SPORTS nuts in this country will know that European and Irish sports are often several years behind America in several facets. Sports medicine, analysis, coaching etc in Ireland are often taken from American sports and their culture. Some Irish people are allergic to US sports. Others love nothing more. This week’s column is all about the spectacle that was Navy and Notre Dame. A game of American Football played in the Aviva Stadium last weekend.
The USA is known for it’s patriotism. Their ability to run a sporting event is second to none. Last weekend showed the future of sport in Ireland, whether we like it or not. Sport is escapism and it’s time for Irish sporting bodies to tune in to the US way of doing things.
Take for example the Navy Glee club singing our national anthem, acapella style. This was an amazing show of respect for Ireland.
We, as a nation, often play our anthem over a tannoy instead of booking a band. Does it cost that much?
Factor in that the Navy Midshipmen who attended the game, paid their own way and you can see where, as a nation, Ireland can learn so much from our American cousins. It was even weirder to hear American college kids speak of Ireland with such pride.
One of those players is Dan Fox. (No.48 above) who is a 6ft 3” Linebacker from the University of Notre Dame.
Dan was mentioned by our Taoiseach Enda Kenny is his pep rally speech ahead of the game.
Daniel’s grandfather, Richard Gregory Power, left Rathkeale in County Limerick in 1932, arriving in Chicago at the height of the depression in search of work. He was told “They hire the Irish at Notre Dame”. True to those words, he was hired as a groundskeeper at Notre Dame University and worked and lived on the Notre Dame campus until 1934.
Richard returned to Ireland to set up family, but he returned to Pennsylvania to once more live the American dream.
“A bunch of people text me to tell me about the speech. It was great to be part of that occasion. I was so excited when I heard that Notre Dame were coming to Ireland. I am so proud of my Irish heritage and it was amazing to run out and see all the Irish fans here supporting us”
Dan’s extended family (almost 40) made the trip to Dublin for the game and he could be seen chatting with cousins he has not seen since his last trip to Ireland when he was very young.
Dan moves on to play Perdue this week, while Irish sport, particularly the professional sports here, are left to learn from the masters of pride, pomp, ceremony and popularity.
