IRELAND’S first professional youth soccer academy has opened at Kingswood in Tallaght.
The Roadstone Sports and Social Club officially opened the Shamrock Rovers academy recently.
The initial phase of development for the academy and youth development centre is now complete and includes significant upgrades to pitches and floodlight infrastructure.
The upgraded facility will become Ireland’s first professional youth soccer academy to serve the club’s youth teams from under eight age level through to the first team.
The facility will also cater to up 250 children and young people training at elite level each week and will also serve as the training base for the Shamrock Rovers first team.
Larry Byrne, Managing Director of Roadstone and Trustee of Roadstone Sports and Social Club, said they were delighted to build on its partnership with Shamrock Rovers through the development of a state-of-the-art facility for the club’s youth teams.
“As a close neighbour, Roadstone Sports and Social Club is proud of its association with Shamrock Rovers and is excited to be supporting this important hub for the local community,” he said.
The development is being funded in part through a Sports Capital Grant of €150,000.
Shamrock Rovers have been tenants of Roadstone’s Sports and Social club at Kingswood for the past three years.
Both worked in partnership on plans to develop the Kingswood facility into Ireland’s leading soccer academy for players at all youth levels.
Guests of honour at the opening of the facility included Dr Katherine Zappone, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and John Delaney, CEO of the Football Association of Ireland.