A soda made from a secret homemade recipe and enjoyed locally for the last 50 years is about to be launched nationwide.

McDaid’s Football Special is a cola-style beverage which comes from Ramelton, a small town in Donegal. The owner, Edward McDaid plans on selling the homebrew nationwide.

"It is a strange product in many senses. Whatever it is about it, it seems to hit a memory button and conjure up pleasant memories of childhood, even with people who haven't tasted it before," he told the Irish Independent.

His father and his uncle developed the recipe over 50 years ago.

"My father was a founder member of the Swilly Rovers Football Club in Ramelton and they were trying to come up with a soft drink that could be put into the cup after a win, instead of whiskey.

"The fruit syrup flavors that are used are all fairly common and shouldn't belong together but they do," he said.

McDaid is currently adding a marketing and sales component to his company and is aiming to have the product available nationwide in June.