patshome

                      St Patricks Athletic F.C. were founded in 1929 and dominated in the junior ranks before gaining

entrance into the N.L.O.I. in 1951. The Saints won the league at the first attempt and two more championships

followed, in 1955/56 and again the following year. It was 1959 before the Saints got their hands on the FAI cup and

repeated the success in 1961, these years were to be the most successful for some time and included the legend himself,

Harry Boland (R.I.P.). The club had some instability in the early years playing in many grounds incliding, Milltown,

Chapelizod and Dalymount before they settled into an old army barracks in inchicore, the Saints had found a home in

Richmond Park. The club remained in richmond park until 1989 when they moved to Harolds Cross while Richmond

Park was being redeveloped. The club moved back into Richmond Park in 1993, around the same time that the good

times returned.

                      The appointment of Brian Kerr as manager in 1986 was a turning point in Pats history, The club was

robbed of the championship in 1988, but made up for it in 1990 when they became champions of Ireland, The Magic

era of the Saints were about to begin. The club was still in Harolds Cross at this time and in 1993, when they returned

to Inchicore, Kerr knew he needed to rebuild a championship winning squad. At the time the club was hours away

from going into liquidation, but thanks to a few fans, incluiding Kerr who romortgaged his house!, the club was

turning a corner. With Tim O' Flaherty as Chairman and Pat Dolan as Chief Executive the league trophy returned to

Richmond Park in 1996, new stars appeared in the shape of, Eddie Gormley, Trevor Molloy, Paul Osam, Colin

Hawkins and Trevor Wood. The team continued its success and captured a 2-in-a-row, the second in its history, in the

'97/98 and '98/99 seasons. the team even managed to hold Celtic to a draw in Celtic Park and were unlucky to go

down in the home leg.

                     The club is a prime example of how to market itself, A "Junior Supersaints" club has more than 3,000

members! and the club itself has integrated itself into the community, no team has a better following than when the

saints army turns up and under Pat Dolan, who is in his second spell with the club, the young side is going places.

Despite the dreadful start, sheer determination has helped the club turn its fortunes around and another league

championship is not out of the question.