Dublin City University and Bohemian Football Club and Dublin City University have agreed an 18-year multi-faceted partnership, one which both parties believe will leave deep and lasting connections in football, social inclusion, social outreach and academic programme collaboration.
The arrangement will see the DCU Sports Campus on the Ballymun Road become Bohemians’ training base, and the two north Dublin institutions working together to further develop this world-class facility.
DCU has been the base for the Dublin GAA Senior Men’s and Ladies GAA teams over recent years and that partnership will continue.
For Bohemians, this commitment will be its biggest capital investment since the 1998 construction of the Jodi Stand in Dalymount Park, which will represent a significant seven-figure investment over 18 years. Much of this will come from the benefit of the transfer bonus they received last year when former player Matt Doherty transferred from Wolves to Tottenham Hotspur.
The partnership and relocation to the DCU Sport Campus comes will take place in three phases.
Dressing rooms and common areas around the Sports area have already been fitted out with dual branding. The Gypsies Supporters Trust has made a five-figure contribution towards the cost of this.
Work is underway on the development of player meeting rooms, offices for academy and team staff, a physio room and a kit room.
The development of another sole soccer all-weather pitch with co-usage for DCU soccer, Bohemian FC, and Bohs Academy is also underway.
Access and usage will also be provided to increase participation across multiple groups, including disadvantaged groups. An application for Sports Capital Funding has been submitted to assist in this.
“This is a landmark moment for our club. The key driver in delivering this partnership, for such a long period, was our shared core values and our common goal to use sport as a force for good in society,” said Bohemian FC Chief Operating Officer Daniel Lambert.
“Bohemian FC is a fan-owned football club that now operates sustainably with respect and care for the communities we work within – this partnership embodies those aims.”
“DCU and Bohs share a deep commitment to our communities and a passionate belief in the positive impact of sport on people’s lives,” added DCU President Daire Keogh.
“This exciting partnership with Bohemians builds on DCU’s success in supporting high-performance sporting achievement, as well as promoting sport for all. This innovative venture promises to be hugely beneficial for football, and sport in general, in DCU and across the North Dublin region.”
“Together we have ambitious plans to reach out to the community where we both live, work and play, fostering new relationships and further developing existing ones,” said James Galvin, Head of Sport at the University.
“We both believe that education and sport are key enablers to develop talent, skills, success and an overall sense of belonging and achievement.”
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