Louth Mavericks
The Louth Mavericks are an American football club located in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. Founded in 2012 and originally known as the Dundalk Mavericks, the team is a part of American Football Ireland and play their home matches at Mill Road, the home ground of Dundalk R.F.C. As of 2025, the club are due to compete in the AFI Premier Division from 2026, having secured promotion to the top flight by winning the 2025 AFI Division 1 Harp Bowl.
History
The Louth Mavericks American football team was established in 2012 as the Dundalk Mavericks by a group of students at Dundalk Institute of Technology. Initially formed as a college club, they soon transitioned into an independent team associated with DKIT.After spending 2013 training, the Mavericks joined the Irish American Football League Division 2 in 2014, achieving a 4–2 record in their debut season and reaching the Bowl game, where they were narrowly defeated by the Tyrone Titans. In 2015, following the disbandment of the nearby Drogheda Lightning team, the club rebranded as the Louth Mavericks in order to expand their recruitment to the entire county. The team subsequently competed in the IAFA's Division 1.
In 2017, they secured promotion to the Premier Division after winning the Division 1 Bowl against the Craigavon Cowboys, ultimately to be relegated back to Division 1 the following year. After two cancelled seasons in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mavericks were voluntarily demoted to Division 2 in 2022, and were promoted to Division 1 for the 2023 season.
2025 proved to be a successful year in Division 1 play for the Mavericks, marked by a perfect season and a Harp Bowl win. In the preseason, they announced the arrival of quarterback/head coach Ty Henry, who previously won the Shamrock Bowl with the Dublin Rebels. The team registered a perfect 8–0 season followed by a 64–0 home win in the Harp Bowl semifinal against the Cill Dara Crusaders and a 44–0 win in Harp Bowl X against the Westmeath Minotaurs at Dubarry Park in Athlone, securing promotion to the Premier Division for the 2026 season.
Beginning in 2025, the Mavericks launched a youth development team for players ages 15–18 as well as a women's flag football team that competes in AFI's Claddagh League.
Honours
- AFI Division 1 Bowl / Harp Bowl Champions - 2017, 2025
- AFI Division 1 Bowl Finalists - 2023
- AFI Division 2 Bowl Finalists - 2014, 2022