State Papers:  ‘Lack of safety decisions’ ahead of Lansdowne Road riots

Report into the incident concluded that the 'actual serious violence experienced ...was caused solely by English fans' and that this violence had been planned.

English fans in the upper East stand during riots at the soccer 'friendly' match at Lansdowne Road in 1995. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

A report into a riot by English soccer fans at a match between England and Ireland in Dublin in 1995 found that pre-game safety decisions and information were “not clearly understood", according to archive documents.

The Lansdowne Road riot broke out in the first half of the friendly on February 15, 1995.

English supporters forced the abandonment of the game 27 minutes into the match after Ireland took the lead.

More than 20 people were injured when projectiles were thrown from the upper to lower parts of the stadium.

Government ministers were told in the aftermath of the incident that Garda Reserve and public order members at the stadium were “insufficient” and pre-game safety decisions and information was “not clearly understood or remembered” by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and gardaí.

Confidential documents published as part of the annual release from National Archives of Ireland also show the government was told gardaí should have the final say on the kick-off time.

Violence had been planned

The Finlay Report into the incident concluded the “actual serious violence experienced at the match was caused solely by English fans” and that this violence had been planned.

In a note to Cabinet on April 4, 1995, ministers were told segregation efforts between English and Irish fans were undermined due to the reselling of returned tickets and the use of seated people as an “insufficient barrier”.

The note said: “The choice of particular parts of the stadium to accommodate English fans created difficulties.

“The Garda Reserve and public order units in the stadium were insufficient.

“Insufficient meetings were arranged between individual groups of stewards or security men and Garda personnel. 

"Some decisions made, and information conveyed in the pre-match meetings between the gardaí and the FAI were not clearly understood or remembered in the absence of written confirmation.”

The note added that information gardaí received from the English National Criminal Intelligence Service was “not sufficiently conveyed” to FAI officials.

As a result, ministers were told the Finlay Report had recommended limiting away fan numbers to less than 10% and to move away fan seats to “a portion of the north end of the lower deck of the east stand”.

It said spectators should be seated in a way that is “irrespective of whether the match is competitive or a friendly”.

This article is based on documents in the file labelled 2025/115/986 at the National Archives of Ireland.