Bohemian FC and DCU announce 18-year collaborative partnership
Dublin City University and Bohemian Football Club 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.
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.
The partnership and relocation to the DCU Sport Campus comes in three phases:
- Phase 1 (Completed): Dressing room fit-outs with thanks to the Gypsies Supporters Trust for a five-figure contribution, and Bohs area branding.
- Phase 2 (In progress): Development of player meeting rooms, offices for academy and team staff, physio room, kit room.
- Phase 3 (In progress): Development of another sole football all-weather pitch with co-usage for DCU soccer, Bohemian FC, and Bohs-SKB. Access and usage will also be provided to increase participation across multiple groups, including disadvantaged groups. Sports Capital Application for this has been submitted.
In welcoming the partnership, DCU President, Professor Daire Keogh, said:
“DCU and Bohs share a deep commitment to our communities and a passionate belief in the positive impact of sport on people’s lives. 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.”
James Galvin, DCU Director of Sports and Wellbeing, added:
"I am delighted to welcome Bohemian Football Club as a new partner to DCU. 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. We both believe that education and sport are key enablers to develop talent, skills, success and an overall sense of belonging and achievement."
Ken Robinson, CEO DCU Sport, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Bohemian FC to DCU Sport because we feel that we have shared values and shared philosophies. We have worked hard over the past sixteen years to develop a world-class facility and we really believe that together we can develop it even further into the future. We welcome this relationship and it is one that will go from strength to strength.”
Bohemian FC Chief Operating Officer Daniel Lambert said:
“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.
“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.
“I wish to particularly thank Ken Robinson, Declan Raftery and James Galvin from DCU for their contribution and input in delivering this partnership.”
Bohemian FC first-team manager Keith Long said:
“DCU is a university that is immersed in sport - as is evident by their world class facilities and their School of Health and Human Performance, which is renowned for its research and development in areas such as sport science and athletic therapy, in addition to their success in a variety of sports and health-related programmes.
“It is without doubt that Bohemians will benefit from being in such a high performance environment as the club looks to progress sustainably into the future.
“We are looking forward with excitement at the potential of this partnership and the scope for growth it offers our club, which has committed to significant capital investment to advance the facility further.
“We want to create a facilitative environment where our players are highly challenged and highly supported. This partnership and our plans for the future can help us achieve this.
“There are so many people to thank, including the Gypsies Supporters’ Trust for the support for the first phase of this project. They have financially got behind every initiative we have brought to them to help improve conditions for the players over the years and what they have done with this move to DCU is absolutely fantastic. The players and staff thank them sincerely.”