Symbols of national identity and sport: The case of the Irish football team

Abstract

This article looks at the function of sport as a symbol of national identity in the Republic of Ireland. In particular, it focuses on one sport, football, and on the success of the Republic of Ireland's football team since 1988, and assesses the impact that has had on Irish national identity. It argues that the political impact of that success mirrors and thus reinforces changes of identity that are taking place in Ireland, and does so in two ways. First, the team and the sport reflect a more heterogeneous and pluralist representation of Ireland. Second, the team represents the clearest available expression of a 26‐county national identity, which views Northern Ireland as a separate entity. The article concludes that football will remain an important social influence in Ireland, and although it does not predict future political developments, the fact that the football team's success has already been incorporated into Irish literary culture suggests it will remain an important social and political influence as well.

Notes

I would like to thank Mary Gilmartin, Andy Storey, Harry Browne, Michael Gallagher and three referees’ reports for their comments and contributions. I would also like to thank Gary Mackay, without whom this article might never have been imagined.