Record attendance for an Irish club?

**Charlie Darwin** · 23/08/2013, 3:17 AM

I'm sure this is readily accessible but my googling skills have so far proved unworthy. Does anybody know what the record attendance is for an Irish club in a single game in Ireland is? I'm not talking LOI exclusively - FAI Cup or whatever, or even a European game. I have an inkling it would be Shels-Deportivo w/ 25-26,000, but perhaps there was a bigger game years ago? Obviously LOI XIs and Celtic don't count.

edit: this link suggests it's the 1945 Cup Final between Bohs and Rovers with 45,000, but it also says the 2010 final had 36,000 which I don't believe either.

**White Horse** · 23/08/2013, 8:49 AM

Surely an el classico match between Athlone and Longford has the record?

**ArdeeBhoy** · 23/08/2013, 8:55 AM

The 1990 FAI Cup Final between Bray & St.Francis had 33k and when Shams went 'home' to the R.D.S. the same year after exile, their first game v.Pats was c.25k, the 'official' crowd.

Not records, but examples of how high crowds can be.

**White Horse** · 23/08/2013, 8:58 AM

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/du...p-dublin-issue

Great footage of a packed Dalymount for the 1942 cup final. Attendance is estimated at 34,000. It's hard to see how to could fit anymore in.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 23/08/2013, 9:26 AM

Also,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAI_Cup

Some differing figures to what we were told at the time, who knows...

**avvenalaf** · 23/08/2013, 12:45 PM

Ok, it was over four games but this takes beating and I was there!!
http://www.independent.ie/regionals/...-27522399.html

**peadar1987** · 23/08/2013, 12:49 PM

I'd say 36000 at the 2010 final was a possibility. I got my €10 ticket, turned up, the lower level was packed, the upper well over half full, and not many in the premium seats. Apparently the premium level holds 10,000, so it just depends on whether there were 4,000 empty seats in the upper level:

**avvenalaf** · 23/08/2013, 12:51 PM

I think the official attendance in 2010 was 38,500.

**redobit** · 23/08/2013, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf

Ok, it was over four games but this takes beating and I was there!!
http://www.independent.ie/regionals/...-27522399.html

Now my maths arent great but ...

The tie was played over a total of 712 hours of football

**redron** · 23/08/2013, 1:33 PM

Originally Posted by redobit

Now my maths arent great but ...

I actually can't work out where the figure of 712 comes from at all.
Four matches, three of which went to extra time, gives 450mins of football.
It was approx 362hrs from kick-off in the first match to final whistle in the last match.

**trevy** · 23/08/2013, 2:21 PM

Waterford v Celtic in European Cup in 1970 had an attendance of 50000 at Lansdowne Road and 2 years earlier there was 48000 for the game v Manchester United at same venue. The glory days from before I was even born!

**nigel-harps1954** · 23/08/2013, 2:24 PM

I'd look into the highest recorded league match attendance before any else.

**red bellied** · 23/08/2013, 5:33 PM

Originally Posted by redron

I actually can't work out where the figure of 712 comes from at all.
Four matches, three of which went to extra time, gives 450mins of football.
It was approx 362hrs from kick-off in the first match to final whistle in the last match.

Extra time was played at ten minutes a half back then then due to the part time nature of the game, things have moved on since. I don't think extra time was played until the second replay.

**citybone** · 23/08/2013, 7:50 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

I'd look into the highest recorded league match attendance before any else.

Cork City vs Derry City final game 2005 official attendence was about 9,000 but i heard of many sneaking in and would guess it was over 10,000 but Cork City's record was vs Dundalk of 12,000 in the decider in 1991 but crowds in Flower Lodge were always reported to be huge in the Darby games between Cork Celtic and Cork Hibs, up too 30,000. nothing official as far as i know, I know the Dublin Darby's had huge crowds too back in the 50's and 60's with Drumcondra getting crowds up too 50,000? according to "Who stole out game" book, good read.

**Calcio Jack** · 23/08/2013, 7:54 PM

Drums/Bohs selection v Santos starring Pele in Dayler Feb 1972... crowd of 46,000 jammed in

Santos won 3-2

**MeathDrog** · 23/08/2013, 8:46 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I'm sure this is readily accessible but my googling skills have so far proved unworthy. Does anybody know what the record attendance is for an Irish club in a single game in Ireland is? I'm not talking LOI exclusively - FAI Cup or whatever, or even a European game. I have an inkling it would be Shels-Deportivo w/ 25-26,000, but perhaps there was a bigger game years ago? Obviously LOI XIs and Celtic don't count.

edit: this link suggests it's the 1945 Cup Final between Bohs and Rovers with 45,000, but it also says the 2010 final had 36,000 which I don't believe either.

I was at the Aviva for the 2010 final as a fan and I work as a steward for games there. Was easily at least 35,000 at that game.

**oriel** · 23/08/2013, 9:21 PM

Originally Posted by Calcio Jack

Drums/Bohs selection v Santos starring Pele in Dayler Feb 1972... crowd of 46,000 jammed in

Santos won 3-2

Ah Calcio, one of my favourite ever clips from Irish football, the Liam Brady Dalymount memories programme. Classic time countdown clicker, sets on 1972, then they show this game, Jack Lynch at it, reported to be one of his very rare 'Soccer' games, then the superb Santos in all white lining up in almost Champions League style of today, facing both sides in classic touch toe and hand wave over the heads formation. I can still hear the Brazilian tune when the clip went to kick off, always curious what it was.

Anyway good shout.

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 24/08/2013, 1:49 PM

Celtic filled Lansdowne a few weeks ago.......

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 24/08/2013, 1:52 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I'm sure this is readily accessible but my googling skills have so far proved unworthy. Does anybody know what the record attendance is for an Irish club in a single game in Ireland is? I'm not talking LOI exclusively - FAI Cup or whatever, or even a European game. I have an inkling it would be Shels-Deportivo w/ 25-26,000, but perhaps there was a bigger game years ago? Obviously LOI XIs and Celtic don't count.

edit: this link suggests it's the 1945 Cup Final between Bohs and Rovers with 45,000, but it also says the 2010 final had 36,000 which I don't believe either.

36,101 at the 2010 final

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/...s_sligorovers/