Team Managers:
U11A - Michael Clair 086 3904330
U11B - Tony Murphy 2861460
U12 - Nigel Divine 086 8600473
U13 - Larry Kennedy 0876667341
U15 - John O'Neill 087-7559169
U16 - John O'Neill 087-7559169

The Name

Lifford is a townland in the northern part of Ennis, Capital town of the county of Clare. The townland bounds a re the River Fergus and its tributary.

It contains most of the administrative buildings in the town including the Courthouse, General Post Office, Ennis General Hospital, St. Josephs Hospital, Fire Station and the magnificent new Clare County Council building at New Road. At the centre of Lifford is the Fairgreen public park where Lifford started playing and which was until recently the centre of all soccer activity in the town. The nearby River Fergus contains "Steele’s Rock". This landmark rock has an engraving on it of a lion. This engraving forms the centrepiece of our club crest.

 

Steele's Rock

Named after Honest Tom Steele (1788 - 1848). The story is told that Tom sat or stood on this rock waiting to catch a glimpse of Matilda Crowe of Abbeyfield House (now the Army Barracks). He dreamed of romance and "cherished an ardent sentiment of attraction" for Miss Crowe. Sadly for Tom she never acknowledged his presence.  Tom was a colourful eccentric who fought in the Spanish people’s revolt of 1823. On his return to Ireland he threw himself into the agitation for Catholic Emancipation. Although a protestant landlord he became Daniel O Connell’s right hand man with the title of "Head Pacificator". His duties included quelling faction fighting. He often attended political rallies dressed as an undertaker driving a hearse drawn by six plumed horses. His sincerity and disregard for money earned him the nickname "Honest Tom Steele". Unfortunately this led to financial ruin. In 1848 he threw himself into the Thames off Waterloo Bridge. He was rescued but died some days later.

 

The Early Years

In 1960 Michael O Gorman, Frank McInerney, Freddie Ensko, Noel Bane and Jimmy Coughlan came together to form an Ennis soccer team. They formed a side that were to compete in the Limerick District league. In preparation for the coming season a series of games were arranged involving Ennis and four Limerick Teams. Ennis were convincing winners in all four games and this prompted the Limerick League to declare that Ennis would have to play all their league games in Limerick. This forced Ennis out of the league.

 

Further disappointment followed in the Connacht Junior Cup when the game was awarded to a Galway team who had been beaten 4 - 2 at the Showgrounds. Apparently the Ennis team had no nets. These disappointments were the catalyst in the establishment of a fledgling Clare League. Lifford and its founder Michael O Gorman were to the fore in the leagues infancy. The league consisted of only six clubs at the outset and encountered many problems not least being the "ban". The dreadful ban was a GAA rule that prohibited Gaelic footballers and hurlers from playing "foreign games". It is difficult to comprehend in this age with the co-operation between the associations and the cross over of players, but this was a major obstacle for soccer players. The work of "spies" created many problems for players and their clubs in both codes. Thankfully we now live in an enlightened era where we can celebrate all our athlete’s achievements.

 

Lifford soon found success winning the Cup Final of 1963 against Angers at the Ennis Showgrounds. Lifford continued to enjoy sporadic success during the 60s. Youths football was added in 1969 and this promising squad became the backbone of the clubs most successful side in the mid 1970s.In 1972 Lifford added an U-16 side for the first time. This squad won both League and Cup double that year.

 

In 1983/84 Avenue United were formed from a split in our club. The players were initially drawn from Marian Avenue in the heartland of Lifford. However, Avenue expanded their player base in subsequent years and Lifford were to lose players of the calibre of Johnny and Noel Purtill, David and Trevor Connellan, Brian Donnellan, John O Connor, Ray Casey and Gearoid Mannion. The senior men’s team was relegated in the season 1984/85.

 

The demise of our senior team was balanced by the development of ladies and schoolboys sections. Both these sections were formed in the late eighties and continue to be at the forefront of local and national successes. Lifford has spawned other breakaway clubs who invariably weaken the player pool at the club. 1984 saw the launch of Oldtown FC who lasted six years before again amalgamating with Lifford. In 2003 Ennis Town Football Academy was formed from the Lifford ranks.

 

Today

These breakaways take a toll on player resources but the club has a happy habit of recovering. Lifford is again to the forefront of soccer in Clare. The club is constantly looking to improve and secure its future. 2011 marks a milestone in the clubs history when it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Lifford is now Clare's oldest club and has a playing membership of 250. It is the only club in Ennis with its own facility. From 1961 to 1968 Lifford played in the Fairgreen before moving to Our Lady’s Hospital where they stayed for 38 years. Lifford were forced out of Our Lady’s in 1999. The club was based in Ruan for the next eight years before moving into Cassidy Park in July 2007. Cassidy Park has become Clare’s first Eircom League licensed ground and is this season home to Limerick 37 "A" championship team.