The Republic of Ireland lined up for their friendly against Qatar last night in a special commemorative edition shirt from Umbro in celebration of the FAI’s centenary. The blue kit represents the colours worn by the Irish team when the federation was launched 100 years ago following partition.
Giving their new centenary shirt the debut it deserved, the Republic of Ireland ran out 4-0 winners in their game against Qatar at the Aviva Stadium, in Dublin last night, with Callum Robinson bagging a hat trick and Shane Duffy rounding off the scoring. And it was the first time Ireland have worn a colour other than green in a home game since May 2016, when they wore their white away kit against the Netherlands in a EURO 2016 warmup game.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) was formed in Dublin in September 1921 by the Free State League (League of Ireland). Ireland's original colours were "St Patrick's Blue" and white rather than the now-familiar green and white, and the centenary shirt acknowledges and fully embraces this. The special edition shirt is royal blue, and in place of the current crest, it features a classic Shamrock logo and a traditional collar. “1921” is embroidered beneath the collar on the back, and the kit is completed with plan white shorts and blue socks.
Unfortunately it seems that the Republic of Ireland centenary shirt has already sold out. Soz about that.
