Dublin Rebels

{{short description|American football team in Ireland}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=December 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}} {{Infobox sports team  | name = Dublin Rebels  | logo = Dublin_Rebels_American_Football_Club_logo.png | logo_size = | alt =  | caption =  | full_name = Dublin Rebels American Football Club  | nicknames =  | short_name =  | sport = American football | founded = 1995<ref name="LibertyAmericanFootball">{{cite news |last=McCabe |first=Scott |title=American football in Ireland: slowly growing its influence |url=https://www.theliberty.ie/2021/04/28/american-football-in-ireland-an-insight-into-the-people-influencing-its-growth-on-our-shores/ |work=The Liberty |date=2021-04-28 |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref>  | folded =  | current =  | league = American Football Ireland  | conference =  | division = Premier Division  | history =  | arena =  | ballpark =  | stadium = Kilternan, Kirwan Park, De La Salle Palmerston FC<ref name="DublinRebelsFAQ">{{cite web |title=FAQ |url=https://www.dublinrebels.com/faq |website=Dublin Rebels |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref> | city = Dublin, Ireland  | location =  | colors =  | colours = Black, Red | championships = 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2023 | League_titles =  | division_titles =  | playoff_berths =  | website = {{URL|www.dublinrebels.com}}  }}

The '''Dublin Rebels''' are an American football team based in Dublin, Ireland. As of 2025, the team competes in the Premier Division of American Football Ireland (AFI). They are the most successful team in the top flight of AFI, having won the Shamrock Bowl championship 10 times,<ref name="americanfootballXXXI">{{Cite web|url=http://www.americanfootball.ie/dublin-rebels-win-shamrock-bowl-xxxi/|title = Dublin Rebels win Shamrock Bowl XXXI | website = americanfootball.ie |date = 13 August 2017}}</ref><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/><ref name="IndependentTyHenry">{{cite news |last=Brennan |first=Shane |title=Ty Henry leads Dublin Rebels to Shamrock Bowl victory in 'the best game I have seen in Europe' |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/ty-henry-leads-dublin-rebels-to-shamrock-bowl-victory-in-the-best-game-i-have-seen-in-europe/a249121885.html |work=Irish Independent |date=2023-07-17 |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref> as well as winning European silverware on the amateur level.<ref name="EirballIrishEuropean">{{cite web |title=Irish v European Football Teams |url=https://eirball.ie/irish-v-european-football-teams/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=13 January 2024 |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref> The club registered undefeated seasons in the Irish top flight in 2006,<ref name="EirballIAFL2006">{{cite web |title=Irish American Football Association Irish American Football League 2006 |url=https://eirball.ie/irish-american-football-association-irish-american-football-league-2006/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=11 March 2019 |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref> 2010,<ref name="EirballIAFL2010">{{cite web |title=Irish American Football Association Irish American Football League 2010 |url=https://eirball.ie/irish-american-football-association-irish-american-football-league-2010/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=24 March 2019 |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref> and 2023.<ref name="IndependentTyHenry"/>

== History == The Dublin Rebels were founded in 1995,<ref name="LibertyAmericanFootball"/> initially competing in flag football leagues. After the hiatus of the Irish top flight in 2000, the Rebels became one of the four initial teams of the re-instituted Irish American Football League (IAFL) that began with the 2001 season.<ref name="AFIJourneyToThirty">{{cite web |last=Morrow |first=Scott |title=Journey to Thirty |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/journey-to-thirty/ |website=American Football Ireland |date=2016-08-04 |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref> They won their first Shamrock Bowl title that season, defeating the Carrickfergus Knights 28–7 in Shamrock Bowl XV.<ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/>

In the early 2000s, the team won four consecutive Shamrock Bowls from 2003 to 2006.<ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> In their 2006 season, the team finished with a perfect 10–0 record across the regular season and postseason.<ref name="EirballIAFL2006"/> They added further championships in 2010 and 2011,<ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> with 2010 again being a "perfect season".<ref name="EirballIAFL2010"/> This period also saw their first success in wider European competition, taking home the EFAF Charleroi Trophy in 2002<ref name="EirballCharleroi2002"/> and 2003<ref name="EirballCharleroi2003"/> in Charleroi, Belgium, with an additional tournament appearance in 2004.<ref name="EirballCharleroi2004">{{cite web |title=European Federation of American Football Charleroi Trophy 2004 |url=https://eirball.ie/european-federation-of-american-football-charleroi-trophy-2004/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=15 May 2019 |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref>

[[File:Trojans Vs Rebels.jpg|thumb|Rebels players competing against the Belfast Trojans in 2013]] After a lull in silverware success despite a Shamrock Bowl appearance in 2013, the Rebels won the Shamrock Bowl in 2016 and 2017, the latter a narrow 12–6 win over Carrickfergus.<ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> That same year, they won the IFAF Atlantic Cup, defeating Romania's Bucharest Rebels 42–14.<ref name="EirballAtlanticCup2017"/>

After American Football Ireland returned to play after two cancelled seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021, the Rebels appeared in three consecutive Shamrock Bowls from 2022 to 2024 (in each case facing UCD).<ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/> In the 2023 season, the Rebels completed a third perfect season and secured their 10th title.<ref name="IndependentTyHenry"/>

== Honours ==

=== Domestic === * '''Shamrock Bowl Champions''' (10): XV (2001), XVII (2003), XVIII (2004),<ref name="EirballShamrockBoxScores">{{cite web |title=Shamrock Bowls Box-Scores and Match Reports 1986–Present |url=https://eirball.ie/shamrock-bowls-box-scores-and-match-reports-1986-present/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=24 February 2025 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> XIX (2005), XX (2006), XXIV (2010), XXV (2011), XXX (2016), XXXI (2017),<ref name="EirballShamrockBowls">{{cite web |title=American Football Ireland Shamrock Bowls 1986–Present |url=https://eirball.ie/american-football-ireland-shamrock-bowls-1986-present/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=27 May 2020 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> XXXV (2023)<ref name="LuckyShowShamrock">{{cite web |title=Shamrock Bowl |url=http://www.luckyshow.org/football/Shamrock%20Bowl.htm |website=Luckyshow.org |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> * '''Shamrock Bowl Finalists''' (6): XXII (2008), XXIII (2009), XXVII (2013), XXXII (2018), XXXIV (2022), XXXVI (2024)<ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/>

=== International === * IFAF '''Atlantic Cup''' Champions (1): 2017<ref name="EirballAtlanticCup2017">{{cite web |title=International Federation of American Football Europe Atlantic Cup IX 2017 |url=https://eirball.ie/international-federation-of-american-football-europe-atlantic-cup-ix-2017/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=15 May 2019 |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref> * EFAF '''Charleroi Trophy Champions''' (2): 2002,<ref name="EirballCharleroi2002">{{cite web |title=European Federation of American Football Charleroi Trophy 2002 |url=https://eirball.ie/european-federation-of-american-football-charleroi-trophy-2002-2004/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=18 February 2019 |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref> 2003<ref name="EirballCharleroi2003">{{cite web |title=European Federation of American Football Charleroi Trophy 2003 |url=https://eirball.ie/european-federation-of-american-football-charleroi-trophy-2003/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=15 May 2019 |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref><ref name="EirballIrishEuropean"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.dublinrebels.com/|Official club website}}

Category:American football teams in the Republic of Ireland Category:American football teams in County Dublin Category:1995 establishments in Ireland Category:American football teams established in 1995