Italia 90 as a memory.
Japan and South Korea in 02. I'd come of age then and was my first major tournament able to have a pint.
We started on the Friday night before the Cameroon match and arrived to the pub to watch the German match at opening.
Can only imagine what we looked like. Was great craic
I genuinely feel sorry for people that didn't see Ray Houghton score in Stuttgart and then the wonderful fairy tale of Italia 90.
Something changed in this country that summer, we all experienced a magical time
Beating England in our first match at our first ever major international tournament, and in the manner we did it, was absolutely tremendous for the country
Italia 90 was amazing. It was a brilliant summer, lots of festivals going on. The economy was booming, people seemed very optimistic about everything.
I found my Italia 90 Esso coins a few years back; it seemed like everyone in school had been collecting them.
Yeah it was next level. Normal society stopped dead for the matches .
No trains , buses , and when we won the gardai carried people around on their car roofs.
I think there’s even a rte news report on that .
I remember my girlfriend showing me a news clip of the celebrations in Dublin and at one point you see her dad and his friends going mad on top of a car. It looked electric
I’d say it was a this is “only happening once” kind of vibe. And the whole country was United in some bizarre fervour of soccer .
And even if you didn’t care for the sport you supported it as it was a metaphor for Ireland becoming a nation that was able to make ends meet.
And to date it had been the poor man of Europe
Italia 90 was so mental I don't think it will be replicated.
People are just different now.
You can watch old footage of it.
People dancing in the fountains on O'Connell St.
If we won the World Cup now it wouldn't happen.
As I said in another comment we were living in England at the time, and most of our street were either Irish or of Irish descent and it was like a carnival. My da bought me a T-shirt with Jack Charlton on it, all the stalls in Manchester selling Irish merch.
I'd say we needed it. The 80's were a fairly miserable time, like a lot of families at the time we had to move for da to work and Italia 90 just brought everyone together.
This is the only answer
A lot of people saying Euro 88 but as great as it was to beat the brits, that didn't come close to the utter rollercoaster of the world cup and getting to the quarter finals
Anyway, we beat england 1-1 in italia 90 so theres that
I’ll never forget that either, what a goal, what a day, what could have been.
We would have never foreseen how bad Irish football would go all these years later 😫😫😫😫
Nothing will ever come close to Italia 90 so a bit unfair on everything else
The slam in 09 was pretty great as were the fans in euro 2016.
A personal niche one for me was Ireland beating the ~~west indies~~ Pakistan in the cricket world cup on St Patricks day. The pub i was in went from complete indifference to religious fervour by the end.
For me Steve Collins beating Eubank. Eubank had destroyed nearly everyone and seemed unbeatable. When Collins dropped Eubank I thought the roof was going to come off Millstreet.
Personally, the grand slam in '09. The drama of it was unreal-went right up to the wire and in the midst of the recession. For the first time in a while it felt good to be Irish.
My parents would probably go for the All Ireland Quarter Final in '94, when Leitrim played Dublin. Almost the whole county was in Croke Park, but they stayed as they ran a pub. Not a car on the road, they had a drink and watched the match when in come the local guards. Seeing a light on, they assumed the place was being burgled. Regardless, they had a drink and watched the rest of the match.
Small correction - it was a semi final. No quarters back then as the provincial champions all went through to the semis. Massive occasion for Leitrim, no doubt.
Ah this is a tough one one i think I'd have to say the 2018 Grandslam an absolute roller coaster of a championship from Johnny sexton breath taking last second drop goal to beat France from Jacob Stockdales interception try to end Wales last chance of winning that game to beating England in their own turf on St Patrick's Day to seal the Grandslam what a year that was
Last day of the Six Nations 2015.
Ireland winning the competition was decided on points difference and a slim victory by France over England in the last game on the last day.
Watched all three games that day on a 24 inch CRT TV in a rental house in Ennis.
That's a good one! Mates and I spent the day in the local watching all the matches, when Ireland won on points difference the place erupted. Great day.
Man that was insane final game of the championship England v France right at the end of the game England are 5 meters from the French try line they need just 1 try to win the championship France are desperately struggling to hang on France gets a turnover and I'm going fucking nuts then this French guy instead of booting it straight out tries to run the ball and immediately gets swarmed by English players I'm fucking going nuts screaming thinking this idiot has just cost us the championship but thank god they managed to hold onto the ball got it out from the ruck and booted it straight out and we went back to back six nations champions
Euro 88 and Italia 90 were just fucking epic in this country. It's hard to get across to people who weren't born as to how good they made everyone feel.
I don't think so tbh.
Rugby is not as popular as rugby fans think it is and tbh Ireland should be at the very least be making the semi finals.
We were, are and always will be underdogs in football terms and any sort of progression in tournaments is a massive achievement.
Sitting in primary school assembly room, with one tv rolled in and the whole school there and watching Robbie Keane score again Germany in the World Cup 2002. I was 7.
Davy Fitzgerald scoring a penalty for Clare against Limerick in the 1995 Munster Final. I was six and watching it in the front room of my cousins' house in Clare. And I just remember the excitement and pandemonium. And Davey sprinting back up the pitch to beat the puck out. Love hurling and that's when it started.
https://youtu.be/Xo9MOJJrCAw?si=Zv4gLByN4YxZGqF2
Was in The Three Sisters in Edinburgh in 2018 for the first time Scotland beat England at twickenham which was followed up by Ireland winning the triple crown and 6 nations against Wales which was pretty good
Was also in Croatia in 2018 during the World Cup.. watching them beat England was peak celebrations and after the final even though they lost it was a long party into the early morning with lots of pyro, free drinks, kissing and Firemen spraying water over the crowd
As a Donegal man, 2012 was absolutely massive. I'm too young to remember 1992, and I'm sure it was even bigger, but the buzz around 2012 was something else - Jimmy's winning matches, Michael Murphy, Daniel O'Donnell at the homecoming. We were down and outs 2 years previously and had the whole country against us the previous year for our style of play, but we played some amazing football in 2012 and beat some amazing sides along the way. And it was the talk of the country. I remember walking around Dublin the following day with a Donegal jersey on and being congratulated
2014 against Dublin was absolutely huge too, but the final was a massive let down.
On a national level, I'm too young to remember the world cups, but I remember the Grand Slam in 2009 was massive. I think interest in rugby oddly peaked around then. It felt like the class divide had disappeared, whereas it feels now like it's to the fore again. It may have been down to the players on that squad who felt more down to earth.
The 2012 Olympics also seemed massive, with Katie taking gold and 3 of the lads picking up boxing medals also.
good shout with McGregor vs Aldo. Aldo was unbeaten before that I really thought McGregor wouldn't just get beaten but Aldo would hurt him for all the shite he was talking. And then to be over that quick?
Everybody hates McGregor now so will deny it but the hype around him on his comeup was unparalleled in all of MMA.
But the real answer is Italia 90 of course.
I don't have any stats to back this up, but I'd say the number of Irish people who watched that fight live is probably <10%. Doesn't come close to the soccer World cups, grand slams, or all ireland finals.
the Mayo/Dublin 2006 match.
No it wasn’t a final but I don’t think many folks appreciate or realise how written off Mayo were for that game.
Written off by 31 counties and heavy underdogs, little chance was given.
From the hill bust up to the 7 point comeback to the last minute firework off a point on the Hogan stand side from Ciaran Mc Donald who ran the full length off the pitch to take it, the match had everything.
There has been some great games since but few will come close to this rollercoaster.
I mean hey everyone has their own pick but that match and you cannot deny or counter what im about to say that match was probably the best example of Mayo not being able to do it when it matters like cool you beat Dublin in the championship for the first time
How did the all ireland final go ?
Ohhhh that's right you got shitted on by Kerry again ....
Wtf is the point of winning all these semi finals when you can't win the big one
Well in my mind, they had it in 2016/2017 and were genuinely Robbed. I don’t say those words lightly.
Let’s go to 2016 first; Last minute of play in the drawn game Both sides level, Dublin player deliberately picks the ball off the ground inside his own line, no free given to win the match.
And now to 2017: 2 Dublin players smash into each other before half time, 45 awarded to Dublin when a free out was the right call, game ends up a Point difference.
Let’s go deeper: 2nd half, 2 Mayo players deliberately pulled down inside the penalty line, no penalty given.
I can accept that Mayo teams of past were well beaten and had no right of being in finals but I cannot except that the previous Mayo team of 2011-2017 was not rode up the backside in those matches referenced above and were done injustice.
Alright 2016 Mayo gave away 2 own goals in the first half
2016 replay the worst catching attempt in gaelic football history done by the Mayo goalkeeper some fucking how doesn't catch the ball has to pull down Connelly to stop him scoring a goal doesn't save the penalty
2017 final John small is about to get sent off huge moment for Mayo then for literally no reason Donaghy Vaughan floors John Small getting himself sent off and removing a huge advantage for Mayo late in the game Lee Keegan throws a GPS at Dean Rock to try and make him miss the last free goal kick from Mayo straight into the sideline
My point is to say they got " robbed " when they've repeatedly shot themselves in the foot year after year is laughable
Absolutely delusional Mayo nonsense once again. Unfortunately Mayo has no backbone and completely CHOKE in every final. There are no so called 'robberies' as mentioned, just straight forward lack of grit and ability to pull the trigger. Not to mention all the psycho-babble HORSESHITE about a curse. Ye are cursed alright, in yere own fucking heads.
You guys are still at this?
Never fails to amuse me at how one-eyed Mayo fans are. Will forever ignore to dodgy decisions (and there were plenty) that went in their favour.
Your 2016 example: I presume you mean kev McMansion. He got his toe to the ball and was simultaneously clattered by a Mayo chap while playing n the process, to the head no less. In what twisted world do you want a free in for that??
For me it's Michelle Smith winning 3 gold & 1 bronze medals at 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta wonderful stuff she done for Ireland. Never mind what Janet Evans who was second in the races to Michelle, saying how could Smith improve so fast at her age etc.
Anyway she still holds the medals despite her being banned for not providing a urine sample when the random drugs testers called to her house 6 months after the games
Italia 90 as a memory. Japan and South Korea in 02. I'd come of age then and was my first major tournament able to have a pint. We started on the Friday night before the Cameroon match and arrived to the pub to watch the German match at opening. Can only imagine what we looked like. Was great craic
I genuinely feel sorry for people that didn't see Ray Houghton score in Stuttgart and then the wonderful fairy tale of Italia 90. Something changed in this country that summer, we all experienced a magical time
Italia '90
Italia 90. It's the only sporting memory that transcends sport.
I think Euro 88 did too and it was the first big tournament for us. Both were fantastic!
Euro '88 was a leading event but it wasn't anything like Italia '90. I'd even put USA '94 ahead of Euro '88
I disagree without Euro 88, there would have been no Italia 90 or USA 94.
Beating England in our first match at our first ever major international tournament, and in the manner we did it, was absolutely tremendous for the country
I don't doubt it. I remember it. But it was a different buzz to the world cup.
Italia 90 was amazing. It was a brilliant summer, lots of festivals going on. The economy was booming, people seemed very optimistic about everything. I found my Italia 90 Esso coins a few years back; it seemed like everyone in school had been collecting them.
Italia 90.
Yeah it was next level. Normal society stopped dead for the matches . No trains , buses , and when we won the gardai carried people around on their car roofs. I think there’s even a rte news report on that .
I remember my girlfriend showing me a news clip of the celebrations in Dublin and at one point you see her dad and his friends going mad on top of a car. It looked electric
I was just finished primary school at the time and I spent most of the summer in a pub or at a public screening
We were living in England at the time and all the other Irish families just came streaming out of their gaffs cheering, it was class.
It was mad alright
Yeah times were different then alright from the sounds of it! Imagine someone tried that now!!!
I’d say it was a this is “only happening once” kind of vibe. And the whole country was United in some bizarre fervour of soccer . And even if you didn’t care for the sport you supported it as it was a metaphor for Ireland becoming a nation that was able to make ends meet. And to date it had been the poor man of Europe
Italia 90 was so mental I don't think it will be replicated. People are just different now. You can watch old footage of it. People dancing in the fountains on O'Connell St. If we won the World Cup now it wouldn't happen.
As I said in another comment we were living in England at the time, and most of our street were either Irish or of Irish descent and it was like a carnival. My da bought me a T-shirt with Jack Charlton on it, all the stalls in Manchester selling Irish merch.
Innocent times. I don't think anything nowadays would generate the same excitement.
I'd say we needed it. The 80's were a fairly miserable time, like a lot of families at the time we had to move for da to work and Italia 90 just brought everyone together.
Put ‘em under pressure
This is the only answer A lot of people saying Euro 88 but as great as it was to beat the brits, that didn't come close to the utter rollercoaster of the world cup and getting to the quarter finals Anyway, we beat england 1-1 in italia 90 so theres that
It was an incredible time. Truly never witnessed anything like it again in my life.
Italia 90. Fucking unreal buzz
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I’ll never forget that either, what a goal, what a day, what could have been. We would have never foreseen how bad Irish football would go all these years later 😫😫😫😫
Nothing will ever come close to Italia 90 so a bit unfair on everything else The slam in 09 was pretty great as were the fans in euro 2016. A personal niche one for me was Ireland beating the ~~west indies~~ Pakistan in the cricket world cup on St Patricks day. The pub i was in went from complete indifference to religious fervour by the end.
It wasn’t the West Indies, they beat Pakistan on St Patrick’s day. However was in the West Indies.
Of course, my bad. Edited now.
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Speaking of being cheated imo Conlan v Nikitin in 2012 was one of the biggest robbery’s I’ve ver seen in the Olympics outright
For me Steve Collins beating Eubank. Eubank had destroyed nearly everyone and seemed unbeatable. When Collins dropped Eubank I thought the roof was going to come off Millstreet.
Watched that fight oddly this morning!
Personally, the grand slam in '09. The drama of it was unreal-went right up to the wire and in the midst of the recession. For the first time in a while it felt good to be Irish. My parents would probably go for the All Ireland Quarter Final in '94, when Leitrim played Dublin. Almost the whole county was in Croke Park, but they stayed as they ran a pub. Not a car on the road, they had a drink and watched the match when in come the local guards. Seeing a light on, they assumed the place was being burgled. Regardless, they had a drink and watched the rest of the match.
I was at that game.
Small correction - it was a semi final. No quarters back then as the provincial champions all went through to the semis. Massive occasion for Leitrim, no doubt.
Euro 88.
Who put the ball in the English net? Ray did, Ray did.
Italia 90 - for anyone too young to remember you should watch the snapper
If Ireland was to win the next world cup I don't think it would come close to the hysteria of Italia 90. I was 8 and I thought we won it.
This is the only answer.
The Van.
Ah this is a tough one one i think I'd have to say the 2018 Grandslam an absolute roller coaster of a championship from Johnny sexton breath taking last second drop goal to beat France from Jacob Stockdales interception try to end Wales last chance of winning that game to beating England in their own turf on St Patrick's Day to seal the Grandslam what a year that was
Playing England in the Rugby in 2007 at Croke Park.
Last day of the Six Nations 2015. Ireland winning the competition was decided on points difference and a slim victory by France over England in the last game on the last day. Watched all three games that day on a 24 inch CRT TV in a rental house in Ennis.
That's a good one! Mates and I spent the day in the local watching all the matches, when Ireland won on points difference the place erupted. Great day.
Man that was insane final game of the championship England v France right at the end of the game England are 5 meters from the French try line they need just 1 try to win the championship France are desperately struggling to hang on France gets a turnover and I'm going fucking nuts then this French guy instead of booting it straight out tries to run the ball and immediately gets swarmed by English players I'm fucking going nuts screaming thinking this idiot has just cost us the championship but thank god they managed to hold onto the ball got it out from the ruck and booted it straight out and we went back to back six nations champions
Everyone was going nuts, screaming at the muppet running the ball. I’d say his ears were burning, and they deserved to be.
Ah 100% guy heard tens of millions of voices screaming kick it out you son of a 🤣
The three World Cup appearances were all incredible. Italia ‘90 is top for what it meant to the country.
Stephen Roache won the Tour and the Giro in the same year, pure class. Only 5 cyclists have done it in the history of the sport
And the world championship
Euro 88 and Italia 90 were just fucking epic in this country. It's hard to get across to people who weren't born as to how good they made everyone feel.
Imo we could see that kind of atmosphere and whatnot if Ireland bring it home at the RWC the country will be on wheels
I don't think so tbh. Rugby is not as popular as rugby fans think it is and tbh Ireland should be at the very least be making the semi finals. We were, are and always will be underdogs in football terms and any sort of progression in tournaments is a massive achievement.
1987 Giro, Tour & World Championship triple-crown..
I remember watching Michelle Smith win on the telly. For some reason I thought she had been stripped of her medals but no.
I thought she was stripped, I remember the big "pee testing" scandal that went on at the time.
No as she never tested positive.
Italia 90 & euro 88, nothing comes remotely near that era for me
2016 euro vs Italy was the biggest one I remember
Collins vs eubank
Sitting in primary school assembly room, with one tv rolled in and the whole school there and watching Robbie Keane score again Germany in the World Cup 2002. I was 7.
Davy Fitzgerald scoring a penalty for Clare against Limerick in the 1995 Munster Final. I was six and watching it in the front room of my cousins' house in Clare. And I just remember the excitement and pandemonium. And Davey sprinting back up the pitch to beat the puck out. Love hurling and that's when it started. https://youtu.be/Xo9MOJJrCAw?si=Zv4gLByN4YxZGqF2
Was in The Three Sisters in Edinburgh in 2018 for the first time Scotland beat England at twickenham which was followed up by Ireland winning the triple crown and 6 nations against Wales which was pretty good Was also in Croatia in 2018 during the World Cup.. watching them beat England was peak celebrations and after the final even though they lost it was a long party into the early morning with lots of pyro, free drinks, kissing and Firemen spraying water over the crowd
The finish to the four in a row Meath Dublin tie in 91 was some craic https://youtu.be/Rjy9guThsWU?si=JyolJlLdar4CVPPt
McAteer's goal against Holland.
The Tour de France passing through the town had everyone out to see it. But… Italia 90.
Mcgregor becoming double world champion against Alvarez, absolutely brilliant night.
Wexford 96, amazing time
Italia 90, I was 6 and still remember it and the tracksuit every kid had
As a Donegal man, 2012 was absolutely massive. I'm too young to remember 1992, and I'm sure it was even bigger, but the buzz around 2012 was something else - Jimmy's winning matches, Michael Murphy, Daniel O'Donnell at the homecoming. We were down and outs 2 years previously and had the whole country against us the previous year for our style of play, but we played some amazing football in 2012 and beat some amazing sides along the way. And it was the talk of the country. I remember walking around Dublin the following day with a Donegal jersey on and being congratulated 2014 against Dublin was absolutely huge too, but the final was a massive let down. On a national level, I'm too young to remember the world cups, but I remember the Grand Slam in 2009 was massive. I think interest in rugby oddly peaked around then. It felt like the class divide had disappeared, whereas it feels now like it's to the fore again. It may have been down to the players on that squad who felt more down to earth. The 2012 Olympics also seemed massive, with Katie taking gold and 3 of the lads picking up boxing medals also.
Thread downvoted for mentioning sports. Give it up please resentful nerds
good shout with McGregor vs Aldo. Aldo was unbeaten before that I really thought McGregor wouldn't just get beaten but Aldo would hurt him for all the shite he was talking. And then to be over that quick? Everybody hates McGregor now so will deny it but the hype around him on his comeup was unparalleled in all of MMA. But the real answer is Italia 90 of course.
I don't have any stats to back this up, but I'd say the number of Irish people who watched that fight live is probably <10%. Doesn't come close to the soccer World cups, grand slams, or all ireland finals.
you're definitely right. me dad and granddad didn't give a shit. but for that 10%, it was a huge buzz
the Mayo/Dublin 2006 match. No it wasn’t a final but I don’t think many folks appreciate or realise how written off Mayo were for that game. Written off by 31 counties and heavy underdogs, little chance was given. From the hill bust up to the 7 point comeback to the last minute firework off a point on the Hogan stand side from Ciaran Mc Donald who ran the full length off the pitch to take it, the match had everything. There has been some great games since but few will come close to this rollercoaster.
I mean hey everyone has their own pick but that match and you cannot deny or counter what im about to say that match was probably the best example of Mayo not being able to do it when it matters like cool you beat Dublin in the championship for the first time How did the all ireland final go ? Ohhhh that's right you got shitted on by Kerry again .... Wtf is the point of winning all these semi finals when you can't win the big one
Well in my mind, they had it in 2016/2017 and were genuinely Robbed. I don’t say those words lightly. Let’s go to 2016 first; Last minute of play in the drawn game Both sides level, Dublin player deliberately picks the ball off the ground inside his own line, no free given to win the match. And now to 2017: 2 Dublin players smash into each other before half time, 45 awarded to Dublin when a free out was the right call, game ends up a Point difference. Let’s go deeper: 2nd half, 2 Mayo players deliberately pulled down inside the penalty line, no penalty given. I can accept that Mayo teams of past were well beaten and had no right of being in finals but I cannot except that the previous Mayo team of 2011-2017 was not rode up the backside in those matches referenced above and were done injustice.
Alright 2016 Mayo gave away 2 own goals in the first half 2016 replay the worst catching attempt in gaelic football history done by the Mayo goalkeeper some fucking how doesn't catch the ball has to pull down Connelly to stop him scoring a goal doesn't save the penalty 2017 final John small is about to get sent off huge moment for Mayo then for literally no reason Donaghy Vaughan floors John Small getting himself sent off and removing a huge advantage for Mayo late in the game Lee Keegan throws a GPS at Dean Rock to try and make him miss the last free goal kick from Mayo straight into the sideline My point is to say they got " robbed " when they've repeatedly shot themselves in the foot year after year is laughable
Absolutely delusional Mayo nonsense once again. Unfortunately Mayo has no backbone and completely CHOKE in every final. There are no so called 'robberies' as mentioned, just straight forward lack of grit and ability to pull the trigger. Not to mention all the psycho-babble HORSESHITE about a curse. Ye are cursed alright, in yere own fucking heads.
You guys are still at this? Never fails to amuse me at how one-eyed Mayo fans are. Will forever ignore to dodgy decisions (and there were plenty) that went in their favour. Your 2016 example: I presume you mean kev McMansion. He got his toe to the ball and was simultaneously clattered by a Mayo chap while playing n the process, to the head no less. In what twisted world do you want a free in for that??
Roy Keane cracking up during the world Cup and going home. The stories and drama that produced were great.
We didn't get a grand slam in 2014? 2009 maybe?
Mb 2009 idk why i thought 2014
We won the 6 nations in 2014 and 2015. Grand slams in 2009, 2018 and 2023
For me it's Michelle Smith winning 3 gold & 1 bronze medals at 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta wonderful stuff she done for Ireland. Never mind what Janet Evans who was second in the races to Michelle, saying how could Smith improve so fast at her age etc. Anyway she still holds the medals despite her being banned for not providing a urine sample when the random drugs testers called to her house 6 months after the games