Waterford | Founded 1975 | Billy Hearne Park
Red and white football at Williamstown
De La Salle FC gives Waterford families a long standing club setting at Billy Hearne Park, with academy, schoolboy and junior football tied to the same red and white identity.
Club identity
A Waterford club with fifty years behind it
De La Salle FC was founded in 1975 and marked its 50th year in 2025. The club has grown around Williamstown, where generations of players, coaches, parents and volunteers have carried the red and white colours.
For a family arriving now, the strongest point is continuity. De La Salle is not only a name on a fixture list. It is a club with a permanent home, a schoolboy pathway, junior football and a clear place in the Waterford football community.
The crest is direct and easy to recognise: red outer ring, white centre, 1975 date marks and the De La Salle Waterford name around the edge. That makes it easy for young players and visiting teams to know they are in the right place.
Billy Hearne Park
A home ground named for a club life
The Williamstown club grounds were named Billy Hearne Park in 2025, honouring a De La Salle figure who gave decades of service as a player, coach, committee member and mentor. The naming took place during the club’s 50th anniversary year, making it both a tribute and a statement about the club’s future.
That story helps families understand the tone of the place. De La Salle has been shaped by people who stayed involved for years, helped young players, supported coaches and kept the club moving through ordinary weekly work.
Williamstown is the practical reference point for training nights and home games. Families should leave time for parking, player handover and a calm warm up, especially when several groups are active at the complex.
Facilities
Grass football with a new astro training area
De La Salle’s recent facility story includes the opening of a new astro turf training area in 2025. That adds a valuable surface for coaching, small group work and winter planning alongside the main football ground.
For younger players, a reliable training surface can make the first season easier. Coaches can run technical work, smaller sided games and goalkeeper sessions with more control, while parents get a clearer routine around where sessions take place.
The club’s development of facilities also shows intent. The aim is not only to host matches; it is to give coaches and players the tools to improve in a setting that belongs to the club community.
Player pathway
Academy, schoolboy and junior football in one club
De La Salle is associated with academy, schoolboy and junior football. That spread gives younger players a route into the game, while older players can see adult football connected to the same colours and ground.
New families should begin with the player’s year of birth, previous experience and preferred contact time. The right group can change with season numbers, coach availability and league entries, so a clear first message helps the club guide the player to the correct squad.
Waterford football
Connected to the wider local game
De La Salle sits inside a busy Waterford football scene, with links across schoolboy and junior football. The club’s anniversary events brought together people connected to Waterford Schoolboy League and Waterford Junior League, which reflects the club’s place in the city game.
That wider connection is useful for players. A young player learns the habits of training, kit, punctuality and team work in a club setting, then meets neighbouring clubs through league football, cup fixtures and local football days.
Parents can help by keeping communication simple: reply to coach messages, arrive on time, label gear, and let the coach know early if a player cannot attend. Those small habits make football easier for every family in the group.
First visit
Make the first evening calm
A first visit goes best when the player knows the basics before they arrive. Tell them where they are going, who they are meeting, what they need to bring and whether the session is a first look or a full training night.
Bring water, shin guards, boots or astro shoes if asked, and a warm layer. If the player is nervous, new to football, returning after a break or joining mid season, mention that to the coach in advance. A small heads up can help the coach settle the player into the right activity.
Visiting teams should confirm the pitch, changing room arrangement, warm up space and home contact. Williamstown is a familiar football location, but the exact match day details still need to be checked when several fixtures are close together.
Before you travel
Questions worth asking
| Area | Ask this before the first session or fixture |
|---|---|
| Age group | Which academy, schoolboy or junior group is right this season? |
| Venue | Which part of Williamstown or Billy Hearne Park should families use? |
| Surface | Will the session use grass, astro or both? |
| Arrival | What time should players arrive before training or kickoff? |
| Contact | Who will send updates if weather or pitch access changes? |
First enquiry
Send the details that help the club answer quickly
A useful first message includes the player name, year of birth, local area, previous club if any, and whether the enquiry is for academy, schoolboy or junior football.
Ask for the next suitable session, the meeting point at Williamstown and the footwear needed. If the player is joining with a friend, travelling from outside Waterford city or trying organised football for the first time, add that too.
Check the latest club or coach notice before travelling, as training plans, pitch access and fixture venues can change during the season.