DSD came about with the merger of Dundrum Athletics Club and South Dublin Athletics Club in 1985. Eddie and Liz McDonagh founded Dundrum Family Recreation Centre (DFRC) Athletics Club in Ballinteer in 1973 and a few years later the club changed its name to Dundrum AC. Around the same time in the early 1970s, Haydn Lewis, Peter Farrelly and Fred Rogers teamed up and founded South Dublin AC and based it out of St Raphaela’s School in Stillorgan.
Over the next 12 years or so, both clubs competed against each other and brought many youngsters through the development phases and on to compete at the highest level of the sport.
Dundrum AC’s stars included distance runners Carol Meagan, Carey May and Dave Taylor, sprinter Derek O’Connor, and throwers Nick Sweeney and Victor Costello. Dundrum AC organised the hugely successful Dundrum International Sports and in 1983 launched the Women’s Mini Marathon which has become the largest all-woman athletics events in the world.
South Dublin AC membership included more Senior members than Juveniles at that time such as Mary Parr, Noel Berkeley, Gerry McGrath, Peter Markey, Barbara Everard, Lucy Moore, Ian Marron, Brian Dunne, Arthur Devine, John Conway, Dara Shakespeare, Deirdre Murphy, Mary Gowing, Mary Roche, Gerry Dunne, Dermot Kelly, Kevin Currid, John Farrelly and Brendan Fitzgibbon. Many of these athletes were established Senior Internationals, across a range of events.
These two very successful Clubs, which until then were tough competitive rivals, saw the benefits of combining forces to create Dundrum South Dublin Athletics Club (DSD).
DSD has produced many elites who have represented Ireland at international events. Athletes dream of representing their country at the Olympics. We have had a few!
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Carey May, Marathon, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics
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Mary Parr, 400 metres hurdles, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics
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Noel Berkeley, 10,000 metres, 1992 Barcelona Olympics
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Nick Sweeney, Discus, 1992, 1996, 2000 & 2004 Olympics
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Victor Costello, Shot Put, 1992 Barcelona Olympics
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Robert Daly, 4 x 400 metres relay, 2000 Sydney Olympics
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Maria McCambridge, 5,000 metres, 2004 Athens Olympics
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David Connolly, Skeleton, 2006 Turin Winter Olympics
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David Gillick, 400 metres, 2008 Beijing Olympics
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Deirdre Ryan, High Jump, 2012 London Olympics
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Claire Bergin, 4 x 400 metres relay, 2012 London Olympics
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Linda Byrne, Marathon, 2012 London Olympics
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Ava Hutchinson, Marathon, 2012 London Olympics
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Síofra Cléirigh Büttner, 800 metres, 2020 (2021) Tokyo Olympics
Olympians are normal people who grow up around us but have a potent combination of talent and drive, and when this is guided by great coaching, the top table of athletics is in their grasp. For example - David Gillick, who grew up in Ballinteer, joined DSD when he was eight years old and went on to compete in two World Championships, finishing a fantastic fifth in 2009 in Berlin. David represented Ireland at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he also won two European Indoor Titles over 400m and followed in the footsteps of fellow DSD athlete Robert Daly who was also an Olympian at 4 x 400m. Robert and David were both on the first Irish 4 x 400m relay team to finish in the top three at a World Championships, when they won bronze at the 2004 Budapest World Indoor Championships. David is now one of our many talented and committed coaches who are developing the next world champions and Olympians.
DSD also proudly boasts one of the World’s top high jumpers in her day - Deirdre Ryan - who came 6th in the World Championships in 2011 and was also an Olympian.
Our Coaching
In DSD we have developed a great coaching structure over the years, involving many of our former elite athletes. We have had great successes and look forward to more in the years to come. Our coaches are all trained by Athletics Ireland.
Our New Home
In 2013 and 2015 we purchased land on Tibradden Road, close to the back entrance of Marlay Park. Working with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, we got planning permission for a world class athletics facility.
Phase 1 is now operational and, naturally, we are over the moon with our 8-lane, World Athletics standard 400m Mondo track, our athletics field and 2Km of hilly trails.
Combining excellent coaching and this new facility can only lead to continued success on the national and world stages.
Our Board Members:
Gerry McGrath - Chairman
Stephen Judge - Treasurer
Fintan Hourihan - Director of Athletics
Gerry Dunne - Director of Facilities
Tess Byrne - Director of Child Welfare and Membership
Sharon Wilson - Director of Operations
Dee Walsh - Director of Communications
Cynthia O'Neill - Chair of Board DSD Events
Mark Conway - Club Secretary
Our Story
