Dublin City F.C.

History

Home Farm, one of the largest junior football clubs in Ireland, had a senior team that played in the League of Ireland from 1970 until the late 1990s, when the link between the club and its senior side was severed. The senior team was briefly known as Home Farm Fingal to identify with north Dublin. In 1999, Home Farm Fingal CEO Ronan Seery took over and renamed the club Dublin City. The club adopted the colours of the Dublin GAA team and was nicknamed "The Vikings".

Its shirt sponsor was Carrolls of Dublin, a chain of tourist souvenir shops that sold club-branded merchandise at its stores in the city centre and Dublin Airport. Dublin City won the 2003 League of Ireland First Division and, in 2005, defeated Shamrock Rovers in a promotion/relegation play-off, achieving promotion to the Premier Division twice. However, the club failed to cultivate a significant fan base, reported very low attendances, and had no permanent home ground, playing at various times at Tolka Park, Dalymount Park, Morton Stadium, Richmond Park, and Whitehall Stadium.

These factors led to financial problems, and on 19 July 2006 Dublin City ceased trading and resigned from the league; all their results up to that point were expunged. Ronan Seery stated that continued existence within the Eircom League had become untenable and that the decision was prudent and honourable. The club was criticised by Damien Richardson and Roddy Collins for failing to complete its fixtures; Collins, who managed Dublin City in 2004 and left on bad terms, called the club's actions "disgraceful."