CLONAKILTY AFC is ramping up efforts to find a permanent home and will field an adult senior men’s team next season for the first time in seven years.

Known locally as ‘the AFC’, the 2018-19 campaign was the last in which a Clonakilty AFC adult men’s side competed in the West Cork League’s Premier Division.

A separate club, not affiliated with the AFC, Clonakilty Soccer Club competed independently and enjoyed great success, winning nine trophies under the tutelage of John ‘Mousey’ Leahy and Lorne Edmead.

Back-to-back Premier Division and Beamish Cup doubles in 2024 and 2025 were the highlight of Leahy’s team’s marvellous run.

Now, Clonakilty Soccer Club is being wound down so that their entire adult squad and management team can be regenerated within Clonakilty AFC.

Bottom line, there will be one senior adult men’s soccer team in Clonakilty from next season and it will tie in directly with the club’s youth and underage set-up.

‘Basically, Clonakilty Soccer Club has proposed to come under the umbrella of Clonakilty AFC,’ Clon AFC Chairman David Gilbert informed The Southern Star.

‘Members of the Clon Soccer Club playing squad and management attended a committee meeting last week. At that meeting, they answered questions about what will happen, how it will all work and how coming under our umbrella will benefit the club.

‘This past week, the Clonakilty AFC committee voted and approved the proposal.

‘As a result, Clonakilty Soccer Club will now wind up. All their players and management will move wholesale over to become Clonakilty AFC’s adult team.’

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So, why is all this happening?

The simple answer is that having one soccer club in the town catering for adults, youths and underage players is the most logical way to step up plans to source and develop a permanent home.

Formed in 1967, Clonakilty AFC currently caters for 600 registered schoolboys and schoolgirls ranging in age from six to 18.

Fifty volunteers are currently involved with coaching 20 teams and competing across various age-grades in the West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League.

A mainstay in the town of Clonakilty for 60 years, Clonakilty AFC has previously won major West Cork League trophies including the 2008 Beamish Cup.

Unlike its local GAA and rugby counterparts, in all that time, the soccer club has operated without a permanent home.

Clonakilty AFC has played on temporary local pitches since its foundation and currently uses two pitches located on the outskirts of the town in Ballyvackey.

For a club of its size and stature, Clonakilty AFC currently does not have enough space to facilitate the growing demand of its members who require permanent training, playing and dressing room facilities.

‘Introducing an adult team is happening for a couple of reasons,’ David Gilbert explained.

‘Firstly, the influence came from the Clonakilty Soccer Club adult players themselves. They want to be part of a bigger club with an underage set-up that feeds the adult team.

‘They want to feel as if they’re part of a club that has a proper structure where they can help out developing the underage players and bring them through to play soccer at adult level.

‘The players felt that Clonakilty AFC would have the structure and the stability to do that. From a committee’s point of view, while it was never a priority for me as chairman to field an adult team, everyone involved is delighted with this development.’

So, for the 2026-27 campaign, Clonakilty AFC’s adult men’s team will use Darrara as its home ground while the club’s 20 youth and underage sides will continue to operate out of Ballyvackey.

Clonakilty AFC celebrate after winning the Cork Youth League U19 Division 1A title in April.

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By their own admission, Clonakilty AFC cannot continue to cater for their growing membership unless they acquire and develop a modern, permanent home.

‘We need a permanent home,’ David Gilbert stated.

‘Ideally, that will include space for two or three pitches, including at least one Astroturf pitch, a clubhouse and associated facilities.

‘This new facility would be in the middle of Clonakilty or within walking distance of the town. We, the committee and club members, are well aware that that is a massive ask in the year 2026.

‘So, we have been exploring a wide range of options, including a scenario where our permanent home might have to be in two different locations. That is why we are also looking outside of Clonakilty’s environs.’

It is a massive undertaking and one that the soccer club has attempted on a couple of occasions in the past. Now, the time feels right to try again as Clonakilty AFC has never had such a large membership and people willing to put their shoulder to the wheel in an effort to attain a permanent home.

‘We are open to all offers and we want to talk to as many people as possible,’ Gilbert commented.

‘We think this is something that is needed for the community because we have over 600 schoolchildren representing the club and demand is growing with each passing year.

‘Now, Clonakilty AFC has a new adult team coming on board. We have dozens of volunteers and coaches but just do not have enough facilities to be able to do them justice.’

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Gilbert, the Clonakilty AFC Committee and club members have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to find the club a permanent home.

Help from those inside and outside the local community is needed to turn those dreams into a reality.

‘Anyone interested in helping Clonakilty AFC can get in touch with our club through numerous ways,’ the Clonakilty AFC chairman said.

‘People can contact us directly through our Facebook or Instagram pages. Any messages or queries sent through there will allow us to get in touch with people straight away.

‘We also have a club email address, [email protected], and website, www.clonafc.ie.’

Clonakilty AFC has been around for 60 years and recently managed to produce its first League of Ireland senior player in Ethan O’Donovan as well as nurture rising underage stars such as Charlie Moore (both Cobh Ramblers).

Imagine what could be achieved if the club’s coaches and players had access to modern training and playing facilities.

Imagine what could be achieved if Clonakilty AFC had a permanent home.