With the increasingly globalised nature of modern society, it has become increasingly common for footballers to be eligible to play for more than one country. That has benefitted the Republic of Ireland down through the years, who have brought in quite a few players who were born in other countries.
That dynamic has also benefitted some born in Ireland who would go on to represent other nations at international level.
Of course, such decisions cannot be taken lightly. Tying yourself to one nation for the remainder of your career is always a big call to make.
With that in mind, here are 11 players that turned down other countries in order to pursue a career with the Republic of Ireland.
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10 players that chose the Republic of Ireland over other countries
Shane Duffy - Northern Ireland
Derry native Shane Duffy was first brought into the Northern Ireland setup at U16 level, going on to play for the side all the way up until U21s.
However, when a senior call-up was suggested, he had a big decision to make.
The centre back would ultimately opt to throw his lot in with the Republic of Ireland in 2010, a decision that caused some controversy. Then Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington said at the time that he felt his team were at the mercy of a 'loophole' that allowed players to move down south.
There is a loophole where a player can walk away after a lot of time and investment has gone in. Until it is resolved, that's where we are. Shane has represented Northern Ireland all the way through from a very early age to the Under-21s.
I am a big admirer of Shane. I like him as a player and a lot of work has gone in with different coaches. I am disappointed with the situation as he is going to be a very good player.
Shane has decided, after discussing the matter with his family, to represent the Republic. As a manager, I have got to respect that.
This move made by Shane Duffy is one that would be replicated on a number of occasions in the years that followed.
David McGoldrick - Scotland
Prior to making his Ireland debut in 2014, David McGoldrick was courted by Scotland. He was never really interested, with the striker going on to begin the process of securing his Irish passport.
As it turns out, he reckons he would not have been eligible for the Scots in any case.
While the striker would earn his first Ireland cap in 2014, he would have to wait another five years before becoming a regular in the squad.
Kevin Kilbane - England
Kevin Kilbane earned 110 caps for Ireland during a glittering international career, although things could have been very different had he made a different decision as a youth player.
While Kilbane has always considered himself as an Irishman even as he was born and raised in Preston, he did have the opportunity to play for England. He was called up to play for their U18 team, although he dismissed it out of hand.
Again “If I WERE offered an England cap”. I WAS offered a chance to play for England before playing for Ireland and politely declined but again thanks for the tweet pal. Enjoy your night! 👍🏻 https://t.co/0TYR00T3BE
— Kevin Kilbane (@kdkilbane77) June 18, 2021
He only ever had an interest in playing for Ireland, going on to become one of the team's best players of the 21st century.
Connor O'Riordan - Scotland
Connor O'Riordan found himself at the centre of a storm a few months back, with the Ireland U21 defender receiving an unexpected call-up from Scotland ahead of their Euro qualifiers back in October.
The move caused quite a bit of confusion at the time, with there having been no previous indication that the defender was considering an international switch. As it turns out, the player himself was also shocked by the move and soon committed his international future to Ireland.
O'Riordan would go on to sign for Blackburn Rovers last month and is a name to keep a close eye on over the next couple of years.
Sean Moore - Northern Ireland
Sean Moore was at the centre of an international tug-of-war in recent times, with the teenager forced into a choice between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
He had represented the North at youth level, and despite still being just 17-years old, he was reportedly being considered for a senior call-up due to his form at Cliftonville.
However, the winger would instead declare for Ireland, going on to make his debut at U19 level in March of last year. He has since joined West Ham.
James McCarthy - Scotland
James McCarthy was a prodigious young talent when he first came through the rank at Hamilton Academical, although it was Ireland that managed to contact the player first in order to bring him in at youth level. He qualified for the nation through his Donegal-born grandfather.
McCarthy later admitted that he would have had no issue in playing Scotland had they approached him first, but he remained committed to the Irish cause once he linked up with the squad at U17 level.
The midfielder would turn down a number of advances from Scotland in the years that followed, with speculation continuing over his international future even after he made his senior debut in a friendly against Brazil in 2010.
Even though McCarthy never gave any indication that was willing to switch, his future was finally sealed when he made his competitive debut for Ireland in 2011. He would go on to earn 43 caps in green.
Evan Ferguson - England
There was never any chance that Evan Ferguson was going to play for England. The Bettystown native had no interest in playing for anyone apart from Ireland at international level.
However, that did not stop England from asking the question.
The FA did approach Ferguson's representatives to raise the possibility of a switch, with the forward qualifying through his English-born mother.
It was always a non-starter, with the youngster quickly putting in their place any English media representatives that asked about his decision.
Talksport: 'And what's the reason that you're so committed to Ireland?'
Evan Ferguson: 'Because I'm Irish'
Never not at it.pic.twitter.com/vhefO0D4NC— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) November 10, 2023
Well said.
Mark Sykes - Northern Ireland
Mark Sykes was a mainstay in the Northern Ireland youth setup during his teenage years, representing the side from U18 to U21 level. In fact, he played 11 times for them at U21 level.
He would receive a call-up to the Northern Ireland senior squad in May of 2019, although he would not link up with the squad. The same would happen in September of that year, with Sykes going on to inform the IFA a year later that he wished to switch to the Republic of Ireland.
The midfielder would eventually be called up by Stephen Kenny at the end of 2022, becoming the first Belfast native to play for the country since the 1940s when he made his debut against Malta.
Speaking soon after, Sykes explained why he opted to make the switch once he became a senior player.
When I was growing up there was never anything for me to be part of regarding the Republic of Ireland.
Our family didn't have a lot of money, they couldn't drive me back and forward to Dublin or wherever a soccer school was set up...
When you're young the nationality side of things doesn't come into it as much, but when you're older you realise 'maybe that is the thing for me'.
I loved my time as part of the Northern Ireland set-up, I'd never say anything bad about it. I didn't play any senior games unfortunately but in a way that benefitted me as I was able to become a Republic of Ireland player.
Sykes has earned three Ireland caps up this point. At 26-years old, that tally is likely to grow quite a bit over the coming seasons.
Alan McLoughlin - England
Born in Manchester to two Irish parents, Alan McLoughlin had a decision to make when both Ireland and England came calling about call-ups to their respective 'B' teams.
It came in 1990 when he was a 22-year old Swindon Town player, with both teams wanting to call him up for an upcoming game in Turners Cross.
For McLoughlin, it was a straightforward decision. Here's how he summed up the moment in his autobiography:
My heart started racing. I had been selected to play for England ‘B'. I excitedly started making telephone calls. I couldn't get through to Dad at his work, so next I called Mum. She was delighted with the news.
Then I turned back to the pile of mail sitting on the door mat. Four other letters – fast food menu, council tax bill, energy bill – and one plain, slightly dog-eared brown envelope. It was from the Football Association of Ireland. I had been selected to play for Ireland ‘B' too!
I phoned Mum up again. This time, I heard a little crack of emotion in her voice as she told me how proud of me she was. Although she was trying to hide it, she was a lot more excited. This was the woman who had regularly cycled across Manchester in the rain just to watch me play school matches as a kid. And that was it for me: Ireland.
Great stuff.
James McClean - Northern Ireland
It's difficult now to think of James McClean playing for anyone other than the Republic of Ireland at international level, but he spent quite a bit of time in the Northern Ireland setup during the early stages of his career. He would be capped all the way up to U21 level.
However, he would get the ball rolling on his international switch just before he made the move from Derry City to Sunderland in the summer of 2011. It was a move that caused a huge amount of controversy at the time.
His remarkable form at the Stadium of Light after he turned down a Northern Ireland call-up led became a serious topic of conversation up North, with DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds having this to say at the time:
Action should now be taken to stop the haemorrhaging of talent from Northern Ireland.
The British and Irish governments should now work to address this injustice which sees footballing talent developed in Northern Ireland, at some considerable cost, lost to compete at international level with the Republic’s team.
James McClean made it clear that he felt players with his political beliefs were not made to feel at home in the Northern Ireland setup, with the winger going on to become a key player down south in the years that followed.
He retired from international football last year with 103 caps to his name.
Aiden McGeady - Scotland
Were it not for the random selection policy employed by the Scotland Schools team, there is every chance that Aiden McGeady would not have played for Ireland at international level.
He was called up by Scotland Schools at U13 level, a period when he lined out for the Queens Park academy. The player would soon make the move to Celtic, who at that time had a policy that did not allow their players to play for their school teams.
The Scotland Schools side did not select players who did not feature for their schools, meaning McGeady was not eligible for selection. Ireland did not have that rule in place, with Packie Bonner soon identifying his Irish roots and bringing the youngster into Ireland Schools U15 squad.
McGeady would later be named in a Scotland U16 squad, but his mind was made up. He was going to represent Ireland moving forward.
The player would receive no shortage of abuse for this decision from Scottish football fans during his time at Celtic, something he would question some years later:
It's small-minded individuals, isn't it? That's all it is. The other players I mentioned, why did they not get the same abuse that I got? Any idea? Because I played for Celtic? Because I played for Ireland?
Hearts, Hibs, Motherwell, Falkirk - everywhere, booed everywhere I went. They wanted me to fail. Didn't happen to anybody else, did it? James McCarthy got the same.
Plenty of other players have switched allegiances to countries, but they've not all got that.
Aiden McGeady would earn 93 caps for Ireland at senior level, playing in two major tournaments along the way.
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