It is a Friday night in Newry. The work week is over, and a few cars pull out and head south. The drive takes about half an hour on a quiet night. At the end of it are the floodlights of Oriel Park.
For a lot of people on the northern side of the border, this is their League of Ireland club. And in 2026, Dundalk’s 100th season in the league, they have had plenty to enjoy.
A hundred years and a happy return
Dundalk came into this season as a promoted side. Only a couple of years ago, the club was in real trouble on and off the pitch. Relegation in 2024 hurt, and many fans worried about the future.
Under Ciarán Kilduff, now in his second season in charge, the story has changed. The club came straight back up at the first try. Going into the final weeks, Dundalk sit fifth with 41 points from 33 games. Survival was secured some time ago. That is a big step forward for a newly promoted team, and it came sooner than most people expected.
The club marked its centenary in August with a home game against Galway United. They lost that one 2-1, which felt a bit unfair on a special night. Still, the season as a whole has been a good one. Most fans would have taken fifth place without a second thought back in February.
Why Newry makes the short trip
So why do people from Newry choose Dundalk? Part of it is simple geography. Oriel Park is closer than many grounds in the north. A Friday night kick-off fits nicely after work, and the trip home is short.
Part of it is the football. During the title-winning years of the last decade, Dundalk played some of the best football this island has seen. Fans from Newry and the wider area came for the big European nights and stayed. Their children now come with them. Some of those kids have never known a Friday night without Dundalk.
There is also a feeling that is hard to put into numbers. Oriel Park is small, old and loud. You stand close to the pitch, and you know the faces around you. To many supporters in Newry, it feels like a local club, even with a border in between.
Horgan, the link between two eras
If one player connects the glory years to today, it is Daryl Horgan. He was part of the side that won league titles and played in Europe. He then left to try his luck in England and Scotland. Later he came back to Oriel Park.
This season he has been the leading man again. By late August, he had ten league goals and was the club’s top scorer. He was also named Player of the Month in May. Older fans see the best days when they watch him. Younger fans simply see the club’s star.
Horgan gives the team calm and experience. In a young squad, that matters a lot. The question now is how many more seasons he has at this level. He will not play forever, and the club needs a plan for the day he stops.
A league that gets more attention now
The League of Ireland is followed more closely than it used to be. More games are on TV and streams, and the crowds have grown in many grounds. Bookmakers have noticed too, and their coverage has grown with the crowds. A few years ago, you would find only the main result on many Friday games. Now there are markets on goals, corners and player scorers.
Some fans like to follow their club that way. If you are one of them, compare the betting sites in Ireland first. See which ones give the domestic game proper coverage. Just keep it small and keep it fun. The football should always come first.
Contracts, and a look at 2027
The last home dates come in late October, and the season ends on 30 October. After that, the real work starts. Kilduff and the board have contract decisions to make, and some of them will be hard.
Dundalk already sold two forwards this year. Gbemi Arubi went to Burton Albion, and Eoin Kenny moved to Portsmouth. That shows the club can develop players and attract interest from clubs in England. It also shows how quickly a squad can be broken up. Keeping the core together will be the big job this winter. Fans have seen good teams sold off before.
Can they push for Europe in 2027? It is possible, but it will need a better squad and fewer draws. The fans driving down from Newry already have their big win, though. A century on, Oriel Park still feels like home.
