League of Ireland
 |
|
| Country | Republic of Ireland (19 teams) |
|---|---|
| Other club(s) from | Northern Ireland (1 team) |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Divisions |
Premier Division First Division U19 Division U17 Division |
| Domestic cup(s) |
FAI Cup President's Cup |
| League cup(s) |
League of Ireland Cup League of Ireland Shield Dublin City Cup Top Four Cup FAI Super Cup |
| Current champions | Dundalk F.C. (12) |
| Most championships | Shamrock Rovers (17) |
| TV partners |
RTÉ 2 Eir Sport |
| Website | SSEAirtricityLeague.ie |
The League of Ireland (Irish: Sraith na hÉireann), together with the Football Association of Ireland, is one of the two main governing bodies responsible for organising association football in the Republic of Ireland. The term was originally used to refer to a single division league. However today the League of Ireland features four divisions – the Premier Division, the First Division, an U19 Division and an U17 Division. The League of Ireland has always worked closely with the FAI and in 2006 the two bodies formally merged. All the divisions are currently sponsored by Airtricity and as a result the league is also known as the SSE Airtricity League. In 2007, it became one of the first leagues in Europe to introduce a salary cap. The league's most successful club is Shamrock Rovers who have won 17 titles. Together with Dundalk, Bohemians and Shelbourne they are one of four clubs in the league to feature a golden star above their badge in recognition of winning ten titles. Bohemians are the only club in the league to have played every season in the top division.
The League of Ireland was founded in 1921 as a single division known as the A Division. The first season featured eight teams, all from County Dublin. The teams that competed in the first season were Bohemians, Dublin United, Frankfort, Jacobs, Olympia, St. James's Gate, Shelbourne and YMCA. The eight founding members had spent the 1920–21 season playing in the Leinster Senior League. Bohemians and Shelbourne had played in the 1919–20 Irish League. St James's Gate were the inaugural champions. Gate also went on to complete a treble having already won both the 1921–22 FAI Cup and 1921–22 Leinster Senior Cup. In 1922–23 the league was expanded to twelve clubs. Among the new members were Shamrock Rovers, who finished as champions, and Athlone Town who became the first team from outside of County Dublin to compete in the league. Together with fellow Dublin clubs teams, Bohemians and Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers would go onto dominate the league during the 1920s and the 1930s.
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