Newtown Football Club was founded in 1977 and was the first Shannon club to enter the Clare League. Its founder members Red Austin, Jim Rocks, Tom McDade (Senior) and Donal Magee (Senior), all originally from Belfast are still associated with the club at different levels. In fact all the founder members have sons and grandsons all heavily involved with the club at present. We currently have two junior teams, a youth team and six Clare League schoolboy’s teams. All work at the club is voluntary and our existence depends on community support and on a small number of "behind the scenes" people who work tirelessly to ensure that Newtown soccer continues to thrive at all levels. Newtown is known throughout all soccer circles in the country and province for its allegiance to the highest ideals and standards – these being linked to its characteristics of hard training, honest commitment, team spirit and fair play. We were the first club in Clare to obtain the use of three playing pitches and the first to erect proper dressing room facilities. Since the club’s foundation in 1977 the club’s matches were played on Shannon Development’s property in Ballycasey with the bare essentials and without facilities to supply water and electricity. About five years ago the club took the momentous decision to purchase their own land and to develop this area to the highest standard. Our main objective was to develop good playing surfaces to facilitate the young in Shannon, and to encourage good quality soccer throughout the season, regardless of weather. Surfaces in Shannon have to be developed from scratch and the club was aware that a six-figure sum would be required in order to develop the proper playing surfaces for three pitches. Newtown started playing on these pitches in September 1998. Not one penny was borrowed. The weekly club lotto started six years ago and paid out over £40,000 in jackpot prizes in the local area. The same familiar faces buy and sell tickets week in, week out. Without these local grass roots supports our enterprise would had been a non-starter. Local businesses and companies also came on board to give a helping hand. Shannon Town Commissioners, Clare County Council and the National Lottery also helped with well-timed cash grants. Newtown had now come a long way. In 1982 club records show its profits for that year were a handsome £32. In 1999 Newtown completed their fully enclosed three-pitch development at a cost of approximately £100.000. The year 2000 sees Newtown start its second phase of the development with the construction of proper modern changing room facilities. This next phase will provide proper training and changing facilities. Any new fundraising ideas would be very welcome. Contact me at gfbutler@tinet.ie .Any overseas readers, who are interested in a BskyB type investment, please do not hesitate to contact us.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Although a relatively new club the "A" team won its first premier league title in 1987 and that same season they defeated League of Ireland opponents Limerick City. Two years later they won the league and cup double and reached the quarterfinals of the Munster Junior Cup, where they were narrowly defeated after a replay. In 1992 Newtown made its mark at national level by reaching the last 16 in the Junior Football’s blue ribbon national cup, the F.A.I. Junior Cup (over 800 teams originally entered). A year later incredibly Newtown went one step further and reached the last eight in the country – only to be defeated after a replay. In 1993 Newtown lifted the County Cup and the F.A.I. Regional trophy. This year Newtown's main team reached the Quarter-Finals of the prestigious Munster Junior Cup only to be defeated by the best Junior club in Ireland in the form of Fairview Rangers. They later lifted the Premier League title for the first time in 11 years. Encouragingly our under 18 team lifted the first trophy of the season when they won the County Shield and went on to win the Cup. This year on St. Patrick's weekend Newtown may gave the Clare League its first junior international in the form of Paul Carr who originally played for our under 14's.
UNDERAGE NEWS
This season Newtown will have nine schoolboy’s and youth’s teams covering age groups from under 8 to under 18. Financially this is the largest drain on our resources, but from our point of view we consider it essential to the club’s future, as well as being a much needed community service to the young in the Shannon area. From the earliest schoolboy levels the principles of fair play and quality football are instilled in our young recruits. Seemingly small issues, like fielding a team in the proper gear, are felt important. This is not just because it looks well but it gives discipline, a sense of belonging and a feeling of pride in the club to the players. Our club chairperson, Brendan Wall, is also Chairman of the Clare Schoolboys Soccer League. Newtown has a deep and historic commitment towards the development of soccer at underage level. It is no coincidence that our most successful senior squad of 16 in 1992/93 had 12 players who came up through the ranks of our schoolboy teams. In 1998 our under 13 team did the club proud by reaching the last 8 of the National Cup. In the same season the under 13's and under 15's were both crowned League Champions. In 1999 the under 14's and under 16's both completed the County League and Cup double at their age groups. This year our under 15's and under 17's reached the last 16 of the national cup. Last year's summer blitz for under 8's and under 10's saw the participation of 80 local kids (boys and girls) in what was a really great fun week for kids and parents alike. Our under 15's won the double this season. 
gfbutler@tinet.ie 
