Former Dundalk midfielder Richie Towell is delighted by the Lilywhites' promotion back to the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division but feels the worry now is how much change will be needed to avoid becoming a yo-yo club.
This year has been one of rebuilding away from the spotlight after relegation from the top flight at the end of last season following financial turmoil that at one point had even threatened the existence of the club.
Ciarán Kilduff, a former striker at Oriel Park, was subsequently appointed manager and settled the ship, with a mix of experienced names like Daryl Horgan and young talents, across 2025 as Dundalk kept the chasing pack, led by Cobh Ramblers, at bay to seal an immediate comeback to the top division after last Friday's home win over Finn Harps.
Speaking on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast, Towell, who won two league titles as well as scoring their extra-time winner in the 2015 FAI Cup final, was pleased for both his former club and ex-team-mate Kilduff, who had been keen to have him on board.
"Delighted for them. Ciarán Kilduff, I actually had a chat with him in the off-season. He was looking to bring me up to Oriel but circumstances didn't allow it," he said.
"But Ciarán, he's not just a good manager but he's a really good person as well, so I'm absolutely delighted for him and it's well deserved as well.
"I know coming towards the end, people were saying, 'If they lose (against Harps) and Cobh win (versus Longford), there's all the different scenarios. But they conceded the least goals in the league, they scored the most goals in the league. They well deserved to go up."
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But thoughts quickly turned to what's next going into 2026 and Towell feels Dundalk have a significant hurdle to leap over in order to get back on an even footing with the clubs in the Premier Division.
"My only concern now is how they react to going up," he continued.
"Because I know they were part-time last season. Are they going to have to go full-time now? How are they going to react with the budget, because they saw the mess they were in over the last couple of seasons, and the change of ownership and stuff like that.
"It's really going to be intriguing to see how they handle the transition from the First Division back up to the Premier Division."
It's not just the playing squad that would need to be strengthened in the near future, he added, but the longer-term need to upgrade facilities at a "sleeping giant".
"They're miles away. I look at the infrastructure up there. I went up there when we played them last season when I was with (Shamrock) Rovers. It's the exact same as it was 15-20 years ago.
"They might throw a lick of paint over the dressing room or whatever, but honestly they're so far behind, it's incredible.
"With the budget, they don't have the players that are probably good enough to come up and be really successful in the Premier Division.
"I know they have the likes of Daryl Horgan, Ireland international, fantastic player. But I just worry about the lads around him, that are they going to be good enough for that step up, or are they going to become a yo-yo club?"
Also speaking on the podcast, former Republic of Ireland, St Patrick's Athletic and Drogheda United winger Keith Treacy said the jump between the divisions is a big one.
"They will need a little bit of stardust sprinkled on top of what they already have but I think it's brilliant (to have been promoted)," he said.
"And what Richie says is true. I worry about them when they come up. I'm not a Dundalk fan but I did a lot of commentary there a couple of years ago and when they nearly ceased to exist and all of a sudden they've bounced back into the Premier league at the first port-of-call, I think it's brilliant and everyone at Dundalk should be getting a pat on the back.
"But they will also know that the hard work starts really soon. It's going to be difficult."
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