Distillery marks 140th anniversary with special gala dinner

Last year, 2020, marked the 140th anniversary of Lisburn Distillery Football Club, the oldest professional football club in Ireland and one of the oldest football clubs founded in Ireland.
Lisburn Distillery's goalkeeper Terry Nicholson punches the ball away during a concentrated Linfield attack by Martin McGaughey and Peter Dornan, following a corner kick at Windsor Park in January 1982. Picture: News Letter archivesLisburn Distillery's goalkeeper Terry Nicholson punches the ball away during a concentrated Linfield attack by Martin McGaughey and Peter Dornan, following a corner kick at Windsor Park in January 1982. Picture: News Letter archives
Lisburn Distillery's goalkeeper Terry Nicholson punches the ball away during a concentrated Linfield attack by Martin McGaughey and Peter Dornan, following a corner kick at Windsor Park in January 1982. Picture: News Letter archives

In that time the club has had a varied history from league and Irish Cup wins, historic European games against Benfica and Barcelona and to more recent difficult times that has seen the club relegated to the third tier of Irish League football.

The one constant in 140 years of football has been the dedicated group of supporters and volunteers who have kept the club alive, particularly in recent years.

A three-course dinner will be held on Saturday November 13, 2021 at New Grosvenor Stadium to mark this landmark achievement, albeit a year late.

The event starts at 7.30pm sharp and guests on the night include Roy Welsh (member of the 1963 league winning side and manager of the 1985 County Antrim Shield winning side), Winston ‘Winkie’ Armstrong (member of the 1994 Gold Cup winning side), Glenn Ferguson (member of the 2011 League Cup winning side) and Paul Muir (member of three Distillery squads who qualified for Europe).

Tickets are £30 per person and anyone interested should contact Ged Irwin on 07730 505190 or email [email protected].

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