How Bohemian FC Became a Global Merchandise Megapower

For decades, Bohemian FC were best known as a historic but modestly supported League of Ireland club nestled in the heart of Dublin’s northside.

Founded in 1890, the club carried an air of romanticism for Irish football purists - member-owned, community-driven, and staunchly independent. But in recent years, Bohs have undergone a remarkable transformation. Not so much on the pitch, where they've not won a major trophy since 2010, but in the boardroom, where they have become the most commercially savvy club in Irish football.

At the heart of this transformation is one unlikely engine of growth: merchandise, and more specifically, jerseys. Not just any jerseys, but some of the boldest, most culturally resonant kits ever produced in Irish football, featuring everyone from Bob Marley to Oasis, and inspired by themes ranging from workers rights to Palestinian solidarity. Bohemians have turned the humble football shirt into a canvas for politics, pop culture, and purpose, and fans at home and abroad are buying in, literally.

The Bob Marley Jersey That Went Viral

The spark that lit the fuse came in 2018, when Bohemians unveiled a kit featuring a silhouette of Bob Marley. At first glance, it was a nod to a famous concert the reggae icon played at Dalymount Park, the home of Bohemians and the former home ground for the Irish national team, in 1980, but it quickly became something more. The shirt went viral, grabbing headlines around the world.

While licensing issues meant the shirt was later pulled and redesigned, the point had already been made, there was a global appetite for something different in football culture. Where most clubs release templated kits from the same few manufacturers, Bohs had struck a chord by offering something authentic, local, and infused with meaning.

Follow-Up Hits: Oasis, Fontaines DC, and More

In 2021, Bohemians deepened their connection to the capital’s music scene with the launch of a jersey in collaboration with Fontaines D.C., one of Dublin’s most acclaimed modern bands. The partnership was a perfect cultural fit, both the club and the band represent the raw, working-class soul of the city.

Currently, there is a major housing crisis in Ireland with over 15,000 people without a place to call their own, many of those being children. Bohemians first teamed up with Fontaines in 2021 to release a kit in support of homelessness charity, Focus Ireland.

Bohemians new third kit is a collaboration with Fontaines D.C. and will raise significant funds for @MedicalAidPal. So we're obviously big fans. pic.twitter.com/qIMvj3CdyQ

— COPA90 (@Copa90) December 5, 2024

The most recent colab between the two was designed in order to raise funds for Medical Aid For Palestinians (MAP). The Fontaines D.C. kits are more than just a football jersey, they're a visual love letter to Dublin’s urban poetry.

Limited in release and selling out out quickly, the Fontaines jerseys caught attention across both the football and music worlds. It wasn’t just worn by Bohs fans, it was picked up by Fontaines fans globally, many of whom had no prior connection to the League of Ireland.

The jersey underscored Bohs’ belief that football culture doesn’t have to live in a vacuum. It can collide with music, art, activism, and fashion, and in that intersection, generate new energy and reach.

🚨 𝑺𝑯𝑰𝑹𝑻 𝑨𝑳𝑬𝑹𝑻: The new Bohemians FAI Cup shirt.

Featuring the iconic Oasis logo in Dublin’s classic blue tones, this jersey is a tribute to music, culture, and the city that has shaped them.

What do you think? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/8XaO1BFmwM

— Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts) July 1, 2025

It also showcased the club’s unique position in Irish football - no other club could credibly pull off such a collaboration and have it resonate so naturally.

Just like the Marley and Oasis kits, the Fontaines D.C. jersey wasn’t about riding a trend, it was about celebrating shared identity and giving fans something to believe in, and wear proudly.

A 2021 kit, emblazoned with the slogan “Refugees Welcome” in partnership with Amnesty International, underlined the club’s commitment to inclusivity and justice. In every case, the club’s guiding principle was clear - merchandise can have meaning, and fans, especially younger ones, respond to that.

Commercial Impact: From Niche to Global

The numbers tell their own story. While League of Ireland clubs traditionally operate on shoestring budgets, Bohs have carved out an unusual advantage. Their jerseys have become collector’s items not only for Irish football fans, but for international consumers, many of whom have no prior connection to the League of Ireland but are drawn to Bohs’ messaging, aesthetic, and values.

Online sales have become a huge part of the club’s business model. Orders come in from the UK, mainland Europe, the US, Japan, Australia and far, far more. Bohs merchandise routinely sells out within days of release, creating hype and scarcity more associated with streetwear brands than football clubs.

Bohemians x O’Neills x Guinness

Now that’s a Goalkeeper shirt to shout about. pic.twitter.com/50RdNvspdI

— They Think Kits All Over (@TheyThinkKits) April 4, 2025

Their collaboration with O’Neills, a proudly Irish manufacturer, has also helped keep the production local and the branding authentic. It’s a commercial strategy rooted in identity, Dublin, politics, music and resistance that gives Bohemians a powerful and rare cultural capital.

Bohemians have gone from a club with merchandise revenues in the thousands to a turnover that was €4.5m in 2024, and €2m came from merchandise.

A Model for Modern Football?

In an era where top-flight clubs chase ever-larger global markets with increasingly generic branding, Bohemians have taken the opposite approach and, it’s paid off. By doubling down on their unique history, values, and location, they’ve created merchandise that tells stories and stands for something.

Bohemian FC x ONeills x Guinness

Out Today 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/gz84q3DB7e

— They Think Kits All Over (@TheyThinkKits) April 16, 2025

They are no longer just a football club, they’re a brand, a movement, and a symbol of progressive Irish identity at a time when Irish popular culture is booming, from world-renowned actors such as Cillian Murphy to bands like Kneecap and Fontaines DC, the Irish are front and centre on the world stage. With the club struggling to fit any more supporters into its dated but historic old home, their reach and revenue from merchandise puts them miles ahead of many domestic rivals.

Conclusion: More Than Just a Jersey

What Bohemian FC have achieved with their merchandise revolution is about more than just selling shirts, it’s about transforming perception. They’ve turned a small, member-run football club into an international symbol of creativity, activism, and culture.

In doing so, they’ve proven that football clubs don’t need millions in TV money to make an impact. They need a sense of purpose, a strong identity, and a willingness to do things differently.

And for fans proudly donning their Bob Marley, Oasis, or “Refugees Welcome” shirts in cities far beyond Dublin, Bohs aren’t just a team, they’re a statement.