The Decline of Dublin Football's Fanbase
Growing up in the 00s, one thing that always captivated me was the deafening noise and hostile like atmosphere that the Dubs brought to Croker. Regularly selling out Croke Park for Leinster finals and getting 60 or 70 odd thousand often for Leinster semis and quarters, the Dubs were an iconic part of Ireland’s sporting circle. The team seemed to capture the entire city, attracting followers from all corners of the county and from all walks of life. Likewise, the media lapped it up - a bit like the English football team - hyping them up as they swatted someone aside in Leinster, before lambasting them a few weeks later as they would inevitably fall to a Tyrone or Kerry in the All Ireland series.
I often remember going to Croker as a child to support my county when we played them, and genuinely feeling intimated by the atmosphere. The hostile jeers and boos a free taker would face, the constant chants, how Croker would rock when they got a goal. The sight of a sold out hill 16 of Dubs was as iconic an image as you could find in Irish sport. As a child, it was both frightening and mesmerising at the same time.
The Italia 90 moment you could say for this team was the 2011 breakthrough. After a barren spell since 1995 where they repeatedly failed to deliver in the All Ireland series, they eventually reached the summit. As someone who grew up absolutely despising Dublin due to my county's rivalry with them, the scenes in the Hill when both Kevin Mc and Cluxton produced their moments was something to behold. Still to this day, I’m not sure Croke Park has ever seen an All-Ireland final atmosphere like it did that day.
From 2013-2023, the Dubs would go onto win another 8 All Irelands. From being a county with a reputation for failing to deliver, they became a ruthless, efficient machine that meticulously picked apart opponents at will. With that dominance, it became noticeable that some of the charm surrounding the Dubs in the 00s had started to disappear. They went from selling out Leinster Finals against Laois and Offaly, to just drawing over 50 thousand against Galway in 2018. A hoganstand article that I found shows how much things have changed, stating that the Leinster Council were worried in 2009 with Dublin and Westmeath's Leinster Semi Final only drawing 51 thousand, a crowd that dwarfs yesterday's figure in comparison.
The situation that Dublin football finds itself in right now in terms of its support couldn't be any further apart than the days of the 00s. The paradox of success, with a team that once failed to deliver drawing massive crowds, being loved by a city, and being somewhat like cult figures, to the situation in which Dublin football finds itself in where they are bringing possibly 10 thousand fans to a Leinster final on their doorstep.
I as a neutral definitely find the situation a bit disappointing, so I can't imagine what actual Dublin fans must think. I often find myself reminiscing by watching Dublin play Laois or Offaly in 2005 or 2006 in front of a packed Croker. As good as Westmeath's magical day out was yesterday, there is something deeply unsatisfying seeing masses of empty seats around the stadium.
I've also wondered if this is just cyclical, and as Dublin becomes more starved of success, the numbers again will start to pickup.