Railway Union FC at Park Avenue
Railway Union FC brings together a Sandymount home, green and yellow identity, junior academy football, girls and boys teams, volunteer coaching and a broad venue network around Dublin 4.
Railway Union in Sandymount
Railway Union FC is a junior football club based at Railway Union Sports Club on Park Avenue in Sandymount, Dublin 4. The club gives boys and girls of all abilities a place to play, train and develop within a volunteer led community setting.
The football identity is built around participation, inclusion, player development and coach development. Competition is part of the pathway, but the club places it alongside enjoyment, friendships, respect and playing in the right spirit.
Park Avenue home
The main club address is Railway Union Football Club, Park Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin 4, D04 PF86. Park Avenue is the football home for the club and the base families use when they are travelling to Railway Union itself.
The club uses junior and senior pitch references at Railway Union. The junior pitch is the smaller pitch on the right when entering from the narrow lane off Park Avenue, while the senior pitch is the larger pitch on the left.
| Venue area | Detail |
|---|---|
| Main base | Railway Union Sports Club, Park Avenue, Sandymount. |
| Eircode | D04 PF86. |
| Junior pitch | Smaller pitch on the right from the Park Avenue lane. |
| Senior pitch | Larger pitch on the left from the Park Avenue lane. |
Crest and colours
The Railway Union crest carries a green shamrock wreath, a yellow bridge, a red train, a red boat, blue water and grey steam. The symbols make the badge one of the most distinctive football marks in the Dublin youth football landscape.
The visual identity is green and yellow, with red, blue, white and grey crest details. Yellow shirts and green trim are also prominent in the club’s team photos, reinforcing the same colour story parents see around Park Avenue.
Club ethos
Railway Union’s ethos is based on giving players a safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere. The club wants players to develop toward their full potential while building friendships, showing respect and enjoying football.
That ethos matters across every age group because Railway Union is a parent and volunteer driven club. The football experience depends on coaches, coordinators and families working together around clear values.
Junior Academy
The Junior Academy begins at under 7. Under 7 players are children who are under 7 years of age on 1 January, and they train one night a week for one hour.
This age group may move into competitive football in the second half of the season from February to May as preparation for under 8 football. The under 7 age group includes both boys and girls activity, giving young players a gentle first step into club football.
| Academy area | Railway Union detail |
|---|---|
| Age group | Under 7, based on being under 7 on 1 January. |
| Training | One night a week for one hour. |
| Season step | May enter competitive football from February to May. |
| Pathway purpose | Preparation for the under 8 team stage. |
Under 8 to under 11 teams
The under 8 to under 11 section has one to two one hour practices each week. Some age groups have both boys teams and girls teams, and girls can play on a boys team until 13 years of age.
Matches are normally on Saturday or Sunday mornings, with teams entered as Saturday or Sunday league teams. This structure gives families a consistent weekend rhythm while players learn regular team football.
Under 12 to under 16 teams
The under 12 to under 16 section also has one to two one hour practices each week. Some age groups include both boys teams and girls teams, keeping the pathway open for a wide range of players.
This older junior section uses DDSL referees, and league tables are maintained at these ages. The pathway therefore becomes more formal while still staying inside the club’s participation and development approach.
| Pathway point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Training rhythm | One to two practices each week, usually one hour each. |
| Girls pathway | Girls teams operate in some age groups, and girls can play on boys teams until age 13. |
| Match mornings | Saturday or Sunday morning football depending on team entry. |
| Older teams | Under 12 to under 16 football uses DDSL referees and formal tables. |
Registration rhythm
Railway Union registration is paid annually in August. Competitive team football then runs from September to May the following year, giving families a clear annual cycle around membership and team planning.
This rhythm supports the club’s volunteer structure. Coaches, coordinators, parents and committee members can prepare age groups, team entries, training routines and contact lists before the main football year begins.
Volunteer coaching model
Railway Union relies on volunteers and parental support to coach its teams. That is a defining part of the club’s model, with many of the people running teams also being parents inside the club community.
The coach list covers academy groups, boys teams, girls teams, age group leads and match coordination. This gives Railway Union a broad working network rather than a single point of delivery.
Head coaches and coordinators
The 2025 football contacts include David Byrne as chairman and 2016 girls head coach, Carmel O’Dwyer as boys match secretary, Emma Killion as girls match secretary, Tim Cahill with the 2012 girls, and Michael Coonan with the 2014 girls.
Named coaching leads also include Darren Plunkett for 2009 boys, Vitaliy Kushtala for 2013 boys, Conor Lahiff for 2014 boys, Carl Lonergan for 2016 boys, Ronan Clerkin for 2017 boys, Sergey Dolomanov for 2017 girls, Steve Lyons for 2015 boys, Kevin Harnett for the 2018 group, Brian O’Driscoll for the 2019 senior academy, David McInerney for the boys junior academy and Karen Giles for 2015 girls.
| Coaching area | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chair and coach | David Byrne, chairperson and 2016 girls head coach. |
| Match secretaries | Carmel O’Dwyer for boys and Emma Killion for girls. |
| Academy contacts | Brian O’Driscoll for 2019 senior academy and David McInerney for boys junior academy. |
| Girls pathway | 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 girls groups have named contacts or coaching teams. |
Committee structure
The committee gives Railway Union named people for leadership, finance, secretary work, grounds, online communication, girls football and match coordination. David Byrne is chairperson, Jim Clarke is treasurer and Ivana Dusparic is secretary.
Stephen Lyons is connected with planning, grounds, pitches and the Railway Union Sports Club committee. Emma Killion handles girls match secretary work, Adam Lacey supports online and social communication, and Michael Coonan is girls representative and temporary boys match secretary.
| Committee role | Contact detail |
|---|---|
| Chairperson | David Byrne, 087 612 7785. |
| Treasurer | Jim Clarke, 087 284 6833. |
| Secretary | Ivana Dusparic, railwayunionfcsecretary@gmail.com. |
| Girls match secretary | Emma Killion, 086 238 1035, railwayfixtures@gmail.com. |
| Girls representative | Michael Coonan, railwayfixtures@gmail.com. |
Home venue network
Railway Union uses a wider match venue network when needed. The named locations include Railway Union, Gonzaga, Ringsend Park, Irishtown Stadium, St Michael’s and Scoil Mhuire Lakelands.
The club gives practical pitch guidance for several of these locations, including the junior and senior pitch split at Railway Union, the astro pitches at Gonzaga, Pitch 2 at Ringsend Park, the Irishtown Stadium cages and the St Michael’s astro.
| Venue | Use note |
|---|---|
| Railway Union | Main Park Avenue base with junior and senior pitch references. |
| Gonzaga | Astro pitches at the back of the college. |
| Ringsend Park | Pitch 2 close to the main park entrance. |
| Irishtown Stadium | Cages reached on foot through the stadium entrance. |
| St Michael’s | Astro pitch inside the Nutley Avenue entrance. |
| Scoil Mhuire Lakelands | Additional named home venue. |
Safeguarding and conduct
Railway Union places youth football inside the FAI Code of Ethics and conduct framework. Players are encouraged to do their best, improve skills, make friends, play by the rules and accept everyone in the group.
The conduct guidance also focuses on safety, dignity, respect, equal participation, fair play, complaint routes and the right for children to be listened to. These principles are important for a club built around volunteer coaches and young players.
Family expectations
Parent and guardian expectations sit beside the player code. Families are expected to support coaches and referees, show appreciation, communicate necessary information and respect the role of volunteers.
This helps the club protect a positive environment on training nights and match mornings. The approach is practical: children need support from adults, and volunteers need a respectful setting in which to coach.
Ukraine welcome
Railway Union has made a clear welcome for boys and girls from Ukraine. That welcome fits with the wider club message that young players of all abilities should have a place to play football in Sandymount.
The message also shows how the club can respond to the wider community around it. Football becomes a way for new families to connect with local people, regular routine and team friendships.
Digital communication and kit route
Railway Union uses its website and social link hub to connect families with the club website, Facebook, Instagram, home match information, kit route and sponsors. The same digital hub identifies Railway Union as a junior football club in Sandymount, Dublin 4.
The club kit route sits alongside ordinary communication because families need practical access to clothing as well as team updates. That makes the online footprint part of the day to day club operation.
Sponsor and community support
Railway Union thanks club sponsors across its website and has also shown support for practical football needs such as new goal posts. Sponsor and grant support matter because youth football carries costs around equipment, pitches, training and match day organisation.
The club’s operating model is therefore a mix of volunteers, parents, committee work, coaches, sponsors and the wider Railway Union Sports Club setting at Park Avenue.
Visiting Railway Union FC
Use Railway Union Sports Club, Park Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin 4, D04 PF86 as the main venue reference for Railway Union FC. Because the club also uses other venues, families should confirm the exact pitch with their team before travelling.
The map below is centred on the Park Avenue base. For Gonzaga, Ringsend Park, Irishtown Stadium, St Michael’s or Scoil Mhuire Lakelands, follow the team message for the right entrance, surface and parking plan.
