Football League of Ireland

The Football League of Ireland, usually known simply as the League of Ireland or the Eircom League (from the leagues sponsorship from Irish telcom Eircom), is a league of football clubs in the Republic of Ireland. It should not be confused with the Irish Football League, which is the league in Northern Ireland.

Note, however, that the Football League of Ireland includes one club from Northern Ireland, Derry City. Derry City formerly played in the Irish Football League, but was forced to leave that league following the 1972-73 season because of safety concerns. Derry City joined the Republic's league at the second level in 1985, after a special dispensation from the Irish Football Association and UEFA. It won promotion in 1987, and has stayed in the top flight ever since.

Formed by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) in 1921, the league originally contained 8 teams and was first won by St. James' Gate FC. Today the league operates on a two divisional structure (changing in 1985), with 10 teams in the Premier Division and 12 in the First.

Until recently the league followed the pattern of the other leagues in the British Isles of starting their league campaigns towards the end of Summer and playing through the Winter until late Spring and playing no league games during the height of Summer. However, due to the league's seeming inability to compete with the FA Premier League in England and the Scottish Premier League (many Irish football fans prefer to follow English or Scottish clubs' fortunes rather than their local clubs) the league has switched to playing Summer football (like the Scandinavian leagues for example).

Clubs are promoted and relegated between the Premier and First divisions at the end of each season. Also, the club who finishes bottom of the First must reapply for league membership.

Clubs in Membership

Premier Division

• Bohemians
• Bray Wanderers
• Cork City
• Derry City
• Drogheda United
• Sheep Town
• Longford Town
• Shamrock Rovers
• Shelbourne
• Saint Patrick's Athletic
• UCD
• Waterford United

First Division

• Athlone Town
• Cobh Ramblers
• Dublin City
• Dundalk
• Galway United
• Kildare County
• Kilkenny City
• Limerick
• Monaghan United
• Sligo Rovers

List of Winners of the League

1921-22 St James's Gate 1922-23 Shamrock Rovers 1923-24 Bohemians 1924-25 Shamrock Rovers 1925-26 Shelbourne 1926-27 Shamrock Rovers 1927-28 Bohemians 1928-29 Shelbourne 1929-30 Bohemians 1930-31 Shelbourne 1931-32 Shamrock Rovers 1932-33 Dundalk 1933-34 Bohemians 1934-35 Dolphin 1935-36 Bohemians 1936-37 Sligo Rovers 1937-38 Shamrock Rovers 1938-39 Shamrock Rovers 1939-40 St.James's Gate 1940-41 Cork United 1941-42 Cork United 1942-43 Cork United 1943-44 Shelbourne 1944-45 Cork United 1945-46 Cork United 1946-47 Shelbourne 1947-48 Drumcondra 1948-49 Drumcondra 1949-50 Cork Athletic 1950-51 Cork Athletic 1951-52 St. Patrick's Athletic 1952-53 Shelbourne 1953-54 Shamrock Rovers 1954-55 St Patrick's Athletic 1955-56 St Patrick's Athletic 1956-57 Shamrock Rovers 1957-58 Drumcondra 1958-59 Shamrock Rovers 1959-60 Limerick 1960-61 Drumcondra

1961-62 Shelbourne 1962-63 Dundalk 1963-64 Shamrock Rovers 1964-65 Drumcondra 1965-66 Waterford United 1966-67 Dundalk 1967-68 Waterford 1968-69 Waterford 1969-70 Waterford 1970-71 Cork Hibernians 1971-72 Waterford 1972-73 Waterford 1973-74 Cork Celtic 1974-75 Bohemians 1975-76 Dundalk 1976-77 Sligo Rovers 1977-78 Bohemians 1978-79 Dundalk 1979-80 Limerick 1980-81 Athlone Town 1981-82 Dundalk 1982-83 Athlone Town 1983-84 Shamrock Rovers 1984-85 Shamrock Rovers 1985-86 Shamrock Rovers 1986-87 Shamrock Rovers 1987-88 Dundalk 1988-89 Derry City 1989-90 St Patrick's Athletic 1990-91 Dundalk 1991-92 Shelbourne 1992-93 Cork City 1993-94 Shamrock Rovers 1994-95 Dundalk 1995-96 St Patrick's Athletic 1996-97 Derry City 1997-98 St Patrick's Athletic 1998-99 St Patrick's Athletic 1999-2000 Shelbourne 2000-01 Bohemians

2001-02 Shelbourne 2002-03 Bohemians 2003 Shelbourne 2004 Shelbourne

External link

• Football League of Ireland Website