Bohemian FC – We are different

Bohemian FC is one of the oldest 100% fan-owned football clubs in the world, founded in Dublin in 1890 and remaining fan owned and operated ever since. We stand firmly against the privatisation of football and operate on the principle of one member one vote with no capacity for profit to be derived from our club.

We aim to use football as a force for good in society and, over the past number of years, we have released some very worthwhile and memorable away shirts, which have highlighted social issues and raised funds for good causes.

In 2020, with the permission of main club partner Des Kelly Interiors, we placed the message ‘Refugees Welcome’ on our away kit in partnership with Amnesty International. This kit was released in solidarity with the plight of refugees and called for an end to Ireland’s asylum system, ‘Direct Provision’. We raised funds from the shirt to assist MASI, the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland.

In 2021, with the permission of main club partner Des Kelly Interiors, we placed Dublin band ‘Fontaines DC’ on our away kit in partnership with Focus Ireland, a homeless charity in Ireland. This kit design was inspired by elements of Dublin history, and featured a quotation from the wall of Kilmainham Gaol, ‘beware of the risen people’. We raised money from the shirt to assist Focus Ireland as Ireland faces ever increasing rates of homelessness.

For this very special 2022 away kit, featuring Bob Marley, we will once again work with MASI to buy musical equipment and sporting equipment for people in the asylum system in Ireland. Sport and Music have the unique ability to unite people and brighten up their days.

Away from the football field, we have community partnerships with DCU, Amnesty International and Focus Ireland, as well as Mountjoy Prison where we work to rehabilitate inmates through football. We have a club arts officer, climate justice officer, social inclusion and disability access officer, and many other volunteers who engage with our local community.

Current projects include ‘The Bohemian Way’ in our local area to help highlight climate change, audio-described match commentary for those with sight loss in our stadium, a blind football academy for children with sight loss, and our Football Unites Us Programme which brings children from non-Irish backgrounds into our youth academy. All these programmes, and many other initiatives, make our club more inclusive and to benefit our local community.