| Irish soccer has a colorful history and endless legacy. | | | | the Football Association of Ireland which belongs to the |
| Ireland, dubbed as the "Silicon valley" of Europe, is a | | | | Republic of Ireland and the Irish Football Association |
| country of soccer enthusiasts and athletes. The | | | | which is in Northern Ireland. International teams do exist |
| world's most loved game reached the shores of | | | | for each football association. |
| Ireland through John M. McAlery, a Belfast merchant. | | | | The popularity of soccer paved the way for the |
| He was on a honeymoon in Scotland when he saw | | | | prevailing soccer craze in Ireland. Irish soccer is widely |
| the game being played. He fell deeply in love with the | | | | played in the entire country. There are lots of soccer |
| soccer game to the point that he introduced this | | | | fanatics in cities as well as towns. Irish people are |
| contact sport to Ireland in the year 1878. Northern | | | | known for their high and unrelenting spirit for a soccer |
| Ireland was the first venue for the soccer games in | | | | game. They support their own team with much zeal |
| the country. Dublin came to know this sport only in the | | | | and enthusiasm. The chants of soccer enthusiasts |
| year 1885. From then on, the entire country has been | | | | dominated the world of soccer during the late 1990s |
| playing soccer and it still remains as the most popular | | | | and 1980s. Those years were considered the golden |
| sport in the country. | | | | age of the Irish team. |
| There are two existing football associations in Ireland - | | | | |