MEMBERS’ BAR, DALYMOUNT PARK, WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 18th, 7pm

“Dalymount Park – the Home of Irish Football” will be launched tonight in the Members’ Bar by Minister for Sport Paschal Donohoe and Ireland legend John Giles.

“Dalymount Park is and forever will be the true historic home of Irish football. As a football man, it means a lot to me, and I know it means a huge amount to Irish football fans throughout the country.” – John Giles

Dalymount Park: The Home of Irish Football is a lovingly crafted pictorial history of one of Dublin’s most treasured landmarks, put together by journalist and lifelong League of Ireland supporter Colin White.

Spanning twelve decades, the book contains fantastic photographs and magic memories from the stadium’s 125-year existence.

Irish legend John Giles, a man who stood in the terraces as a boy watching his heroes gracing the turf at ‘Dalyer’, has penned a heartfelt foreword – a love letter to the place where he began his international career.

The split between the footballing associations of the FAI and the IFA has had many consequences for football on our island, many hours have been whiled away with “what if” scenarios with barflies imagining an Irish side of the 60’s featuring the likes of John Giles and George Best. Another less discussed consequence of the split between the two associations was for many the loss of any sense of identity with the all Ireland side that had competed from the 1880’s through to 1921. Any connection with the history of this 32 county team has for most football fans in the Republic, (and indeed some in the North) been severed and there is little sense of identification with the players and their achievements pre-1921.

I for one think that this is a great pity, it ignores the history of the sport and the rich and interesting personal stories of those involved. It also means modern fans in the Republic often feel little pride or connection to the victory by a truly representative Irish team in the Home Nations Championship of 1914. At the time the Home Nations Championship was viewed, in the British Isles at least, as the foremost International football competition in the world with the winners rating themselves as the best international side in the world. While this is obviously an isolated and arrogant viewpoint it is reasonable to say that the winners could legitimately claim to be among the very best international sides in the world.

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Bohemians are delighted to announce the re-signing of some key members of this season’s first-team squad.

Goalkeeper Dean Delany, defenders Derek Pender, Daniel Byrne, Derek Prendergast, Stephen Best and Lorcan Fitzgerald, midfielders Keith Buckley, Paddy Kavanagh, Roberto Lopes and Jake Kelly as well as striker Ismahil Akinade have all committed to Bohs for the 2016 season.

Manager Keith Long said: “We’ve re-signed some really important individuals and we hope to improve the squad in areas where we feel we can strengthen.

“The group worked incredibly hard all season. They played for the jersey and deserve credit for being in contention for Europe on the final game of the season.

“It’s a testament to their application throughout the year and now the intention is to move forward again next season.

“This is a club on the rise again and if we can maybe add one or two players, we can build on the season we’ve had this year.”

BOHEMIANS v CORK CITY
SSE Airtricity League, Dalymount Park, Friday 30 October, 7.45pm

Bohemians have beaten the odds to bring the battle for Europa League qualification down to the last game of the season.

With a run of four draws, then three wins, Bohemians’ players “have shown exceptional character and I’m immensely proud of them,” said manager Keith Long. “With a fighting chance of European qualification they will leave nothing behind to ensure we get the right result.”

But they know the final outcome is partly out of their hands. “We have no control over what happens in Galway,” said Long. St Patrick’s Athletic go there in need of just one point to secure that European place.

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Bohemians are delighted to announce two major re-signings.

Our friends at award-winning online casino Mr Green will once again be on board for 2016 as the club’s main sponsor, providing major support for the third year running.

Meanwhile, Ismahil Akinade has agreed to extend his stay with the club.

Akinade, 21, has scored ten league goals in 17 appearances since joining Bohs in June. He has also been shortlisted for the 2015 PFA Ireland Young Player of the Year award.

Aselection of Glasnevin Cemetery graves connected to Bohemian FC from the recent tour conducted by Brian Trench as part of series of events to mark the club’s 125th anniversary.

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DERRY CITY v BOHEMIANS
SSE Airtricity League, Brandywell, Friday 23 October, 7.45pm

Bohemians go the Brandywell where sixth host fifth who are in pursuit of fourth. The “outside chance” of qualifying for Europe is helping to drive on Bohemians, according to manager Keith Long.

But he gives “huge credit” to the players and compliments “good characters” in the dressing room for maintaining a strong team spirit right to the end of the season.

“We have tried to create an environment where there are no excuses and the players have bought into that,” said Long.

“They take ownership of their performances and of their training. It comes down to their application and attitude. Our job is to make them believe they can achieve, and we have done that for most of the season.”

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The Bohs bus is heading north this Friday as Bohemians travel to take on Derry City at The Brandywell for our penultimate game of the season.

• Departs Dalymount: 2.30pm sharp.
• Cost: €20.
• Email bus@bohemians.ie to book your place.

Pelé, possibly the greatest player to have ever played at Dalymount Park, has wished Bohemians a happy 125th birthday.

WATCH: Pelé in Dalymount Park 1972

SLIGO ROVERS v BOHEMIANS
SSE Airtricity League, Showgrounds, Saturday 17 October, 7.45pm

Unbeaten in five league games, Bohemians go in search of maximum points in Sligo as they continue to chase down fourth-placed St Patrick’s Athletic.

Last week Bohemians closed the gap with a 2-0 win over St Pat’s in Dalymount, though manager Keith Long believes the winning margin could and should have been bigger.

“We butchered a number of chances, particularly late in the game when they were down to ten men. We were worth the win but with a bit more care with our final pass, we could have scored another couple of goals.”

Long is confident that his players will not suffer any late-season fatigue. “I don’t fear that with the group of players we have. They want to finish the season as strongly as they can.

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