Cliftonville FC's new Irish-language jersey has drawn criticism over a distorted map of Ireland on the back, amid claims the image is AI-generated. The strip, released this week, carries the slogan Ceannródaithe na hÉireann above an outline of the island, in white, along with the club's traditional red. The kit was launched ahead of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, which comes to Belfast next week.
What happened?
Councillor Pete Wray, who represents the Ards Peninsula, one of the malformed areas on the map, said his objection was to the accuracy of the drawing rather than the sentiment behind it. "If you're going to celebrate an island and be proud of it, why don't you draw it in a way that's accurate?" he said. "When I looked for our area we were nowhere. We're just not there."
Why it matters for Cliftonville FC
The club's social media pages also include comments from fans pointing out the inaccuracies on the map. Meanwhile, the two shirts posted on the club's social media page do not carry the same map. Placed side by side, the red and white outlines differ from one another in the shape of the coastline at multiple points, something that would not generally occur if the same piece of artwork had been used across both designs.
What comes next?
Cliftonville FC was contacted for comment by the Irish News. The club has not responded to the criticism, but it is likely that they will address the issue in the coming days. In the meantime, fans are continuing to discuss the design on social media, with some calling for the club to change the map and others defending the design as a creative choice.
Last result: Cliftonville FC 1-2 Dungannon Swifts (2026-05-09). Recent form (last 5): 3W-0D-2L (LWWWL, most recent first). Next fixture: vs Crusaders FC (at home, 2026-08-07) (6th in the table).
