Irish Soccer Towns

**Thunderblaster** · 21/05/2006, 10:58 AM

I'm very interested in which are the major soccer towns in Ireland; not entirely based on national success, but rather be seen as the predominant sport in the locality, have good support, firmly established and have a good history of the game. Can anybody help me to compile a list? Towns in the North are included.

**balls** · 21/05/2006, 7:36 PM

tipperary town
clonmel
carrick on suir
3 tipperary towns where soccer seems to be most prominent sport

**Local scout** · 22/05/2006, 7:26 AM

Originally Posted by Thunderblaster

I'm very interested in which are the major soccer towns in Ireland; not entirely based on national success, but rather be seen as the predominant sport in the locality, have good support, firmly established and have a good history of the game. Can anybody help me to compile a list? Towns in the North are included.

In Mayo there is only castlebar celtic.

**gnasher** · 22/05/2006, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by Local scout

In Mayo there is only castlebar celtic.

Can't agree, they're not the only team in the town, Castlebar also have a decent rugger team and of course Castlebar Mitchels - playing Senior Championship football and got to an All Ireland Club Final a few years ago.
It's hard to say that any town has a claim to being a pure 'soccer' town in Mayo - Westport are the oldest football club in Connacht and would have been historically seen as a soccer town - nowadays with the Rugby team winning the Connacht League and Cups and in AIL qualifiers, the GAA team getting to county semi-finals and the hurlers doing all-right, you could'nt really say it is, IMO.

Is 'Soccer Town' the term not a kick-back to the old 'Garrison Town' thing anyway - is it the preserve of those unlucky enough to have been an ourpost of invading armies - sort of a 'lets turn them to foreign sports' rather than 'lets breed them out' mentality?

**Patrick Dunne** · 22/05/2006, 11:19 AM

Sligo is the only soccer town in Connacht. Athlone and Dundalk are also soccer towns, the only three in Ireland, as far as I'm concerned.

**Local scout** · 22/05/2006, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by gnasher

Can't agree, they're not the only team in the town, Castlebar also have a decent rugger team and of course Castlebar Mitchels - playing Senior Championship football and got to an All Ireland Club Final a few years ago.
It's hard to say that any town has a claim to being a pure 'soccer' town in Mayo - Westport are the oldest football club in Connacht and would have been historically seen as a soccer town - nowadays with the Rugby team winning the Connacht League and Cups and in AIL qualifiers, the GAA team getting to county semi-finals and the hurlers doing all-right, you could'nt really say it is, IMO.

Is 'Soccer Town' the term not a kick-back to the old 'Garrison Town' thing anyway - is it the preserve of those unlucky enough to have been an ourpost of invading armies - sort of a 'lets turn them to foreign sports' rather than 'lets breed them out' mentality?

im would think castlebar is a soccer town, i suppose westport is to an extent but castlebar GAA/ Rugger Teams arent as prevalent as the ones in westport.

**swinfordfc** · 22/05/2006, 3:44 PM

Originally Posted by Local scout

im would think castlebar is a soccer town, i suppose westport is to an extent but castlebar GAA/ Rugger Teams arent as prevalent as the ones in westport.

Cant agree with you there, mayo gaa is based in castlebar - you know mchale park big pitch on the left coming in. actually the sport in castlebar is getting stronger and stronger, gaa doing well, rugby getting there too.

**Mad Moose** · 22/05/2006, 6:15 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick Dunne

Sligo is the only soccer town in Connacht. Athlone and Dundalk are also soccer towns, the only three in Ireland, as far as I'm concerned.

I was going to post those three and are good examples of 'Soccer Towns'. Most notably because they are still represented at Senior League of Ireland Level. If your to read Eamonn Sweeney's 'One Red Army' for example you'll get a feeling of just how localised that football community can be. I think 'Soccer' is the biggest sport associated with Sligo Town.

Brendan

**Thunderblaster** · 22/05/2006, 8:07 PM

Originally Posted by Local scout

In Mayo there is only castlebar celtic.

That is only the club. It is towns I'm looking for.

**Thunderblaster** · 22/05/2006, 8:12 PM

Originally Posted by Local scout

im would think castlebar is a soccer town, i suppose westport is to an extent.

Historically speaking, both Westport and Castlebar are both seen as soccer towns in a Mayo context. Also, some follow up research tells me that soccer has been played in Westport since 1889, with the club being formed in 1911. Also, I discovered that a Westport team played Bohemians in a challenge game in 1906 and it finished 1-1.

**Patrick Dunne** · 22/05/2006, 8:39 PM

One of the oldest clubs in Ireland was formed in Castlerea, in the early 1880s. The founder of this club, Orlando Coote, moved to Athlone several years later and founded Athlone Town in 1887. I got this information from an excellent history of "De Town", written by the late Frank Lynch, father of Declan, who writes for the Sunday Independent.

**Thunderblaster** · 23/05/2006, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick Dunne

One of the oldest clubs in Ireland was formed in Castlerea, in the early 1880s.

Castlerea had a great soccer tradition one time and is seen as Roscommon's main soccer town, though Boyle Celtic has being doing well in recent times in the Sligo/Leitrim League.

**Local scout** · 23/05/2006, 7:47 AM

Originally Posted by swinfordfc

Cant agree with you there, mayo gaa is based in castlebar - you know mchale park big pitch on the left coming in. actually the sport in castlebar is getting stronger and stronger, gaa doing well, rugby getting there too.

When was the last time Castlebar mitchels challenged for the county senior title never mind won it and the rugger team have not been at the business end of the junior league for years.

in castlebar we believe we are a soccer town first and everything else after that.

**Local scout** · 23/05/2006, 7:52 AM

Originally Posted by Thunderblaster

Historically speaking, both Westport and Castlebar are both seen as soccer towns in a Mayo context. Also, some follow up research tells me that soccer has been played in Westport since 1889, with the club being formed in 1911. Also, I discovered that a Westport team played Bohemians in a challenge game in 1906 and it finished 1-1.

Horkans, Horkans Hill!!!!!

**swinfordfc** · 23/05/2006, 9:18 AM

Originally Posted by Local scout

When was the last time Castlebar mitchels challenged for the county senior title never mind won it and the rugger team have not been at the business end of the junior league for years.

in castlebar we believe we are a soccer town first and everything else after that.

Wasn't 2001 the last time ye won the mayo league in soccer? 5 years long time for a big club not to win your own domestic league would you say?

**Thunderblaster** · 23/05/2006, 2:44 PM

Originally Posted by Local scout

Horkans, Horkans Hill!!!!!

Ha ha ha ha!!!

**shelbourne1904** · 23/05/2006, 4:55 PM

As far as I know Cahir would always have had a big football leaning.I remember being brought to both Croke Park and Dalymount in the 50s by an uncle(inlaw) of mine who was from there and was always proud of that fact.
You also have to take on board certain areas in Dublin like the Beggars Bush/Bath Avenue area close to Landsdowne Road which to me is the true home of football in Ireland and the birthplace of Shelbourne(1895).Down the road you have Ringsend which spawned Shamrock Rovers before they moved to Miltown.Bohemians folk will claim they are the big names in this as they are the other half of the oldest derby in Ireland ,i.e.Bohs/Shels,albeit being Northsiders.
In these current times Ennis and Shannon have extremely active interest although the Clare obsession with hurling means the powers that be will always pay to hide the fact.

**gnasher** · 23/05/2006, 5:07 PM

Originally Posted by Local scout

When was the last time Castlebar mitchels challenged for the county senior title never mind won it and the rugger team have not been at the business end of the junior league for years.

in castlebar we believe we are a soccer town first and everything else after that.

Pardon me but when did ye start thinking that? I would say that Mitchels have a skite more green on deposit than any soccer club in Mayo.

**superfrank** · 23/05/2006, 6:27 PM

Bray is definitely one. Everybody plays football in the streets. I've never seen anybody playing hurley or Gaa in a park.

**Thunderblaster** · 29/05/2006, 7:15 PM

I know that Co. Donegal has a strong soccer tradition and would I be right in saying that the soccer heartlands are Letterkenny, Buncrana and Ramelton?