Unfolding the Legacy of The Oldest Football Club in Wicklow
Explore the rich history of our club, showcasing the dedication and spirit of our players and volunteers who have shaped our journey.
1939
Wicklow Town AFC was founded in 1939 by Owen Finlay, Jack McGuire and Jack Kearney, three local men who were frustrated by the lack of sport for the youth of Wicklow Town. At that time some GAA teams were active in the town, although the St. Patrick’s GAA club had not yet been formed. There was no football club due to the demise of Wicklow United, a club which had been formed in 1922 but ceased to exist in 1938. Prior to the existence of Wicklow United a football club named Wicklow Wanderers had existed in the town from 1912 for some years.For the first few decades of the existence of the club matches were played on the Murrough, where several pitches for football and GAA were located. The current pitches at Finlay Park in Whitegates were developed in the 1960s.
Owen Finlay
Co-Founder of Wicklow Town AFC
Senior Mens
1948-1949
1940s
The new club formed a young team that entered the Coastal League and in 1940 won the Co. Wicklow Coastal Cup. Players had to cycle to away games, including a fixture against Clontarf in the FAI Junior Cup which necessitated cycling to Greystones to catch a train onwards to the city. There was a lack of transport throughout the years of the Second World War so most matches were played locally.In 1948 the Wicklow League was formed, and Wicklow Town AFC had the distinction of becoming the first club to win it. Seamus (Shay) Dunne, a member of the minor team at the club in 1948-49, was selected by the FAI to play for the Republic of Ireland against an England selection and subsequently joined Shelbourne FC in Dublin for the 1949-50 season.
1950s
The club continued to compete in the Wicklow League and the Senior team won a Double in 1950-51 and the League again in 1952-53. The club had many talented players and several of them left to join Shelbourne FC in 1956.Shay Dunne, who had joined Shelbourne FC from Wicklow Town AFC in 1949, joined Luton Town in England in 1950 for a fee of £3,500 and made 301 appearances for that club over the next decade, becoming a regular at right-back. Luton Town won promotion to Division 1 in 1955 and reached the FA Cup Final against Nottingham Forest in 1959, a match which Dunne was unfortunate to miss due to injury. At that time, the maximum wage for footballers in England was £12 per week, increasing to £22 per week over the next decade, with a bonus of £2 for a win and £1 for a draw (the maximum wage was abolished in 1960). Dunne played as a guest for Wicklow Town AFC in a 1952 friendly against UCD. He also made 15 appearances for the Republic of Ireland in this decade. He made his international debut in a 3-5 loss against France in a World Cup qualifier at Dalymount Park in October 1953 (this was the first match where the Ireland team played under their new official FIFA name of Republic of Ireland), and captained the team in a 2-1 win against Denmark in another World Cup qualifier at Dalymount Park in October 1956.
Double Winners
1950-1951
Sweden v Ireland May 1960
Seamus Dunne (Captain)
1960s
The 1960s were a golden era for Wicklow Town AFC. The Senior team won the League in 1963-64, another Double in 1964-65, a treble in 1966-67, the League again in 1967-68 and the Wicklow Cup in 1969. They entered the FAI Cup in 1967-68 and were narrowly defeated in the 6th round by Drogheda Utd.
In this era the schoolboy teams were very successful, competing in the U-17 Wicklow Schoolboys League which was formed in 1966.
1970s
In the early 1970s Wicklow Town AFC played in the AUL for better competition, but the travel and costs were excessive, with games taking place all over Leinster. The team returned to the Wicklow League and won League Two and the Solus Shield in 1974. Local rivals Wicklow Rovers formed in 1974 and some players from Wicklow Town AFC transferred to the new club.
Solus Shield Winners
1974
Clubhouse under construction
1990
1980s
In the early 1980s the club struggled as many great players had come to the end of their playing careers and a rebuild was necessary. The Senior team did win the Jubilee Cup final and Division 2 in 1986, but by the late 1980s many players had left for other clubs and the various club teams struggled in their leagues for several seasons. 1989 saw the club celebrate the Silver Jubilee year with a dinner dance, and Ray McGuire, Owen Finlay and Louis Carroll were honoured.
1990s
In the early 1990s, after Wicklow County Council demolished the old dressing rooms at Finlay Park, the club started building the current clubhouse, which was eventually completed and opened in 1996. Many people in Wicklow that were associated with the club got involved in fundraising activities and donated materials and equipment to help with the development, and some also helped with the building of the structure.The 1990s was a good decade for the club. The Senior team won Division 2 in 1991-92 , Division 2 and the Scott Cup in 1996-97, Division 1 in 1997-98 and the Bishop Cup in 1998-99. At underage level, the U-10/11 schoolboy team won a Double in 1990-91 and the Youths team won the Double on three successive seasons (1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99), which was a phenomenal achievement. A Girls team was formed and had great success, winning the Double in 1996-97, the Cup in 1997-98 and the Shield in 1998-99.The club ran successful Street Leagues through the decade and many good players came through from underage level to play for the various teams in the club at Youths and Senior level.1999 saw the club celebrate the Diamond Jubilee with a dinner dance. Among the attendees were the FAI President Pat Quigley, Bray Wanderers manager Pat Devlin (who brought the FAI Cup to the celebration) and Shay Dunne. Louis Carroll, who had played for Wicklow Town AFC in their first season in 1939-40, was honoured as the oldest member of the club.
Girls Double Winners
1996-1997
