Supporters
Dublin supporters, commonly known as The Dubs, are often called one of the best or one of the worst set of fans within GAA circles. This contradiction is best explained by the fact that while many consider the colour and noise that Dublin support brings to the game to be unrivalled, others consider many of the Dublin supporters to be soccer fans, due to the traditionally greater popularity of soccer in Dublin than in other parts of the country. This may also have derived from the 1970s when Heffo's army was on the march. As can be seen in this clip of the '74 final, the fans of the time had taken inspiration from English soccer fans with the song You'll Never Walk Alone. While songs are still popular with the Dublin fans they now tend to be Dublin-centric such as Molly Malone and Dublin in the Rare Old Times or focus on the team itself singing Come on you boys in blue. The Hill 16 end in Croke Park is an area for which many Dubs hold a special affection and it is not uncommon to see the Hill filled entirely with Dubs, with perhaps a few opposing supporters. This has given rise to the chant that "Hill 16 is Dublin only".
The Dublin team are sometimes called The Jacks with the ladies called The Jackies. These names came from a shortening of the word Jackeen a word used by some country folk in referring to Dubliners.
Notable fans include Jim Stynes, golfer Pádraig Harrington, rugby union star Brian O'Driscoll and actor Colm Meaney.
Read more about this topic: Dublin GAA, Board Structure
Famous quotes containing the word supporters:
“No Government can be long secure without a formidable Opposition. It reduces their supporters to that tractable number which can be managed by the joint influences of fruition and hope. It offers vengeance to the discontented, and distinction to the ambitious; and employs the energies of aspiring spirits, who otherwise may prove traitors in a division or assassins in a debate.”
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881)
“No Government can be long secure without a formidable Opposition. It reduces their supporters to that tractable number which can be managed by the joint influences of fruition and hope. It offers vengeance to the discontented, and distinction to the ambitious; and employs the energies of aspiring spirits, who otherwise may prove traitors in a division or assassins in a debate.”
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881)
“The opposition is indispensable. A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense.”
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)