Dublin is more known for the River Liffey, a world famous waterway over which many of the Irish capital’s most famous bridges cross.
But another River, the Tolka, also takes a winding if lesser known path through Dublin.
There is considerable bird-life associated with the River Tolka including swans, ducks and multiple herons. Other regular sightings include the kingfisher.
It is said that brown trout and small salmon can be found in the river as it passes through some of Dublin’s most famous landmarks. Glasnevin Cemetery, the final resting place of Ireland’s greatest historical figures, is a home to the river as it nears the outlet of Dublin Bay.
Many of Irish football’s greatest clubs can regularly be seen at Shelbourne’s Tolka Park – a football ground in the suburb of Drumcondra and named after the river.
One end of the ground is the Riverside end.
St Pat’s, Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers and Derry City all regularly visit Tolka Park.
Opened for the purposes of football in the 1920’s the ground on Richmond Road was originally home to another club – Drumcondra.
By 1922, the Irish Free State was established and a new League of Ireland was subsequently founded.
Shelbourne were a founding member of the league.
Tolka Park – so important to the historical fabric of Shelbourne – was not however the original home of the club.
They were founded – in the best spirit of the Irish – in a pub by a group of friends in 1895. That hostelry meeting point for the founders stood near to Shelbourne Road in the south of the city.
The first football games of the club were played on a grassy pitch near where the present day Aviva Stadium stands.
Over the year’s the club has played at a number of venues including Harold’s Cross Stadium, Shelbourne Park, Irishtown Stadium and Dalymount Park.
Tolka Park is now the established base of the club after a number of years of uncertainty. A 250 year lease on using the stadium was finally granted by Dublin Council in 2024.
Anxiousness around the long term stay at the stadium stemmed from the club not being the owners of the land. Wider local municipal considerations that Shelbourne could share a new and redeveloped Dalymount Park alongside rivals Bohemians was also a worry for the club and its fans.
An affinity with Tolka Park stems from Shelbourne being the entrusted and noted custodians of the history and heritage of the ground.
Moving to Tolka Park in 1989 had sparked a resurgence for the club who went onto dominant Irish football in the 1990’s and early 2000’s.
If considerable bird life is often seen near the River Tolka then so this stadium has been witness to some of European football’s most famous names.
Panathinaikos, Brann, Rosenborg, Brondby, Steaua, Hajduk Split have all flown in to play fixtures at Tolka Park. For some its been more of a happy nest than for others.
The Croatians of Hajduk fell by the wayside at Tolka Park.
In 2024, after a break of 18 years from UEFA football, FC Zürich arrived to play a UEFA Conference League tie.
Despite this being a second leg (and Shelbourne knowing only a European miracle would get them through to the 3rd Qualifying Round) there was party atmosphere inside an anticipatory Tolka Park.
Dublin had glistened during the day as warm temperatures bathed the visiting Swiss fans many of whom had congregated in the Temple Bar area.
Shels manager Damien Duff looked agitated on the touchline throughout the tie having one eye it seemed on a critical league match against Derry City scheduled for the following week.
Shelbourne started well.
The Swiss already 3-0 up from the first leg struggled to deal with the tackles that flew in and the noticeably uneven pitch.
Chances for both sides came and went – but in the end a scoreless draw was a fair reflection of proceedings.
This was a heated affair on and off the field and one which the fans of Shelbourne had waited patiently for since 2006.
Many of the fans in attendance had not even been born when the club had its classic clashes against Hajduk, Lille and Deportivo La Coruna in the early 2000’s.
This was in many ways Shelbourne’s night despite the Irish dropping out of the competition.
Those who followed FC Zürich to the Republic brought rhythmic chanting, fireworks, smoke bombs and cheering as well as a drumbeat which coalesced superbly with a sea of flags.
Many spent the day adventuring around Dublin’s sites leaving customary stickers on just about everything Dublin’s city centre has to offer.
Not rowdy or intimidating nor uncouth those from Switzerland brought a brand of fandom to Tolka Park that the home fans had long missed.
Yet the home hoards, clad in red and white, also made a mark on what was a great occasion.