Ballinacurra Gardens · Limerick · Established 1956
Seven decades of community football
Summerville Rovers brings young players, adult teams, families and volunteers together at Portland Park. The club grew from friendly schoolboy matches in the mid 1950s and still places development, belonging and enjoyment at the centre of its football.
Parents can use this page to understand the club’s history, find the ground and make the right first contact for a player.
The club’s story
From schoolboy matches to Portland Park
The club’s detailed history traces its beginnings to informal schoolboy matches organised by Charlie Elliott and Aidan Corr during the winter after the 1954 cricket season. Summerville entered the Limerick Schoolboy League in 1956 and drew its first competitive match with Wolfe Tone Rangers at Caledonian Park.
A first move into junior football in 1967 lasted one season. Charlie Elliott and Aidan Corr helped revive the adult side in 1974, with Summerville returning to competition in maroon and white in August 1975. A minor team had also joined the programme for the 1975/76 season.
The first recorded junior cup arrived in 1979, when Summerville beat Geraldines 3–0 in the Power Cup final. The schoolboy programme returned in 1981/82 and won the under 10 cup under Aidan Corr. These moments connect the present club to several generations of players and volunteers across south Limerick city.
Your first visit
Portland Park in Ballinacurra Gardens
Summerville’s home is Portland Park, beside Ballinacurra Gardens. The official contact page gives the club address as 124 Ballinacurra Gardens, Limerick, V94 AP20, while the club’s current match listings also name Portland Park as the home venue.
The club gained a long lease on the ground after Priory United’s move in the late 1990s. Work on the clubhouse began in 2004; the dressing rooms on the ground floor were completed in 2005 and the upstairs room followed in 2006. A second pitch and fencing were completed in 2008, with the all weather pitch added in 2009 and the entrance and car park upgraded before the expanded facilities opened in 2010.
Open directions to Summerville Rovers
Check the team message or fixture notice before travelling. Ask the club which pitch is in use and confirm the meeting point, footwear, parking and access arrangements that apply to your visit.
Players and teams
From tots to adult football
A current club training update lists groups from tots and under 7 through to under 18, with some ages divided into more than one squad. The club describes itself as open and inclusive for players at different levels. Training schedules can change between grass and the all weather pitch, so use the club’s latest update rather than relying on an old timetable.
The senior programme currently includes Junior A and Junior B match listings on the official website. A place in any age group is not guaranteed by a published schedule. When contacting the club, give the player’s year of birth, playing experience and preferred type of football so the club can identify the right coach and group.
A record across generations
Selected schoolboy and junior honours
The club history records a strong schoolboy period from the late 1980s through the mid 1990s. The table is a selected record from that history, not a complete current honours list.
| Season | Competition | Recorded achievement |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Power Cup | Junior champions, 3–0 against Geraldines |
| 1989/90 | Under 12B | League champions |
| 1993/94 | Under 10C and under 10B | League and cup honours; team named LDSL Team of the Year |
| 1994/95 | Under 11A and under 15B | League champions |
| 1995/96 | Under 12A and under 15C | League and cup honours |
The same archive records other league, cup and second place finishes during this period. Current competitions and results should be checked through the club’s latest channels because team names and divisions change by season.
Respect around the game
A positive place for young players
Summerville’s published code of conduct asks players to respect coaches, referees and opponents. It asks parents to encourage every child, avoid coaching from the touchline and respect match officials. Coaches are expected to use positive reinforcement, teach fair play and never leave a child unattended.
The club shared this FAI video with its code of conduct. If the player does not load, open the video on YouTube.
Joining and contact
Arrange the right first contact
Start with the official Summerville Rovers website, the joining guidance or the club’s contact page. The ClubZap page carries current team notices, fixtures and club news.
A parent or guardian should make the initial enquiry for a child. Ask about the appropriate squad, places, registration, fees, kit, training and safeguarding contacts. Wait for the club to confirm the session and meeting point before attending.
Visitors and match officials should confirm the date, kick off time and Portland Park pitch directly with the host team. The official Facebook page is also linked from the club’s ClubZap profile for daily notices.
