League of Ireland Premier Division facts for kids
| Founded | 1985 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Republic of Ireland (9 teams) |
| Other club(s) from |  Northern Ireland (1 team) |
| Confederation | UEFA (Europe) |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | League of Ireland First Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | FAI Cup President's Cup |
| League cup(s) | League of Ireland Cup |
| International cup(s) | UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League UEFA Conference League |
| Current champions | Shamrock Rovers (21st title) (2023) |
| Most championships | Shamrock Rovers (21 titles) |
| TV partners | LOITV (Worldwide) Virgin Media (ROI) RTÉ2 (ROI & NI) |
The League of Ireland Premier Division (which means Príomhroinn Shraith na hÉireann in Irish) is the top football league in the Republic of Ireland. It's also known as the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division because of its sponsor. This league started in 1985 when the League of Ireland was changed.
Two clubs, St Patrick's Athletic and Bohemians, have never been moved down to a lower division from the Premier Division. Interestingly, a team from Northern Ireland, Derry City, has won the league twice. This makes it a special competition that crosses borders! Since 2003, the Premier Division games are played from spring to autumn.
Contents
History of the League
The 1980s: A New Beginning
When the Premier Division first started, it included the four biggest clubs from the League of Ireland: Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne, Bohemians, and Dundalk. Eight other teams also joined.
Shamrock Rovers were the very first champions in 1985–86 and won again the next year. They actually won four league titles in a row! Dundalk won in 1987–88. Then, Derry City had an amazing year in 1988–89, winning the league, the League of Ireland Cup, and the FAI Cup – a "treble"!
The 1990s: St Pat's Rises
The 1990s saw St Patrick's Athletic become a very strong team after not being as successful for a while. They won four titles during this decade. Brian Kerr led them to wins in 1989–90 and 1995–96. Later, Pat Dolan and Liam Buckley helped them win more titles in 1997–98 and 1998–99.
In 1992–93, Cork City won their first title in a very exciting way. They had to play extra games against Bohemians and Shelbourne to decide the winner.
The 2000s: Shelbourne's Dominance and Challenges
At the start of the 2000s, Shelbourne was a powerhouse, winning five titles in seven years. Dermot Keely coached them to wins in 1999–2000 and 2001–02. The 2001–02 win was a bit controversial because St Patrick's Athletic had points taken away for using a player who wasn't allowed to play.
The league decided to change its schedule in 2003, moving to a summer season. Pat Fenlon then led Shelbourne to more titles in 2003, 2004, and 2006. He also managed Bohemians to win in 2008 and 2009. Cork City stopped Shelbourne from winning three titles in a row by claiming their second title in 2005. They beat Derry City in the final game at Turners Cross.
Later in the 2000s, some Premier Division clubs faced money problems. For example, Shamrock Rovers had financial difficulties in 2005 and were moved down to a lower division for the first time since 1922. Shelbourne also had money issues in 2006 and were moved down, even after winning the title. Another team, Dublin City, even stopped playing during the season. In 2008, Cork City and Drogheda United had points taken away because of financial issues. By the end of 2009, Derry City and Cork City were removed from the league due to financial rule breaking. However, both clubs were able to restart and rejoin the league in the 2010 First Division.
The 2010s: New Champions and European Adventures
The 2010s brought different experiences for Premier Division clubs. Under Michael O'Neill, Shamrock Rovers won the league in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, Rovers made history by being the first League of Ireland team to reach the group stages of the UEFA Europa League, a big European competition.
In 2012, Sligo Rovers won their first Premier Division title in 35 years. St. Patrick's Athletic won their fifth Premier Division title in 2013. Under Stephen Kenny, Dundalk also had great success, winning in 2014 and 2015. They also qualified for the group stages of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League. This time was mostly about Dundalk and Cork City battling for the top spots in the league and the FAI Cup between 2014 and 2018.
Sadly, some clubs like Sporting Fingal, Galway United, and Monaghan United had to leave the League of Ireland, with Sporting Fingal even closing down completely.
Playing in Europe
The team that finishes first in the Premier Division gets to play in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, which is a huge competition for clubs across Europe. The teams that finish second and third, along with the winners of the FAI Cup, get to play in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Shamrock Rovers made history in 2011 by being the first team from the League of Ireland to reach the group stages of the UEFA Europa League. Dundalk did the same in 2016 and 2020.
The Republic of Ireland's football ranking in Europe has changed over the years. It improved a lot between 1998 and 2010, reaching its highest spot since 1986. This improvement was partly because some clubs became fully professional and the league changed to a summer schedule in 2003. This meant players were fitter and better players stayed in Ireland or came from other countries, making the football better. From 2003 to 2014, at least one Irish club always moved on to the next round in a European competition.
However, the high costs of professional football and trying to succeed in Europe also caused money problems for some clubs. The league's ranking dropped after 2010, but it has been improving again recently. For the 2023 season, Ireland is ranked 35th, which is a good sign!
How the Competition Works
There are 10 clubs in the Premier Division. Each season, which runs from February to November, every club plays against every other club four times. This means they play two games at home and two games away against each opponent, adding up to 36 games in total.
- Teams get three points for winning a game.
- They get one point for a draw (when the score is tied).
- They get zero points for losing a game.
Teams are ranked by their total points. If teams have the same number of points, the team with a better "goal difference" (goals scored minus goals conceded) is ranked higher. If they are still tied, the team that scored more goals is higher. If it's still a tie for the championship, or for moving up or down divisions, they look at how the tied teams played against each other.
Moving Up and Down (Promotion and Relegation)
Since 1985–86, teams can move between the Premier Division and the League of Ireland First Division.
- The team that finishes last in the Premier Division automatically moves down to the First Division.
- The team that finishes second-to-last in the Premier Division plays a special "play-off" game against the team that finishes second in the First Division. The winner of this play-off gets to be in the Premier Division for the next season.
In 2008, Cobh Ramblers were moved straight down from the Premier Division because they couldn't get the right license for the First Division. In 2017, to make sure both the Premier Division and First Division had 10 teams each, the bottom three Premier League teams were moved down, and only the First Division champion was moved up.
Current Season (2024)
| Team | Home city/suburb | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bohemians | Dublin (Phibsborough) | Dalymount Park | 3,400 |
| Cork City | Cork | Turners Cross | 7,485 |
| Derry City | Derry | Brandywell | 3,700 |
| Drogheda United | Drogheda | United Park | 3,500 |
| Dundalk | Dundalk | Oriel Park | 4,500 |
| St Patrick's Athletic | Dublin (Inchicore) | Richmond Park | 5,350 |
| Shamrock Rovers | Dublin (Tallaght) | Tallaght Stadium | 8,000 |
| Shelbourne | Dublin (Drumcondra) | Tolka Park | 3,600 |
| Sligo Rovers | Sligo | The Showgrounds | 4,000 |
| UCD | Dublin (Belfield) | UCD Bowl | 3,000 |
Ten clubs are playing in the 2024 League of Ireland Premier Division. Two teams, Galway United and Waterford, were promoted from the First Division after the 2023 season.
| 2024 Club | 2023 Position | First season in League of Ireland |
First season in LOI Premier Division | Seasons in top division |
Seasons in LOI Premier Division |
First season of current spell in LOI |
No. of seasons of current spell in LOI |
Top division titles |
Most recent top division title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bohemians | 6th | 1921-22 | 1985-86 | 104 | 40 | 1921-22 | 104 | 11 | 2009 |
| Derry City | 2nd | 1987-88 | 1987-88 | 37 | 37 | 2011 | 14 | 2 | 1996-97 |
| Drogheda United | 7th | 1963-64 | 1989-90 | 47 | 25 | 2021 | 3 | 1 | 2007 |
| Dundalk | 5th | 1926-27 | 1985-86 | 89 | 30 | 2009 | 15 | 14 | 2019 |
| Galway United | 1st (FD) | 1977-78 | 1977-78 | 17 | 7 | 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Shamrock Rovers | 1st | 1922-23 | 1985-86 | 100 | 38 | 2007 | 17 | 21 | 2023 |
| Shelbourne | 4th | 1921-22 | 1985-86 | 88 | 26 | 2022 | 2 | 13 | 2006 |
| Sligo Rovers | 8th | 1934-35 | 1986-87 | 71 | 29 | 2006 | 18 | 3 | 2012 |
| St Patrick's Athletic | 3rd | 1951-52 | 1985-86 | 73 | 40 | 1951-52 | 73 | 8 | 2013 |
| Waterford | 2nd (FD) | 1930-31 | 1930-31 | 73 | 16 | 2024 | 2 | 6 | 1972-73 |
UCD was moved down to the First Division for the 2024 season. Cork City was also moved down after losing in the play-off final to Waterford.
Past League Winners
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Source:
League Champions by Club and Location
Champions by Club
| Club | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Shamrock Rovers | 11 | 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1993–94, 2010, 2011, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
| Dundalk | 8 | 1987–88, 1990–91, 1994–95, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 |
| Shelbourne | 6 | 1991–92, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2003, 2004, 2006 |
| St Patrick's Athletic | 5 | 1989–90, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2013 |
| Bohemians | 4 | 2000–01, 2002–03, 2008, 2009 |
| Cork City | 3 | 1992–93, 2005, 2017 |
| Derry City | 2 | 1988–89, 1996–97 |
| Sligo Rovers | 1 | 2012 |
| Drogheda United | 1 | 2007 |
| Athlone Town | 1 | 1982–83 |
Source:
Champions by Province
| Province | Championships | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| Leinster | 32 | Dundalk (8), Shamrock Rovers (11), Shelbourne (6), St Patrick's Athletic (5), Bohemians (4), Drogheda United (1) |
| Munster | 3 | Cork City (3) |
| Ulster | 2 | Derry City (2) |
| Connacht | 1 | Sligo Rovers (1) |
Champions by County
| County | Championships | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| County Dublin | 23 | Shamrock Rovers (9), Shelbourne (6), St Patrick's Athletic (5), Bohemians (4) |
| County Louth | 9 | Dundalk (8), Drogheda United (1) |
| County Cork | 3 | Cork City (3) |
| County Londonderry | 2 | Derry City (2) |
| County Sligo | 1 | Sligo Rovers (1) |
Champions by City/Town
| City / Town | Championships | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin | 23 | Shamrock Rovers (9), Shelbourne (6), St Patrick's Athletic (5), Bohemians (4) |
| Dundalk | 8 | Dundalk (8) |
| Cork | 3 | Cork City (3) |
| Derry | 2 | Derry City (2) |
| Sligo | 1 | Sligo Rovers (1) |
| Drogheda | 1 | Drogheda United (1) |
Managers of the League
Most Successful Managers
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| Manager | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
 Stephen Kenny |
5 | 2002–03, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 |
| Pat Fenlon |
5 | 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009 |
| Stephen Bradley |
4 | 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
| Dermot Keely |
4 | 1986–87, 1994–95, 1999–00, 2001-02 |
 Jim McLaughlin |
3 | 1985–86, 1988–89, 1991–92 |
| Liam Buckley |
2 | 1998–99, 2013 |
| Michael O'Neill |
2 | 2010, 2011 |
| Brian Kerr |
2 | 1989–90, 1995–96 |
| Turlough O'Connor |
2 | 1987–88, 1990–91 |
| Vinny Perth |
1 | 2019 |
| John Caulfield |
1 | 2017 |
 Ian Baraclough |
1 | 2012 |
| Paul Doolin |
1 | 2007 |
| Damien Richardson |
1 | 2005 |
| Roddy Collins |
1 | 2000–01 |
| Pat Dolan |
1 | 1997–98 |
| Felix Healy |
1 | 1996–97 |
| Ray Treacy |
1 | 1993–94 |
| Noel O'Mahony |
1 | 1992–93 |
Current Managers of Clubs
| Name | Club | Appointed | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alan Reynolds | Bohemians | 26 March 2024 |
|
Ruaidhrí Higgins | Derry City | 23 April 2021 |
|
Kevin Doherty | Drogheda United | 2 December 2021 |
|
Noel King | Dundalk | 20 April 2024 |
|
John Caulfield | Galway United | 21 August 2020 |
|
Stephen Bradley | Shamrock Rovers | 7 July 2016 |
|
Damien Duff | Shelbourne | 3 November 2021 |
|
John Russell | Sligo Rovers | 22 May 2022 |
|
Jon Daly | St Patrick's Athletic | 2 May 2023 |
|
Keith Long | Waterford | 29 March 2023 |
Top Goal Scorers
| Season | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–86 | Tommy Gaynor |
Limerick | 15 |
| 1986–87 | Mick Byrne |
Shamrock Rovers | 12 |
| 1987–88 | Jonathan Speak |
Derry City | 24 |
| 1988–89 | Billy Hamilton |
Limerick | 21 |
| 1989–90 | Mark Ennis |
St. Patrick's Athletic | 19 |
| 1990–91 | Peter Hanrahan |
Dundalk | 18 |
| 1991–92 | John Caulfield |
Cork City | 16 |
| 1992–93 | Pat Morley |
Cork City | 20 |
| 1993–94 | Stephen Geoghegan |
Shamrock Rovers | 23 |
| 1994–95 | John Caulfield |
Cork City | 16 |
| 1995–96 | Stephen Geoghegan |
Shelbourne | 19 |
| 1996–97 | Tony Cousins |
Shamrock Rovers | 16 |
| Stephen Geoghegan |
Shelbourne | ||
| 1997–98 | Stephen Geoghegan |
Shelbourne | 17 |
| 1998–99 | Trevor Molloy |
St. Patrick's Athletic | 15 |
| 1999–00 | Pat Morley |
Cork City | 20 |
| 2000–01 | Glen Crowe |
Bohemians | 25 |
| 2001–02 | Glen Crowe |
Bohemians | 21 |
| 2002–03 | Glen Crowe |
Bohemians | 18 |
| 2003 | Jason Byrne |
Shelbourne | 21 |
| 2004 | Jason Byrne |
Shelbourne | 25 |
| 2005 | Jason Byrne |
Shelbourne | 22 |
| 2006 | Jason Byrne |
Shelbourne | 15 |
| 2007 | David Mooney |
Longford Town | 19 |
| 2008 | David Mooney |
Longford Town | 15 |
| Mark Farren |
Derry City | ||
| Mark Quigley |
St Patrick's Athletic | ||
| 2009 |  Gary Twigg |
Shamrock Rovers | 24 |
| 2010 | Gary Twigg |
Shamrock Rovers | 20 |
| 2011 |  Éamon Zayed |
Derry City | 22 |
| 2012 | Gary Twigg |
Shamrock Rovers | 22 |
| 2013 | Rory Patterson |
Derry City | 18 |
| 2014 | Christy Fagan |
St Patrick's Athletic | 20 |
| Patrick Hoban |
Dundalk | ||
| 2015 | Richie Towell |
Dundalk | 25 |
| 2016 | Sean Maguire |
Cork City | 18 |
| 2017 | Sean Maguire |
Cork City | 20 |
| 2018 | Patrick Hoban |
Dundalk | 29 |
| 2019 | Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe |
Derry City | 14 |
| 2020 | Patrick Hoban |
Dundalk | 10 |
| 2021 | Georgie Kelly |
Bohemians | 21 |
| 2022 | Aidan Keena |
Sligo Rovers | 18 |
| 2023 | Jonathan Afolabi |
Bohemians | 15 |
| Jack Moylan |
Shelbourne |
Source:
Player of the Year Awards
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Chris Forrester |
St Patrick's Athletic |
| 2022 | Rory Gaffney |
Shamrock Rovers |
| 2021 | Georgie Kelly |
Bohemian F.C. |
| 2020 | Jack Byrne |
Shamrock Rovers |
| 2019 | Jack Byrne |
Shamrock Rovers |
| 2018 | Michael Duffy |
Dundalk |
| 2017 | Sean Maguire |
Cork City |
| 2016 | Daryl Horgan |
Dundalk |
| 2015 | Richie Towell |
Dundalk |
| 2014 | Christy Fagan |
St Patrick's Athletic |
| 2013 | Killian Brennan |
St Patrick's Athletic |
| 2012 | Mark Quigley |
Sligo Rovers |
| 2011 | Éamon Zayed |
Derry City |
| 2010 | Richie Ryan |
Sligo Rovers |
| 2009 | Gary Twigg |
Shamrock Rovers |
| 2008 | Keith Fahey |
St. Patrick's Athletic |
| 2007 | Brian Shelley |
Drogheda United |
| 2006 |  Joseph N'Do |
Shelbourne |
| 2005 | Mark Farren |
Derry City |
| 2004 | Jason Byrne |
Shelbourne |
| 2003 | Jason Byrne |
Shelbourne |
| 2003 | Glen Crowe |
Bohemians |
| 2002 | Owen Heary |
Shelbourne |
| 2001 | Glen Crowe |
Bohemians |
| 2000 | Pat Fenlon |
Shelbourne |
| 1999 | Paul Osam |
St. Patrick's Athletic |
| 1998 | Pat Scully |
Shelbourne |
| 1997 | Peter Hutton |
Derry City |
| 1996 | Eddie Gormley |
St. Patrick's Athletic |
| 1995 | Liam Coyle |
Derry City |
| 1994 | Stephen Geoghegan |
Shamrock Rovers |
| 1993 | Donal O'Brien |
Derry City |
| 1992 | Pat Fenlon |
Bohemians |
| 1991 | Pat Morley |
Cork City |
| 1990 | Mark Ennis |
St. Patrick's Athletic |
| 1989 | Paul Doolin |
Derry City |
| 1988 | Paddy Dillon |
St. Patrick's Athletic |
| 1987 | Mick Byrne |
Shamrock Rovers |
| 1986 | Paul Doolin |
Shamrock Rovers |
Attendance at Games
This table shows how many people came to watch the games each season.
| Season | Total People | Average per Game | Highest at One Game | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | – | – | 7,000 | |
| 2006 | 257,745 | 1,562 | 6,080 | |
| 2007 | – | – | – | |
| 2008 | – | – | 6,870 | |
| 2009 | – | – | 6,000 | |
| 2010 | – | – | 5,500 | |
| 2011 | – | – | 5,916 | |
| 2012 | 281,925 | 1,575 | 6,097 | |
| 2013 | 307,355 | 1,552 | 4,703 | |
| 2014 | 295,384 | 1,523 | 6,219 | |
| 2015 | 324,332 | 1,638 | 6,900 | |
| 2016 | 291,258 | 1,471 | 5,453 | |
| 2017 | 377,362 | 1,906 | 6,983 | |
| 2018 | 384,520 | 2,136 | 6,672 | |
| 2019 | 375,705 | 2,087 | 7,021 | |
| 2020 | 65,700 | 2,986 | 7,522 | |
| 2021 | – | – | 7,765 | |
| 2022 | 486,365 | 2,687 | 7,726 | |
| 2023 | 596,196 | 3,294 | 8,021 |
| Key | |
|---|---|
| Record high | |
| Record low | |
| * | Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic |
The League Trophy
The trophy given to the League of Ireland champion was first shown on October 31, 2007. It's about 91 centimeters (36 inches) tall and 83 centimeters (33 inches) around. It's made of Sterling Silver mixed with other metals like copper. The design has a silver football at the very top, with the cup surrounding it. Drogheda United was the first team to lift this new trophy on November 2, 2007.
Sponsors of the League
The Premier Division has had sponsors since the early 1990s. The sponsor's name is usually added to the league's official name. Here are the main sponsors over the years:
- 1990s: Bord Gáis (called the Bord Gáis League Premier Division) and Harp Lager
- 2000–2008: Eircom (called the Eircom League Premier Division)
- 2010–present: SSE Airtricity (called the Airtricity League Premier Division)
In 2009, the league didn't have a main sponsor, but it did have other smaller sponsors like Newstalk and Electronic Arts. Besides the main sponsor, the Premier Division also has official partners and suppliers. For example, Umbro provides the official footballs for the league. Lucozade is the official drink, and Newstalk and Irish Daily Star are the official radio and newspaper partners.
More to Explore
In Spanish: Premier Division de la Liga de Irlanda para niños
- League of Ireland
- League of Ireland First Division
- Republic of Ireland football league system
- List of foreign League of Ireland players
