THERE’S ONE THING the Irish do well – and that’s celebrate things.
All you have to do is remember the feeling the energy of the Irish rugby team’s win over England back in 2007 to feel the unbeatable magic of a nation celebrating a victory as one.
Fingers crossed the game today against France is just as exciting, eh? All the Irish fans have flown to Paris to support the boys in green, with the Irish over there lending their voices to in lieu of the home advantage we had last weekend against Wales in the Aviva.
But what do you do if you’re not on home turf for an Ireland game? How do you turn a place abroad into an Irish party like no other?
Well, here’s how…
1. Open arms
You’ve heard the phrase in Spanish “me casa es su casa” right? Well, it should really be “my gaff is your gaff”. Irish hospitality is legendary, so the first step to having a proper Irish knees up abroad is getting loads of invites out.
Invite your mate’s auntie’s sister’s dog, while you’re at it. Everyone’s welcome.
2. The soundtrack
We don’t want to get too cheesy here, but nothing beats sporting rallying calls for a bit of atmosphere if you can’t make it to the stadium itself. Think Joxter Goes To Stuttgart, Put ‘Em Under Pressure and, of course, the piece de resistance The Fields of Athenry.
3. “Ah, REF!”
Can’t get the commentary from home? Never fear. You just need a couple of Irish lads in the corner for perfect blow-by-by banter. Not a big fan of the sport in question? Here are some phrases to help you bluff your way through it:
- “Good hands” (NB, only if watching rugby – avoid if it’s soccer, for obvious reasons…)
- “You just never know which France will turn up on the day, you know?”
- “Ah, ref! Are you blind?” (use this liberally)
4. High fashion
Here comes the fun part. Face paint, scarves, jerseys… Maybe even togging yourself out in the full kit, shorts and all, if you happen to be bringing the Irish sporting celebrations somewhere with a more balmy climate. Let your freak flag fly alongside your Ireland one.
(Wigs and leprechaun costumes are entirely optional.)
5. The cúpla focail
Everyone agrees that one of the best parts of being abroad is getting to speak Irish about the locals without them understanding what you’re on about. There’s no better place to exercise your rusty secondary school level Gaeilge than during an Irish international. Éire abú!
6. And finally, of course…
Lots of other Irish people, if you can nab them. There’s nothing like match day craic with other Irish people in an Irish bar if you’re away from home. (It helps that you’re always going to be cheering for the same side, of course.)
Where are you watching the match tonight? If you’re watching it outside of Ireland, let us know if you have anything special planned…
No matter where we are in the world, Irish people always bring the #HomeAdvantage. Aer Lingus, the Official Airline of the Irish Rugby Team, backs the boys in green, as they go for 3 in a row, in RBS 6 Nations 2016.
And now, check out our tribute to the Irish team and unique fans, who bring that little bit of Irish magic with them.
