ISRS How It All Started
In the beginning... In a game that is often fraught with controversial refereeing decisions, it will probably come as no surprise that such a decision brought about the birth of the Irish Soccer Referees’ Society. On an afternoon in 1959, Shamrock Rovers played Sligo Rovers at Milltown and during the course of the game a “controversial” incident occurred. No doubt many spectators turned to their neighbours to ask, “What did you think of that?” One particular question led to a conversa­tion, as the neighbours were the late Jack O’Byrne and Ignatius Martin, who were both referees. This con­versation sparked off an idea in Jack’s mind that great benefit would be derived from regular meet­ings between referees. Thus, in November 1959, seven men responded to a letter to the newspapers to attend a meeting at 321 Crumlin Road, where a “Referees’ Debating Society” was formed. The word “Debating” was subsequently dropped. The need for such a Society was evident in the number, who clamoured to join, and in a very short time, larger accommodation was needed and on a “quid pro quo” basis, Football Promotions at 94A Upper Dorset Street arranged this. Successive homes were at North Frederick Street, 16 Parnell Square, 3 St. Stephen’s Green. In the early days the Society was Dublin-based and its first President was Brendan Torsney a very prominent referee who upon retirement became a Referee Inspector. John Igoe, to whom the credit for the design of our crest must be given, succeeded him. In 1961 the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) granted official recognition of the Society and in that same year, the Society became an overseas member of the Referees’ Association. That latter connection has since been severed. The Dublin Referees were not the only ones who saw the need for organisation and in many parts of the country, notably Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork and Limerick, referees were coming to­gether. The first union of Branches took place in 1964 when Kilkenny joined with Dublin in efforts to form a national Society. In 1965 the first Execu­tive Committee (now called the Council) was elected. The first national President was John Waldron of Waterford.

The current President is Bernard Foy from Donegal