Harold’s Cross YFC has been a staple of the community for over 60 years. Founded in the mid 1950’s, the club was originally based beside Mount Jerome Cemetery before moving to its present home. This new location was originally a large old house that was given to the club by the local priest Fr. Brown. It is said Fr. Brown gave the property to the club on the condition that the club would stay there and provide a place for the local children to come together to make friends while taking part in various activities.
The club catered for all the children in the local area as a Youth Club and a Football club, as it still does today! The youth and football clubs were run by volunteers who would give up their time to support the match days, training sessions and youth club evenings where children would meet up and play different games such as pool, darts table tennis and snooker. These volunteers are still that backbone of the club today!
The Youth Club organised trips away to places around the country run by CYC, such as Cardiffstown House, in order to provide cheap holidays for the children. The money to cover all these activities was raised by the members through savings clubs and other fundraising.
During the 80’s with Fr. Brown long since dead the parish thought about selling the property, but this was opposed by the local people who tried to explain the importance of the Club, not as a property but as a vital part of the local community. Through a long hard-fought campaign, the members won through and a compromise was reached. Part of the grounds were sold to a developer which enabled a new two storey club house to be built, leaving the football pitch, though it had to be moved to accommodate the new buildings.
Now, the Youth Club is still going strong in the clubhouse and football teams ranging from U17 all the way down to academy age kids (under 7s!) get to enjoy the grounds as a training and match location.
