Decorative Arts & History

This is a sporting vest of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers (RDF) and reproduction 19th century leather football. Notice the initials sewn into the front of the shirt. Football was a popular pastime for British Army soldiers; they often challenged local sports teams to matches as a way of promoting goodwill in the community. As a result, British sports such as rugby and football (soccer) gained a following in garrison towns. Such events would attract a good crowd, usually hoping to see the Army lose to the locals. 

While there is evidence of different versions of soccer played in Ireland as far back as the 1500s, the game as it is currently known only arrived in the late 1800s. However, its popularity around the country grew rapidly, particularly amongst the urban working classes. This was due to factors such as regularised working weeks, improved transport and the simplicity of the game to play and organise, unlike many other sports. As such, soccer clubs were founded around the country by all manner of groups, from pubs, companies, churches, local areas or groups of friends.  

However, the British Army also had a large role in its spread. Two of the first exhibition soccer matches to occur in Ireland were between military teams in the Phoenix Park. Many civilian clubs formed in the late 19th century included local soldiers looking for somewhere to play. The sporting vest is an example of one that was worn by the team based here in the Barracks. They would often play matches against civilian teams, as there was a lack of alternative opposition for locals. Military teams were also entered into the Irish Cup in the 1890s. At an official meeting of the Irish Football Association in 1900, the army were officially thanked for their hand in popularising the game. However, as the growth of soccer in Ireland was so linked with the British Army, it was derided as a ‘garrison game’ in Nationalist circles. 

Moreover, there were huge tensions between civilians and the military when it came to soccer. Members of civilian teams campaigned for the military’s exclusion from competitions, partly because they had an unfair advantage as soldiers had ample time to train. It was also deemed wrong for civilians to provide a trophy for presentation to the military. When a Munster team created for an exhibition match against Leinster in 1904 was predominantly made up of soldiers, it was reported to have ‘disheartened the locals’ and turned them to watching rugby instead. 

As the Nationalist, and later Republican, movement grew in Ireland, certain areas of the country rejected both the British Army and the pastimes that they engaged in.