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Club History
Club History
Special thanks to club secretary Patsy Greene for his contribution to the historical detail below.
Beginning
From Sand to Sidelines
The story of Greystones United AFC begins in 1923, when a group of local teenagers came together to form the town’s first football team. They met in the kitchen of Henry Lawless’ house on North Beach, close to where the marina stands today. Founding players included Henry Lawless, Tom Quinn, Larry Byrne and Frankie Ward. By the following year, the team had joined the Dublin Boys Realm League. With no Sunday bus service, players relied on boats, trains and trams to get to matches in Phoenix Park.
Pictured:
Greystones United A.F.C. 1952/53
Back(L-R):
J. Redmond, C.Whiston, Joe Gunning, John Gunning, D. Murphy
Front(L-R):
R. Doyle, S. Doyle, D. Mitchell, H. Mooney, R. Gunning, K. Glynn.
Club Growth
Growing The Game
In 1947, the club joined the newly formed Wicklow League, but the 1960s brought a period of decline. Volunteers like Pat Smith and Willie Wall kept the club alive, helping it grow again throughout the 1970s and 80s. In 1993, Greystones AFC entered the Leinster Senior League Major Sunday Division and quickly climbed through the ranks. A major milestone came in 2006 when the club won the Metropolitan Cup and was named the league’s Most Progressive Club.
Pictured:
Greystone AFC 1975/76 — Pat Smith, L. Cammans, Colm Gaskin, William Wall, Henry Lawless, Paddy Lawless, Jim Vickers, and Joe Mulford
Second Chapter
From Schoolboys to Seniors
A second chapter in the town’s football story began in 1987, when Greystones United FC was formed through the merger of Greystones United Seniors (founded in 1969) and Greystones Schoolboys, set up in 1981 by Brendan Walsh and John Dunne. Starting with four youth teams playing at Darcy’s Field, the club grew steadily under the leadership of volunteers like Jim Smullen, Bill Carson, Peter Donnelly and John Dunne. By 2008, it had ten schoolboy teams in the Wicklow League and a senior team in the Leinster Senior League.
Pictured:
Greystones AFC Metropolitan Cup Winners 2006 — Ben Catanach, Ciaran Tresson, Lee Osbourne, Ian Fowler, Donnacha Friel, Jimmy Horan, Raimons Faucems, Thomas Tobin, Shea Brien, Eddie Horan (Manager), Chris Mason, Jonathan Kavanagh, Alan Dodd, Kevin Farrell, Karl Murray, Chris Farrell, Phillip Cooney, Ronan Rafferty, Dave Mahon
A New Home
A New Home, A New Era
Before the two clubs merged, Greystones AFC played at Archfield, a pitch fondly known as "The Bog" for its soft ground. Greystones United played at Darcy’s Field, where it built its youth reputation. In 2003, a new home was secured at Woodlands. Preparatory work began in 2005, and the first match was played there in May 2006.
The move was led by Michael Mullins and a dedicated committee of local volunteers, including Noel Magee, Pius Finnegan, Michelle Healy, Tony Joyce and Joe Phelan. Today, Woodlands is the heart of the club, featuring a full-size all-weather pitch, modern clubhouse and multiple playing fields. Archfield still supports training and matches.
united in Name
United in Name & Spirit
In 2015, Greystones AFC and Greystones United FC came together to form the club as it is known today: Greystones United AFC. The club retained its traditional colours of green and white, with red and black as the alternative colour. The merger brought together the values, strengths and philosophies of both sides, uniting them under one name, one identity and one community.
Pictured:
2000 Season — P. Barry, C, Vickers, P. Smith, J. Hanney, E. Lawless, N. Stewart and S. Dempsey
Present Day
A Club for Everyone
Greystones United AFC is now one of the largest football clubs in Ireland. With over 1,100 players and more than 60 teams, it competes across several leagues and offers football for boys, girls, senior players and women.
The club also fields Women’s National League teams at U17 and U19 level, developed in partnership with Bray Wanderers. Greystones United holds the FAI Club Mark, a recognition of its commitment to governance, coaching and child welfare at every level of the game.
The Future
Raising the Game
The future of Greystones United AFC is rooted in ambition, inclusion and continued community connection. A central focus is the growth of the women’s game. More than 200 girls and young women now train and compete across all age groups, with a clear development pathway through to Women’s National League teams at U17 and U19 level. This elite structure, supported through partnership with Bray Wanderers, provides access to top-level coaching, competition and progression.
From its early days on the sand to the busy pitches of Woodlands, Greystones United AFC continues to bring people together. It remains committed to making football accessible for all, from young children starting out to adults returning to the pitch, giving every player a place to grow, compete and belong. Generations have played, coached, volunteered and supported the club, united by a lasting love of the game and a shared sense of belonging.
