Visit
It was a pleasure to welcome young Zach Humston and his father Glen to Oriel Park on May 4th.
Zach, pictured with members of the first-team squad above, is on the road to recovery after a recent operation and he inspired us all with his positive attitude, which is exactly what everyone needed after the Louth Derby defeat to Drogheda United.
Best of luck Zach and we’ll see you back at Oriel soon!
Robbie Benson wears a shirt in support of Darkness into Light in the warm-up before the game with Shelbourne at Oriel Park
Darkness Into Light
We welcomed the Darkness into Light committee to Oriel Park ahead of their annual event in May with the players wearing tee shirts as part of their warm up for our home game against Shelbourne and our away game against Drogheda United to help spread the word of this worthy cause.
The Dromin United U10 team
Flag Bearers and HT Mini Games
The Muirhevnamor and Dromin United U10 teams acted as flag bearers and provided the HT entertainment by taking part in our Mini Games during the month of May. Both teams entertained the Oriel Park crowd with some brilliant displays of football in their eight-a-side matches.
John Mountney and Paul Doyle, pictured with students at CBS Dundalk
Trí Little Birds School Football Programme
As part of the club’s Trí Little Birds School Football Programme, a number of first-team players went out to visit local schools, including the De La Salle Primary School, Redeemer Boys NS, St Francis NS, Bellurgan NS, CBS Dundalk, St Oliver Plunkett NS.
To date, we have completed the pilot programme in 10 schools around Dundalk with a further six schools on course to complete the programme at the end of June.
The aim of our Trí Little Birds School Football Programme is to deliver an inclusive football programme focusing on the aspect that football is fun, promotes respect and understanding, promotes wellbeing and positive mental health and helps children learn important team building skills that can then be applied to their classroom and other areas in their lives.
If you are a business or company and would like to get involved in this community initiative, please get in touch. If you are a primary school and would like to put your school forward for The Trí Little Birds School Football Programme for the 2024-2025 school year please contact aoife.burns@dundalkfc.com
L-R: Aoife Burns (Dundalk FC FSR Officer), Sean Lawless (North Louth branch ASI), Susan Dunne (The Birches), Brian Murphy (ASI branch member ASI), Pauline Gaskin (The Birches), Dolores Conroy (nurse at The Birches) and Liam Burns (Dundalk FC first-team coach) at The Birches Tea Day
The Birches Tea Day
The Birches Tea Day is an annual event, run nationally by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland.
It is an ideal opportunity for the community to come in and view the club, and have a chat to club staff, as well as providing a fundraising opportunity.
The Birches Alzheimer Day Centre was established in 2000 and provides specialist day care services for people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Koen Oostenbrink and Robbie Benson with the Rehab Care team, who won their group at the Football For All blitz at DkIT Sport
Football for All with DkIT Sport and PayPal
Our Football For All series, in conjunction with the FAI and our community partners PayPal, concluded at DkIT Sport in May.
Over 60 players were involved in the three blitz events that took place, with each player receiving an official FAI medal, while the three overall group winners, New Vision Dundalk, Rehab Care Dundalk and St John of God’s, also picked up a trophy.
First-team squad members Robbie Benson and Koen Oostenbrink presented the medals and trophies while there was also a special presentation to big Dundalk supporter Ian McNamee, who won the Sports Person of the Tournament.
Well done to all of the players who took part in a very successful event.
2024 Dundalk FC Summer Camps
Bookings are now open for the 2024 Dundalk FC Summer Camps which get underway in early July.
The Dundalk FC Summer Camps are aimed at boys and girls between the ages of six and 13 and will run across four weeks in July and August.
Week 1: July 1st-July 4th – 10am-1.30pm
Week 2: July 8th-July 11th – 10am-1.30pm
Week 3: August 12th-August 15th – 10.30am-1.30pm
Week 4 Barry Kehoe Summer Camp: August 19th-August 22nd, 10.30am-1.30pm
The price is €80 per child. All participants will receive an official Dundalk FC water bottle, a ball, a match ticket to one of our home games and an official Dundalk FC autograph poster.
Each camp is based on structured and fun coaching by FAI accredited and Garda-vetted coaches where children will enjoy a fun-filled week and leave Oriel Park with lots of great memories and new friends.
To book your child’s place, visit https://www.dundalkfc.com/book-now-2024-dundalk-fc-summer-camps/
Dundalk FC Futsal team players Jamie Linden and Micheal McCloy, pictured with FSR Officer Aoife Burns
Down Syndrome Internationals: Ireland v USA
Two of our Dundalk FC Down Syndrome Futsal team players, Jamie Linden and Micheal McCloy, were called up to the Republic of Ireland Down Syndrome Futsal Training Camp in May which finished with a friendly match against the USA.
Jamie and Micheal went on to represent Dundalk FC at the launch of the first League of Ireland Down Syndrome Futsal tournament which took place in Gormanston on June 9th with Dundalk finishing as runners up.
Walking Football
In association with Age + Opportunity, a new five-week Walking Football programme, for men over 55, gets underway on Tuesday June 11th.
We hope that we can get enough players involved to create Dundalk FC’s first ever walking football team and participate in the first ever League of Ireland Walking Football tournament later this year.
If you are interested in taking part, get in touch with our FSR Officer, Aoife Burns:aoife.burns@dundalkfc.com
Members of the Dundalk branch of the Order of Malta, pictured before the game with Derry City at Oriel Park
The Order of Malta
The Order of Malta Dundalk, which provides first-aid and emergency medical ambulance services to an extensive array of organisations, events and festivals throughout the island of Ireland, held a collection before the game with Derry City on May 31st.
DFC In The Community Volunteers
We are currently seeking volunteers for different community, climate action and sustainability initiatives. If you have an hour a week to spare and would like to get involved in DFC in the Community, please contact aoife.burns@dundalkfc.com
