Leeside Lions

Location: Cork

Home Ground: Gleann na Laoi, GAA

Training Venue: Tramore Valley Park

E-mail: theleesidelions@gmail.com

Current President: George Dwyer

Socials

Facebook: Leeside Lions AFL https://www.facebook.com/LeesideLions

X: @LeesideLions https://x.com/LeesideLions

Instagram: leesidelionsafl https://www.instagram.com/leesidelionsafl/

About the Club:

The Leeside Lions, established in 2000, by a passionate group of Brisbane Lions fans, have played a significant role in the development and presence of Australian Rules Football in Cork and across Ireland. The Lions can now proudly claim the title of the most successful club in Ireland, having secured the John ‘Lack’ O’Sullivan trophy in 2024 for the 8th time in their history!

A key factor in the club’s success is the strong relationship with Cork’s two university teams: the UCC Bombers and MTU Crows. Recruitment from these teams has been instrumental in driving the Lions to continued success in recent years.

The Lions compete in the Irish Premiership but also take part in other notable competitions. A standout event in their calendar is the annual Rebel Shield game against UCC which take place at the historic Mardyke. Additionally, the Leeside League, played between the Lions and both university teams during the winter season, is another key fixture.

As AFL Ireland premiers in 2016 and 2017, the Lions ventured abroad to compete in the AFL Champions League. However, their 2024 trip to Lyon marked a historic milestone for the club as they reached the prestigious grand final for the first time in their history. This year, the team returned to Lyon for the 2025 Champions League tournament with the goal of going one step further than last year. The Lions dominated in the group stage and won their semi-final pairing to set up a replay of last year’s grand final meeting. Unfortunately, after a brilliant display in the final, they were beaten right at the end by a late goal.

The Leeside Lions also have a proud history of representing Ireland on the international stage. Many of our current and former players have donned the green jersey for the Irish Warriors AFL team, achieving outstanding success in many international tournaments. Most recently, 15 Lions proudly represented the Irish Warriors and played a key role in securing victory at the AFL Transatlantic Cup in Toronto in 2024.

If you’re interested in trying out a new sport and becoming part of the Leeside Lions community, please reach out to us via email, Facebook or Instagram.

#LionsAbú