The decision of small groups of fans at a number of recent matches to boo the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, is "most disappointing", his brother, Cllr Maurice Ahern, has said.
In a letter published today in The Irish Times, Cllr Ahern said the Taoiseach was booed by up to 80 Dublin football fans at last Sunday's All-Ireland Championship match with Derry in Clones.
"The booing may not have been audible on the stand side but certainly on the terrace side where, together with my family and friends, I was standing, it was easily noticeable, particularly from an area close to the TV broadcasting box."
He said it was "difficult to understand why one of the Dubs' best supporters should be booed by his own".
Speaking last night, he said: "If it was the Derry supporters who had done that, you would have told them to get up the yard." In his letter, Cllr Ahern said his youngest brother had missed just one championship match in 41 years, "together with attending countless league and other games in support of the Dubs".
"His love of sport extends much further. As a boy he picked and snipped gooseberries to accumulate the cost of a season ticket to support his beloved Drumcondra FC in the League of Ireland."
Cllr Ahern said he had not told the Taoiseach he was writing to the newspapers. "I don't know whether the booing is organised or not, but it is odd that these people were near the television broadcasting box." He said he was not surprised his brother had been booed at the Special Olympics ceremony because "that had been set up for them in the weeks running up to it".
"People had spoken about politicians and photo-opportunities. Bertie doesn't need photos ... He didn't go because he wanted photos. He went because he wanted to, because he cared."
