Please God let there be similar scenes around the country this summer.
No-one needs reminding of how big Italia ’90 was in Ireland both in a sporting and a cultural sense, but we still like to revisit what was a memorable summer as often as we possibly can.
For those who experienced it, it brings back memories full of nostalgia and sheer happiness.
For those who weren’t alive or were too young to remember it, it allows them to dream of what it could be like whenever Ireland next make a significant impact on a major sporting event (hopefully this summer).
All of us have probably set eyes upon amazing scenes of celebration in Ireland during the tournament, but footage has just emerged of what it was like in Arklow at the time and it’s enough to bring a smile to the face of even the grumpiest Irish soccer fan.
The footage was sent into us by JOE reader Mick Costello and recorded by his father-in-law Peter Dempsey, who told us that it was recorded in the Harbour Bar and all along the Main Street of Arklow.
Clip via Paud O’Keefe
We’ve yet to establish when exactly it was recorded, but such is the sheer, unadulterated joy of everyone present, we’re guessing it was after we secured qualification for the knockout stages or following David O’Leary’s penalty against Romania that got us through to a quarter-final against the hosts.
It doesn’t really matter when it was recorded because the footage, including grown men losing their sh*t, a makeshift parade and inflatable bananas, is absolutely fantastic and wouldn’t it be great to see something similar during the Euros in the summer?
The health and safety people might not be too happy, mind.
Cheers to Mick Costello and Peter Dempsey for sending this our way. If you have something you would like to share with us, send it to our WhatsApp number 087-4001102, [email protected] or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter.
