The American football fans flocking to Ireland for Saturday’s big game between Notre Dame and Navy are already having a ball.
Up to 35,000 visitors are in town for the sell-out game at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium in a $130 million boost to the economy.
Notre Dame fans are swelling tourist coffers all across the country with the Irish Times reporting an upturn for everything from tourism sites to golf clubs.
The paper reports that CIÉ Tours International have brought 1,500 visitors with their itinerary including visits to the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara and Killarney.
Group leader John Madden is hosting a group of 227 football fans from Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The paper reports that they arrived in Dublin on Monday and stopped at the Guinness Storehouse in the city and Kilbeggan Distillery, near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, before heading west.
Madden told the Irish Times: “Nothing like a Guinness and a whiskey early in the day. Everyone is having a ball. They love the pubs at night and today we are enjoying a visit to Connemara Marble.”
CIÉ tour guide Brendan Heneghan, escorting a group of 84 fans who arrived on Saturday, added: “They are very excited about the game on Saturday.”
With Dublin hotels sold-out months ago, Heneghan’s group will stay as far afield as Cavan on the night of the match before returning to Dublin to fly home on Sunday.
Group leader Inge Gladieux revealed she was in Dublin when the sides last played each other in Ireland in 1996.
She said: “Sixteen years ago we did exactly the same itinerary, and about 30 per cent of our group are from that trip. They enjoyed it so much they wanted to do exactly the same thing.
“Our trip includes visits to the Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Castle, Dingle and the Ring of Kerry.”
Joining Gladieux’s group are retired football players including Bob Gladieux and Coley O’Brien, who were both on the Notre Dame team in 1966 when they controversially drew with Michigan State and both colleges were awarded national championships.
O’Brien told the Irish Times: “I wanted to come here when Notre Dame played Navy in 1996 but I left it too late to book.
“When I heard they were coming back I said I would definitely be there. We are enjoying it so far. I will have seen a lot of country before the game.”
Ireland’s Minister for Tourism Leo Varadkar has described the arrival of 35,000 Americans as ‘a massive tourism boost’ and predicted it will be worth about $130 million to the economy.
The Irish Times also lists the following events around the big game:
* The 02 will host Notre Dame’s pep-rally on Friday evening. The pre-game celebration, hosted by Miriam O’Callaghan, has been sold out but will be broadcast on RTÉ One television, RTÉ Radio 1 Extra and on RTÉ’s YouTube channel. The concert will include performances by Brian Kennedy, Damien Dempsey, Eimear Quinn and the High Kings as well as the Notre Dame folk choir and cheerleaders.
* The Navy pep-rally will be held in St Stephen’s Green at 5.30pm on Friday and will include traditional band and cheerleader performances.
* On Saturday morning, up to 5,000 Notre Dame supporters will attend an open-air Mass in the upper courtyard of Dublin Castle, which will be broadcast on RTÉ television and radio on Sunday morning.
* On Monday, a Notre Dame family pilgrimage will include Croagh Patrick and Attymass, the birthplace of Fr Patrick Peyton. An alternate route will include Knock shrine.
* The Global Ireland Football Tournament, involving 12 American and Canadian high school teams will be held in Parnell Park, Donnybrook Stadium, and Páirc Tailteann in Navan on Friday.
* The Navy and Notre Dame teams are also bringing other sports teams with them. Rugby, boxing, tennis and squash matches have been arranged against local opposition.
* The US Navy dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry will be docked at Dublin Port and will be offering public tours on Saturday and Sunday through a lottery run by the US embassy in Dublin.
* The University of Notre Dame is also involved in a series of academic events in Dublin, including lectures in Trinity College, the Royal Irish Academy and the Science Gallery.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.ciaradexy | Aug 30, 2012, 05:46 PM EDT
WOundedKnee, faux irish? You have plenty in common so!
Fitzyboy | Aug 30, 2012, 10:24 AM EDT
reading some of these comments, one would think the Celtic Tiger is still roaring and a 130 million dollar influx to the economy is peanuts; either that or the dole is more then enough to go around ..
sirpeter | Aug 29, 2012, 08:48 PM EDT
Paulmac.You are dead right..pissing and moaning is all they do here.
cillowen | Aug 29, 2012, 08:42 PM EDT
save yer money for the all-irelands. wrestle ball is all about bending over unlike cricket where's there is time for tea.
SeamusMartin | Aug 29, 2012, 06:03 PM EDT
nd is Irish only in it's nickname, but a lot of Irish American root for them. My issue with them is that they get special treatment because of the their famed past, which really is no more. Their schedule has been suspect for years, tho, this years is a bit tougher. Playing Navy in Ireland is a sure win for the traveling nd faithful. While Coach Kelly may not want to play in Ireland, it's not because of any Irish dislike, it because of all the complications that go with having a game played in a foreign country across the Atlantic. Me thinks if it's good of the Irish economy then go for it! Slainte!
Paulmac | Aug 29, 2012, 04:52 PM EDT
It's no wonder the Irish economy is the way it is with the examples of idiotic thinking we get on here, you idiots obviously have never gotten off your arse for long enough or have a set big enough to open a business and to be able to take advantage of a huge cash injection like this. Stay on the dole and spend your days pissing and moaning on these comment threads. I notice it's the same few tossers that belittle everything. Nothing good to say. Get a life.
WoundedKnee | Aug 29, 2012, 03:41 PM EDT
Murph, DrTrelawney: You're on the money. Notre Dame are faux Irish. I hope someone gives that stupid leprechaun a good kick in the ass.
Fitzyboy | Aug 29, 2012, 12:06 PM EDT
DrTrelawney, Don't bother next year. Your absence won't even be noticed? .. that 130 million towards the local economy sure will, my cousin is a Dublin cab driver, he for one wants them back next year ..
Murph46 | Aug 29, 2012, 11:46 AM EDT
ND is about as Irish as my dogs arse.Their coach doesn't even want to play there!
DrTrelawney | Aug 29, 2012, 11:46 AM EDT
We have no interest in this bizarre sport or in this obscure mid-western university that insists on pretending to be "Irish". 100 players? How many teams are they playing? Now we learn that, despite all the blather about "Fighting Irish", these spoilt, insular student athletes won't even eat our food. Don't bother next year. Your absence won't even be noticed.
Porickseantuny | Aug 29, 2012, 10:58 AM EDT
Fr Payton, a Mayo native,whose case for Sainthood is being advanced by his relgious order the Holy Cross priests who founded Notre Dame in the 1850's.