In the past the Northern Ireland football team has been more associated with the Protestant community than the Catholic one. read more
For that reason there's limited interest for some people in football and hence the Northern Ireland team. However, my experience of normal people (as in not heavily political) was that they supported anything remotely Irish, including Northern Irish teams. read more
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. From 1882 to 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association (IFA). read more
Their father, my mother's brother, is from Dublin, and their mother is local to the area, and they support both teams. I would say that in that area, the locals still support the Republic of Ireland team more, but there is little ill will towards the Northern Ireland team. read more