The FAI has announced that it will formally recognise the 1924 Ireland fixtures, including the Paris Olympic Games matches played that year, as the first official senior international matches.
The 1924 Olympics Games' football tournament saw the FAI field a national side for the first time and these matches were initially considered senior international fixtures until FIFA reclassified them as amateur matches in the 1960s.
In 1999, FIFA communicated to all respective associations who competed in the 1924 Olympic Games that they could decide themselves whether or not to reclassify the matches.
Following extensive historical research undertaken by a committee including Gary Spain, Tadhg Carey, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Paul Lennon and Gerry Farrell, a proposal was put forward to the FAI board to reclassify these matches, which covers the two games played in the Olympic tournament against Bulgaria and the Netherlands, and the subsequent friendlies against Estonia and the USA.
These matches will be formally recognised by the association at an event on 27 May and at the Ireland v Hungary match at the Aviva Stadium on 4 June, with the relatives of the 1924 players who've been tracked down by the committee invited to celebrate the occasion.
The reclassification of these games means the Ireland v Bulgaria match at Stade Olympique in Colombes, where Paddy Duncan scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win, is now formally recognised as Ireland's first international match.
"This is a huge day in the history of the Football Association of Ireland and a proud moment as we formally reclassify and recognise the achievements of the 1924 side," said FAI president Paul Cooke.
While relatives for most players from those games have been found, the FAI is appealing for familial information on two players, namely Mick Farrell of St James' Gate and Frank Collins of Jacobs, along with trainer Charlie Harris from Bohemians.
Relatives of of the three are asked to contact media@fai.ie or any of the committee members on social media.
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