De La Salle Palmerston FC

What De La Salle Palmerston FC does

De La Salle Palmerston FC (DLSP FC, branded "Salmo") is a community-based amateur rugby football club founded in 1899 in Ranelagh, Dublin, and currently based at Kirwan Park, a 16-acre purpose-built facility in Kilternan, South Dublin. The club operates through the merger of Palmerston Football Club (1899) and De La Salle College RFC (1965), making it the 13th-oldest rugby club in Ireland and the first two Irish rugby clubs to merge in 1985. Its core products are competitive and recreational rugby teams across six categories: Men's (First XV, Second XV, U20 in Leinster League 1B and JP Fanagan Premier League), Women's (via the 2024 Three Saints amalgamation with St. Mary's College RFC and Guinness RFC), Mini/Youth (500+ boys and girls aged 3-18), Vikings Mixed Ability (adults with disabilities), Eagles Special Needs, and Touch Rugby affiliated with the Ireland Touch Association.

The club generates revenue through subscription membership fees (processed via ClubZap), local sponsorship packages (Supervalu, Kevin Tunney, Durkans, Evara), facility hire of Kirwan Park's three bars and function rooms for events, bar and catering operations managed by partner Ken & Mariana, and a merchandise storefront via Teamwear Store. Supporting community offerings include the annual Kieran Burke Festival (up to 800 youth participants), the Ladies Lunch fundraiser, the Salmo Business Directory connecting member businesses, and SalmoTV (a YouTube channel with match highlights and live streams). Distribution is entirely direct and self-service: online membership signups, website enquiries, and structured email contacts per section. The club is volunteer-led, governed by elected officers including President Niall Fitzgerald and Chairperson Dan McCartney, and holds IRFU Club Excellence accreditation and current safeguarding compliance.

Name

De La Salle Palmerston FC

Legal name

De La Salle Palmerston F.C.

Website

https://dlspfc.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

De La Salle Palmerston FC is a 125-year-old community rugby club in Kilternan, South Dublin, operating men's, women's, youth, mixed-ability, and special-needs teams from a 16-acre facility, funded by membership fees, local sponsorships, and facility hire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Amateur Rugby Club Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKACAE

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Collegiate & Amateur Sports Organizations (NCAA, Federations, Clubs)

SECONDARYEDALAIAB

Club Sports Programs

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Athletics, Recreation & Fitness

SECONDARYMPAGAMAF

Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Live Sports Events

Keywords

• Amateur rugby club
• Community rugby programs
• Youth mini rugby
• Rugby membership services
• Facility hire events

Headquarters

HQ city

Kilternan

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The club generates revenue through annual membership fees from players across all teams including men's, women's, mini/youth, Vikings, Eagles, and Touch rugby sections. Membership signup is handled through the ClubZap platform.
2. Sponsorship and Commercial Partnerships: Local business sponsorship including pitch signs, team sponsorship, and event partnering. The club has over 2000 social media followers and reaches local print media outlets, offering sponsors exposure through the club's community presence.
3. Facility Hire and Hospitality: The club generates revenue from hiring out its facilities including the Ellis Bar, Presidents' Room, and Stratton Hall function room for events including birthday parties, christenings, corporate events, and meetings. The bar operates through partner Ken & Mariana and serves food during training and matches.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue from hosting events including the annual Ladies Lunch, Kieran Burke Festival, golf classic, London Irish festival, and other community events. The club also sells merchandise through the Teamwear Store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

De La Salle Palmerston FC is a community-based amateur rugby club that runs competitive and recreational rugby teams across men's (First XV, Second XV, U20), women's (as part of the combined Three Saints Rugby side), mini/youth (ages 3-18), Vikings mixed-ability, Eagles special-needs, and Touch rugby categories. The club also hires out its 16-acre Kirwan Park facility (three bars and function rooms) for private and corporate events and runs community fundraising events such as the Kieran Burke Festival and Ladies Lunch.

Product overview

De La Salle Palmerston FC (DLSP/Salmo) is a community rugby club operating as a multi-team sports organization rather than a unified software product. The core offering consists of competitive and recreational rugby teams across multiple categories: Men's Rugby (First XV, Second XV, U20s competing in Leinster League 1B and JP Fanagan Premier League), Women's Rugby (as part of the Three Saints combined team), Mini & Youth Rugby (500+ participants aged 3-18), and inclusive programs including the Vikings Mixed Ability Rugby and Eagles Special Needs Rugby squads. The club also offers Touch Rugby and operates venue hire services across its 16-acre Kirwan Park facility with multiple bars and function spaces. Supplementary offerings include the SalmoTV YouTube channel, the Salmo Business Directory for member businesses, the annual Kieran Burke Festival youth rugby event, and the Ladies Lunch charitable fundraising event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Three Saints Rugby: A combined women's rugby team formed through amalgamation of DLSP FC, St. Mary's College RFC, and Guinness RFC women's teams, competing in the Leinster Women's League.
• DLSP Vikings
• DLSP Eagles
• SalmoTV

Products and services

• Men's Senior & U20 Rugby Teams Senior competitive rugby participation for adult men across First XV, Second XV and U20 squads competing in Leinster League 1B, Leinster Seconds League, Metro leagues and the JP Fanagan Premier League. Members pay annual subscriptions via the ClubZap platform.
• Women's Rugby (Three Saints) Competitive women's rugby participation through the combined Three Saints Rugby team (DLSP FC, St Mary's College RFC and Guinness RFC) competing in the Leinster Women's League for adult women across levels of experience.
• Mini & Youth Rugby Age-graded rugby training and matches for children aged 3-18 (Daisy Pickers 3-4; boys 5-18; girls 5-15), with Sunday morning and additional midweek sessions and structured coaching - one of the largest mini/youth sections in Leinster with 500+ children weekly.
• Vikings Mixed-Ability Rugby Full-contact rugby for adults (18+) with and without disabilities and special needs, training every Monday evening at Kirwan Park. The team represented Ireland at the 2025 IMART World Cup in Pamplona.
• Eagles Special Needs Rugby Non-competitive rugby training for players with special needs and different abilities, focusing on fun, ball-handling, fitness and skill development on Sunday mornings, with tournaments and exhibition games at venues including the RDS and Aviva Stadium.
• Touch Rugby Touch rugby with 6 players per team, suitable for all ages, sexes and abilities, affiliated with the Ireland Touch Association. Includes drop-in games and competitive age-graded play.
• Facilities Hire & Event Hosting Venue rental at Kirwan Park for birthdays, christenings, corporate events and meetings, covering the Ellis Bar, Presidents' Room, Stratton Hall function room, catering kitchen and bar service run by partner operators Ken & Mariana.
• Kieran Burke Festival Annual youth rugby festival held in memory of Kieran Burke, attracting up to 800 children from clubs across Leinster to play at Kirwan Park and supporting charities such as Anam Cara.
• Ladies Lunch Annual spring fundraising lunch hosting up to 150 guests, with food, raffles, entertainment and charity partners including Anam Cara and Barretstown Camp.
• Club Merchandise via Teamwear Store Online shop via teamwearstore.ie selling club-branded merchandise and teamwear to members, players and supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ children participate weekly in mini/youth rugby
• +5 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• DurkansminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026New sponsor joining De La Salle Palmerston FC for the 2026/27 season. Announced by President Niall Fitzgerald as part of efforts to expand the club's sponsorship base.
• EvaraminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026New sponsor joining De La Salle Palmerston FC for the 2026/27 season. Announced by President Niall Fitzgerald as part of efforts to expand the club's sponsorship base.
• Three Saints Rugby (St. Mary's College RFC & Guinness RFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCombined women's rugby team formed through amalgamation of women's teams from DLSP FC, St. Mary's College RFC, and Guinness RFC. The Three Saints Rugby team competes in the Leinster Women's League, bringing together players from all three clubs under a single competitive entity.
• Ireland Touch AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLSP FC Touch rugby is affiliated to the Ireland Touch Association, the governing body for touch rugby in Ireland. This affiliation enables participation in national touch rugby competitions and tournaments.
• Kevin TunneymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKey sponsor of the club, featured prominently on the website header and sponsor section. Kevin Tunney is a building contractor whose logo appears on the club website.
• SupervalumajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor of the club, featured on the website. Supervalu provides retail sponsorship support to the club.
• Anam CaraminorOthersCharity partner for the annual Ladies Lunch event. Anam Cara supports parents who have experienced the loss of a child. Kieran's Mum, Kate Burke, is a co-founder of Anam Cara.
• Barretstown CampminorOthersCharity partner for the annual Ladies Lunch. Barretstown Camp for Sick Children provides therapeutic recreation programs for children with serious illnesses and supports their families.
• Ken & Mariana (Bar Operators)coreOthersClub members and partners who operate the club bar. Mariana plays for the ladies team and Ken plays and coaches with the Vikings Mixed Ability Team. They took over bar operations in June.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lansdowne FC: One of Dublin's oldest and most prestigious senior rugby clubs, competing in the Leinster League. Direct competitor for senior players, sponsors, and Dublin 4/18-area members with similar multi-section structure.
• Dublin University FC (Trinity): One of Ireland's oldest rugby clubs located in central Dublin, competing in the All-Ireland League. Direct competitor for senior talent and corporate sponsors in the Dublin market.
• Old Wesley RFC: Dublin-based senior rugby club in the Leinster League with a comparable multi-section structure (men's, women's, youth). Direct competitor for players and sponsors in the greater Dublin area.
• Blackrock College RFC: One of the strongest senior rugby clubs in Leinster, providing direct competition for senior players and sponsors. Comparable multi-section structure with strong youth pipeline.
• Bective Rangers FC: Dublin-based rugby club with a long history and multi-team structure. Competes in the same Leinster League metropolitan divisions as DLSP and overlaps on the Dublin sponsorship market.
• Clontarf FC: Senior Dublin rugby club with a strong community base and comparable multi-section offering. Competes with DLSP in the Leinster League metropolitan structure and shares similar sponsorship-driven revenue model.
• UCD RFC: University-based Dublin rugby club with a strong Leinster League presence and youth development system. Competes for talent and sponsorship in the same Dublin market as DLSP.
• St. Mary's College RFC: Dublin-based senior rugby club and explicit partner in the Three Saints women's team amalgamation. Competes in the same Leinster League structure and shares the women's rugby platform with DLSP.
• Wanderers FC: Dublin-based senior rugby club with multi-section structure. Competes in the Leinster League and overlaps with DLSP on Dublin sponsorship and player recruitment.

Regional players

• Cork Constitution FC: One of Ireland's most successful senior rugby clubs based in Cork. While not in Dublin, it provides a regional benchmark for senior club operations, multi-section structure, and corporate sponsorship potential in Irish rugby.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dlspfcrugby
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRzeWax-LgzBEnFyp-sll1w/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/DeLaSallePalmerstonFC
• Instagraminstagram.com/dlspfcrugby
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/de-la-salle-palmerston

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about De La Salle Palmerston FC