Bohemians have revealed their home shirt for the 2022 season and as usual with the club, there are more than a few novel elements to it.
The kit has been designed by in-house club designers and is produced in Ireland by O’Neill’s.
The jersey is a departure from stripes for the first time in eight seasons, to a diamond design on the front, with a full red back.
This is closer to the original kit than the black and red stripes that have become synonymous with Dalymount but which actually only came about in 1962 for the first time, a full 70 years into the club’s history.
It became the standard colour scheme in 1970 when Tony O’Connell, the club’s first professional player, was a scout for Man City, who wore red and black stripes as an away kit.
Club historian Stephen Burke feels this may have influenced Tony to bring it to Bohs more permanently.
The kit also incorporates the older crest, which features two triquetra motifs on either side of a shamrock over a shield design.
This crest was first used by the club in 1952 when it appeared on the match programme and from the late 60s onwards became the prominent club crest in use. This changed in the early 2000s when the older circular crest was revived and has been on shirts ever since.
We can only admire the fact that the club has its own historian, and also the fact that history plays such a big part in its present and future.
It is also closely aligned to pop culture and, having sported DC Fontaines logo on a shirt two years ago, will next season take to the pitch with the words of a 1995 song written by Dublin band Whipping Boy.
“We don’t need nobody else” will be on the back of the neck collar. It’s from the track of the same title, released in 1995 and written by Club member Paul Page.
“We wrote this, a song of defiance, when we had nothing and meant nothing to nobody, he said.
“Now, the club I have supported since I was a boy, will take to the field next season with this emblazoned on their jersey. Proud beyond words.”
