IRELANDSOCCERSHIRTS.COM WISH LIST PG 19

National Football Exhibition, Sunday, December 2 to Sunday, December 9, 11am-7pm, The Printworks, Dublin Castle

Free entry in The Printworks in Dublin Castle.

The exhibition then over the course of the next 18 months or so will visit 9 different locations around the country before coming back to Dublin for the Euro 2020 group games.

It is the first exhibition of its kind to feature the history of the Irish team as well as the game in general in this country & hopefully as I said it can act as the first step towards a bricks & mortar permanent fit for purpose museum dedicated to the history of the game in this country.

A very emotional night for me last night at the launch of the National Football Exhibition in Dublin Castle.

It seems a lifetime ago in 2002 I had one Irish jersey & a dream that one day in Ireland we would have a fit for purpose museum dedicated to the history of the game & its impact on all areas of the country over the last 100 years.

Irelandsoccershirts.com has just been a vehicle to drive the debate around the subject & show what is possible with some imagination & belief. This has not nor ever will be a commercial venture for myself personally & I have never earned a cent out of the project.

I know now that between myself, private individuals, former players & their families & the FAI along with the archive collection in UCD that the full content of an Irish soccer museum is in place.

We now need to find a permanent fit for purpose building & the support of Dublin City Council to make this a reality.

Last night was another step on the journey. James Nolan's parents Jimmy & Essie were guests at the event last night & I am so happy that James is remembered in the NFE app along with actual exhibits in the exhibition.

Jimmy & Essie are extremely honoured & proud that 6 years after his tragic passing that their son James is still very much part of the team that he loved to support.

Their support to me has been incredible & an inspiration to me to keep going.As a parent myself I don't know where they get their strength from. They love their son & it was just a really special evening last night with them as they know that Irish fans still hold James in our thoughts.

My sincere thanks to everyone on YBIG & beyond for your support with the website, photography, sourcing items, getting them signed, the book etc.

I hope Irish fans will come out & support the exhibition in Dublin & in the 7 other locations around the country over the next 18 months or so.

I honestly believe that if we build it, they will come. 🇮🇪⚽💚

Eddie. #YBIG

Super it really is , did laugh when i saw Eddie on the box last night sort face to the name thing . 

Was at it today . Great work Eddie . I’d say that only the tip of the iceberg of your collection they have on show

Eddie 

The National Football Exhibition #NFE2020 has just finished up the Cork leg of its journey around the country.

The next stop is Limerick in June 2019 with the dates to be confirmed.

For the last number of years i have been working on finding either one home or a few homes for the "James Nolan Collection". The collection is still growing and i hope to have another photography update in June 2019 with the new additions.

As i type some items from the "James Nolan Collection" are on display in the Croke Park Museum and others are in the National Football Exhibition until at least the summer of 2020.

After many years of annoying them ( in a nice way no tennis balls were thrown!!) i am delighted to say that the Aviva Stadium has nearly completed a revamp of their stadium tour which will open to the public again in mid April 2019.

Included now for the first time will be historic items from both the history of Irish rugby and Irish football from the stadiums famous past.

I am delighted to say that the area featuring the FAI items will have James Nolans name associated with it as most of the items come from the collection bearing his name and are hopefully now going to be on public display for many years to come.

I know James & Essie and the rest of the Nolan family are delighted that Jame's name will be remembered in the stadium where he loved to support his team.

Hopefully with the centenary of the FAI coming in 2021 there is still a chance that a dedicated Irish football museum could be opened somewhere in Ireland.

You have to dream big as an Irish fan!!!

#YBIG

Photographs of the jerseys on display? I would be more interested in photographs of the photographs of the jerseys, is there any chance of that?

MC Hammered wrote: The Classic Football shirts website have a pop up store in South Anne St at the moment. I picked up some nice old Leeds gear yesterday

Fair play MC , good for starting the fire at home