A vintage sportswear fair is set to take this December in Dublin. The Back Page pub in Phibsborough will host the fair which takes place on December 8th, and one of the organisers of the event, Graham Keogh, spoke to Balls about the event and the niche hobby that is vintage sportswear collection.
What's the fair about?
Myself and two other like minded souls have worked closely with The Back Page in Phibsboro for over four years bringing classic sports shirts and street wear to the masses. They are held 4 times a year, and primarily we are collectors too. We have been hoarding shirts for years, and was great to see there was demand for these outside of our four walls! What started as a niche event, we have seen attendances really grow over the last year, which shows there is a huge appetite for these classic jerseys. There is a great social element where fellow enthusiasts can pop in and see something they didn’t know they wanted and chat about their collections too! We have a good sense of what people are looking for, so we try to cater for everyone. From those who want a retro shirt to wear on Hill 16 to someone who doesn’t know what to get for Christmas for that someone special in their life. We have all that covered. The great advantage people always say to us, is that you can try the jerseys on and see how they fit, especially those slim fit 80s beauts, and nothing to go missing in the post at Christmas.
When did you first start collecting jerseys?
Like most collectors I got my first shirts as a kid wanting to wear it pretending to be like my heroes. It was only when I got a full-time job and had access to the internet that the collecting bug took hold. About 2001 I was made aware of eBay and the rest is history. I started picking up shirts I had always liked as a kid, the first I bought was the 1986 Manchester United home shirt. A lot were dictated by teams I admired in the 1980s, and also by the actual design of the jersey. The 80s shirts I adore, especially from Adidas, O'Neills and Umbro. Something about the simplicity of them. I seemed to have had far too much time on my hands back then, so if something popped up online that I liked the look of, I would hop in and buy it! So this event is a great way to pass on the unloved shirts of our collections.
Do you have a favourite jersey of all time?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, one man's shirt for painting the house is another mans framed jersey in the master bedroom! The Dutch Euro 88 shirt is generally viewed by collectors as one of the best of all time, but there is too many to choose from. Often a fave is associated with what match, a championship win, so for that reason I am liking Dundalk FC's current shirt!
Are there any obscure or rare sports jerseys that are more popular than you would think?
By far the most sought after shirts are the Italia 90, Euro 88 and world cup 1994 Irish soccer shirts. They were magic days and anyone lucky enough to get a real Adidas one at the time (and not have to settle for a Champion Cheese promotional special!) Usually wore it to death. So getting a pristine or good nick one of those after 30 years is a coup. In terms of unusual shirts, the one season adidas Kerry GAA shirt from 1997 and Maurice Fitzgerald in his pomp is iconic, similarly any Dublin GAA shirt from the 70s, 80s or 90s. The Canterbury Irish, Leinster and Munster rugby jerseys from the early 2000s were really classy and people still love wearing them.
What do you think makes a classic jersey?
When you see it, or when you wear it, it immediately takes you back to a point in time in the past of amazing memories and experience. The 2002 Irish football shirt taking you back to your bucket seat in Lansdowne Road when McAteer rattled the Dutch net, or the pub as you watched Robbie smash the ball past Oli Kahn and the Germans in Ibraki. The Dublin 1995 Arnotts jersey which bring the sound and sweat of boom boom boom and rare old times rolling through the Hill with John O'Leary lifting the Sam. The Ireland Canterbury rugby jersey with O'Gara dropping a goal in Cardiff and your fingers over your eyes as Stephens Jones' penalty is making it all the way, and then flops at the last second. All the best jerseys have a great story to go with them!
Is there any official body that has an archive of the different jerseys or is it literally left up to the likes of yourself to collect these things?
There's a big network of collectors in Ireland and online and we all help each other out when it comes to research or hard to get information, or even trying to track down a particular elusive shirt. There isn't such an archive to speak of, but we consider the fair to be a bit of a traveling museum. Literally 100's of vintage jerseys all under one roof, it's totally unique on this island. A lot of people pop in to browse and are amazed at the range from GAA, Soccer, Rugby, American sports and so much more.
Are there any obscure or rare sports jerseys that are more popular than you would think?
Juventus pink shirt, not the most beautiful but worn by rapper Drake so sought after amongst the whipper snappers. As someone said recently Adidas and Nike are making the jerseys that your kids will be wearing to music festivals.
What do you think makes a classic jersey?
Hard to say what makes a classic shirt, but we see it every at every market, someone picks a shirt off the rails, their face light up, they call their mate over and they stand there, reminiscing together, taking photos. Often they are trying to track down a shirt that has fallen apart or their parents chucked out!
When’s the next event?
Our big Christmas event is in The Back page, Phibsboro, Dublin on Saturday 8th December, from 11.30am to 3pm. Its free in, and family friendly.
The full event details can be found on Facebook here.
