Football Association of Ireland founded in Dublin
Dublin, 3 September 1921 – A new governing body for soccer has been launched in Dublin following a recent schism which saw the Leinster Football Association (LFA) break away from the Belfast-based Irish Football Association (IFA).
At a poorly attended special general meeting of the football clubs of Leinster, held at Molesworth Hall last night, the chairman, James Harrison, declared that the purpose of the gathering was to adopt the rules, as drafted by the Council of the LFA, for the foundation of an association to be known as the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).
With establishment of the FAI, the meeting was informed that the LFA would now cease to function. Officers of the now defunct LFA offered themselves for election to the new organisation. Robert Richey was elected President of the FAI with Larry Sheridan returned as Honorary Secretary and P.H. Stewart as Honorary Treasurer.
The IFA has expressed regret at developments in Dublin, but at a meeting in Belfast last night they heard that they could not prevent a new association from ‘carrying on’.
The IFA Council meeting, presided over by James Wilton, was informed of correspondence in relation to the new FAI, and letters were read from Bohemians, Shelbourne and other Dublin clubs stating that they were still considering whether or not they would join the new association, but insisting that no definite decision had been reached yet.
Shelbourne playing against Bohemians in 1921
[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]
