The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) today unveiled a commemorative alcove in honour of Irish football legend Ronnie Nolan at FAI headquarters in Abbotstown.

The former Ireland and Shamrock Rovers player (pictured right with his wife, Fran, and below at the 1965 FAI Cup final) was joined at Abbotstown by family members and former team-mates, including Liam Tuohy, Gerry Mackey and Liam Hennessy, for the unveiling of the alcove, which displays memorabilia from Nolan’s playing career.

Nolan becomes the sixth former international player to be honoured with an alcove at Abbotstown, following tributes to Liam Whelan, Shay Brennan, John Giles, Dave Walsh and Con Martin Senior.

Nolan made his Ireland debut in the October 1956 2-0 victory over Denmark at Dalymount Park and went on to win ten senior international caps.

One of the outstanding players of his generation, Nolan was part of the famous Shamrock Rovers side of the 1950s which became known as ‘the Coad’s Colts’. Nolan famously scored the winning goal for Shamrock Rovers in the 1956 FAI Cup final, when the Hoops came from 2-0 down against Cork Athletic to score three goals inside the last fourteen minutes of the match.

Nolan had much success in the FAI Cup, winning the competition six times during a glittering career, which also saw him win four League of Ireland titles.

Unveiling the commemorative alcove today, FAI President David Blood said that Nolan had made an important contribution to Irish football:

“Ronnie was one of the true greats of his era. His name will forever be linked with what is still regarded by many as the greatest League of Ireland team of all time – the Shamrock Rovers team of the 1950s that became known all over Ireland as the Coad’s Colts. The team that Paddy Coad put together at Shamrock Rovers is credited with changing the way Irish teams played football. Wherever they went, tens of thousands of people would follow.

"Over 50 years after the Coad’s Colts first played together, the names of the players still roll off the tongue. Ronnie Nolan was central to everything the Coad’s Colts achieved. The strength of that Shamrock Rovers side can be seen by the fact that there were four members of that Hoops team on the Ireland side that defeated West Germany 3-0 in Dublin in 1956.

Ronnie’s truly was a remarkable career, and I am delighted that this commemorative alcove will help to ensure that his glittering career will act as an inspiration to future generations of Irish football stars.”