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Pitches & People:

The Sporting History of Dublin and its Communities

Sport History Symposium

Dublin’s sporting heritage is rich, diverse and deeply woven into the social and cultural fabric of the city and its suburbs. From local clubs to national heroes, school leagues to stadiums, sport has long been a vital part of how communities across the capital express identity, belonging and pride.

This symposium, hosted by Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) in partnership with Sports History Ireland, was opened by Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, Charlie McConalogue TD. The event brought together historians, academics, and sports men and women to explore the histories of sport across Dublin.

Historian Prof. Paul Rouse delivered the keynote address in which he examined the history of sport in Grangegorman. Grangegorman, now the home to TU Dublin's largest campus, served for over a century as the location for the largest psychiatric hospital in Ireland, the Richmond Asylum, later renamed St Brendan's Hospital.

Contributors to the symposium included US basketballers Ed Randolph and Jerome Westbooks who share the stories of their sporting lives in Ireland. A panel discussion on the topic of Inclusion and Diversity in Sport was led by representatives of Sport Against Racism Ireland: Azeez Yusuff, Taha Hassen and Kerrie Clohessy.

During the afternoon panel discussions, historians Julien Clénet, Anna Maria Mullally, Terry Clavin, Siobhán Doyle, Cormac Moore and Conor Curran each explored aspects of the symposium's themes.

Following the conclusion of the conference, attendees were welcomed to stay in TU Dublin to attend a showing of the movie Salute. This 2008 movie recalls the iconic black power salutes raised by athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos during the medal ceremony for the 200m sprint at the 1968 Olympic games.

Sport History Symposium 2026

Siobhán Doyle (presenter), Miriam O'Donoghue (event organiser), Claire Walsh (event organiser), Deirdre Lillis (President, TU Dublin), Charlie McConalogue TD (Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport), Sally-Anne Sherry (TU Dublin Chief Operations Officer), Terry Clavin (presenter), Ciarán O'Leary (event organiser), Brian Murphy (event organiser), Julien Clénet (presenter)

 

Banner image of Grangegorman in the 1950s, with sports pitches in the background, provided courtesy of the Grangegorman Development Agency.