Will we see scenes like this tonight?
Lads in green jerseys climbing The Spire? Dancing in the fountain on Dame Street? A million-man conga line along the tracks of where the cross-city Luas is going to be?
One goal against Denmark is all it will take to set Ireland alight tonight. Some would say that the odds are against the boys in green, but that’s certainly never been known to stop us in the past.
Have a gander at some of the sweetest celebrations that Ireland fans have been blessed to enjoy and get yourself in the right mind-frame for tonight’s 7.45 kick-off in the Aviva. If we can all band together and visualise the post-match celebrations, we can make them a reality.
1) Walkinstown roundabout after Ireland vs Romania
Nobody would have bet on Ireland to make it as far as the quarter finals during their first ever World Cup, especially not without winning a single game in normal time. Nevertheless, Jack gave it a lash and David O’Leary’s iconic penalty against Romania took us into the last eight, cementing Ireland’s spot as a force to be reckoned with in international football.
It’s a reputation that has been preserved to this day, much like our fans’ reputation as the best in the world.
2) O’Connell St after Ireland vs Romania
As far as Irish World Cup highlights go, you’d be doing well to beat our shootout victory over Romania. It’ll be a lot darker than this on O’Connell St by the time the Denmark game is decided, but a few thousand green jerseys could light the city up, we reckon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLuG04pb_yg
3) Arklow, during Italia 90
Of course, the joy and the fervour won’t be confined to the capital if Ireland are to win tonight, and there will be plenty of sore heads the country over. Fortunately, that’s a price we’d all be willing to pay to see the boys in green board a plane to Russia next summer.
4) Ireland vs Italy, USA ’94
There’s always a fine narrative to be found in any Ireland match, and in ’94 the most satisfying one was the revenge for Schillachi’s goal four years earlier. The result was Ireland’s first normal time win at a World Cup, and a shot across the bows of the usual big boys.
Italy won’t be at next year’s World Cup, so a win for Ireland tonight would tell the whole story about the two nations have evolved for over the last 23 years. Sort of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q15Xz4NR8E
5) Irish fans with Sean St Ledger after qualifying for Euro 2012
Of course, there have been happier memories in recent times. Not known for our luck in play-offs, Ireland’s ship finally came in when we drew Estonia in 2011 and battered them in Tallinn. Centre-half Sean St Ledger was serenaded on the streets of Dublin for his role in finally getting Ireland back into a major tournament after 10 years.
6) Ireland fans, the entirety of Euro 2016
And who could forget the story of the summer last year? The magnum opus of the travelling Irish fans. As Ireland put in fantastic performances on the pitch against Sweden and Italy, Ireland fans delivered off the pitch, shutting down whole French streets with cross-fan sing-songs, singing lullabies to babies and on trains and just generally living life to the full until we had to go home.
