Stella Maris F.C.

Stella Maris Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Drumcondra, Dublin. Founded in 1943, the club caters for over 350 children, ranging in age from 5 to 18 years. Some thirty coaches and managers train, organise and oversee the teams and academy run by the club. The club enters several teams in the Dublin & District Schoolboy League and the Leinster Senior League. Stella Maris is best known for its youth system which has successfully produced dozens of players who have gone on to play for clubs throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom. Many have also gone on to represent the Republic of Ireland at international level.

Moore and Whelan
One of Stella Maris' earliest coaches was Paddy Moore. During the 1940s and early 1950s, when Moore coached Stella Maris, he nurtured the talents of future Republic of Ireland international Ronnie Whelan Sr. Whelan was initially "discovered" by Moore's wife, who then brought him to the attention of her husband. Whelan was one of the early success stories of the Stella Maris academy.

Milk Cup
Stella Maris have been regular participants in the Milk Cup, playing against the youth teams of among others, Feyenoord, Manchester United, Manchester City, Everton, Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough as well as national youth teams representing Wales, Estonia and Slovakia. On 27 July 1994, Glen Crowe scored a hat-trick as Stella Maris defeated Estonia 8–0 in a Milk Cup game.

Women's teams
Stella Maris has also fielded women's teams in both the Dublin Women's Soccer League and the FAI Women's Cup. Republic of Ireland women's internationals Stephanie Roche and Áine O'Gorman are both former Stella Maris players.

Home ground
In May 2014, Stella Maris opened a new clubhouse and a new 3G pitch at their base at Richmond Road. The facilities were officially opened by two former players, Johnny Giles and Eamon Dunphy, who were joined at the opening ceremony by Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief John Delaney. Stella Maris also play matches at a number of local pitches based at Clonturk Park and Albert College Park.

Notable former players
Source:
 * Republic of Ireland internationals


 * Republic of Ireland women's internationals
 * 🇮🇪 Stephanie Roche
 * 🇮🇪 Aine O'Gorman


 * Republic of Ireland B internationals
 * 🇮🇪 Vinny Arkins
 * 🇮🇪 Dessie Baker
 * 🇮🇪 Brian Mooney
 * 🇮🇪 Richie Byrne


 * Republic of Ireland U23 international
 * 🇮🇪 Brian Mooney


 * Republic of Ireland U21 internationals


 * League of Ireland XI representatives
 * 🇮🇪 Vinny Arkins
 * 🇮🇪 Kevin Brady
 * 🇮🇪 Noel King
 * 🇮🇪 Brian Mooney


 * Republic of Ireland managers
 * 🇮🇪 Eoin Hand
 * 🇮🇪 Johnny Giles
 * 🇮🇪 Noel King
 * 🇮🇪 Liam Tuohy
 * 🇮🇪 Mick Cooke (football manager)


 * League of Ireland managers
 * 🇮🇪 Roddy Collins
 * 🇮🇪 Stephen Henderson
 * 🇮🇪 Gary Cronin
 * 🇮🇪 Mick Cooke


 * Actors
 * 🇮🇪 Gabriel Byrne

Notable former managers

 * 🇮🇪 Paddy Moore 1940s

Honours
Source:
 * FAI Youth Cup
 * Winners: 1973–74, 1993–94: 2
 * Runners-up: 1947–48, 1998–99: 2
 * FAI Under-17 Cup
 * Winners: 1982–83: 2
 * Runners-up: 1981–82, 1986–87, 1993–94: 2