One history, many stories.

Lourdes Celtic Football Club was established in 1957 by John 'Bower' Bradley, Liam 'Sunboy' O'Connor, Jimmy Nolan, Jimmy Addie, and later aided in their efforts by Eddie Roche. The name originates from the Lourdes Road – a local focal point in the Maryland area of Dubin 8, and a time when most football was played and organised on the streets. 

The five founders, who were only just out of school themselves, recognised that football offered children in the area a sense of freedom and maybe for some an opportunity for a better life. But with only 8-9 schoolboy clubs in Dublin at the time, those opportunities were limited and particularly in the 1950s inner city. And so, out of passion for game and belief in community – Lourdes Celtic Football Club was born. Little did these men know, from humble beginings, how famous they would make Lourdes Road in Irish football circles. 

Lourdes Celtic Football Club's inaugral game was played against Annamo Rangers in the Phoenix Park – the club's first home ground. And no sign of the green and yellow just yet – instead kicking off in black and white stripes. The captain of this first Lourdes Celtic team was a boy called Tommy Doolin, who many years later became a coach at the club himself – as did two other players, Sean Gilligan and George Larkin (an occurance that is repeated to this day). Tommy also later managed the club's first girls team. 

It has to be said that Lourdes Celtic did not arrive in the park too well equipped that day, in fact they had not even got a ball. But a man that was to become a longtime member of the club came to the rescue – Sean Murphy, who again, went on later in life to manage teams at the club.

The 80s saw Lourdes Celtic open their newly built club house on Old County Road, in Crumlin. Years of hard work had finally paid off and the facility was the envy of every sports club in Dublin.

Lourdes Celtic players were also getting the recognition they deserved with Niall Quinn and Pat Scully on trial with Arsenal and Aarron Callaghan with Stoke City. It was also around this time that Dave Roughneen was to move from the area, but as in all clubs, as people move on, new people come in like Jim Waldron, Bill Darby, Ray Jones and Tony McNally. With these new committee members, came new players too. Among them was Tony Sheridan, son of Lourdes Celtic coach Tony Sheridan Senior. 'Shero' would go on to be voted Under 18 Player of the Year and League of Ireland player of the year by the FAI. He later played top-flight football for Coventry in the UK and won League of Ireland titles for Shelbourne.

Unlike many other clubs at the time, girls' football was now being given serious attention at Lourdes Celtic. Tony Sheridan (Senior) along with Tommy Doolin and Brian Jones established a new girls' team in the 1990s, recruiting some of the best female players from around the country – including those already playing in boys' leagues. 

The team went on to win every domestic trophy available at the time and even travelled to the US to compete in tournaments. Unsurprisingly, several of the girls went on to further success including Irish Internationals Elaine O'Connor and Susan Byrne.

Not only did Sheridan establish girls' football in Lourdes Celtic, but he also brought a new level of professionalism to the fledgling women's game in Ireland.

The 2000s saw a major focus on the redevelopment of the facilities spearheaded by the continued leadership of Merriman, Roche, and L'Estrange. Phase 1 saw the redevelopment of Old County with a new outdoor astro and upgraded clubhouse facilities including offices and a boardroom.

Phase 2 was considerably more painful as it involved a two year closure of 'The Hill', the club's grass pitches within Éamonn Ceannt Park, for leveling and re-laying. But the result was a new playing surface that was the envy of clubs across the country.

Phase 3 was the biggest undertaking of all – a new all-weather astro playing surface at Sundrive. Its development took 8 years in total and was officially opened in May 2006. Lourdes Celtic now had facilities on par with the best, due in no small part to the persistence of Merriman.

The success of the redevelopment plans were matched by progress on the pitch, with the naughties seeing Lourdes Celtic win a raft of silverwear including a series of SFAI All-Ireland National trophies as well as various DDSL league titles and cups. In addition, a record number of Lourdes Celtic players went on to domestic and cross-channel careers in football.

2007 saw the beginings of what would become the club's 'Football for All' section. A one-off game of football for children with dyspraxia quickly grew into a hugely important part of the fabric of Lourdes Celtic thanks to the dedication of Martin Mates and the support of Dyspraxia Ireland and the FAI. A striking example of the club's belief in serving all the young people of the local community.