Submitted by Samantha Matera on the 2016 summer session program in Ireland sponsored by the Department of History and the Department of Political Science and International Relations…
Coming from a family who loves soccer (in Europe, football), I was super excited to be studying in Ireland while the EuroCup was in full swing. Americans appreciate football and enjoy watching it to a point, but it would be the understatement of the year to say that Europeans enjoy football. They live and breath to watch their team during the match, to the point where companies will give their employees an early end of the day so that everyone can go to their homes or their favorite pubs to watch the match and be around the hundreds of other fans that show up. This past week, the whole group and I went to a favorite local street and watched Ireland tie in a game with Poland. We were completely unprepared for the electricity running through the air from the very beginning of the day and looking outside while the game was on, it was rare to see someone walking around, the entire city of Dublin was a ghost town. Even though the Irish football team is not known to go very far in tournaments, their fans are diehard and loyal to the very end. There is no misery or anger about the team losing, only continued support and love for the players and the culture. Later in the week, on an excursion to Waterford, Ireland, the group and I went to watch another game, this one the Irish lost by three to Belgium, and even in a small town, it was the same as in a huge city: people from every corner of the town coming to watch, loving their team and making connections with those around them. Even when they lost, people ended the night serenading the town with love and friendliness. From what I have seen so far, the Irish are one of the friendliness and loveliest groups of people and it is a privilege to get to experience one of their most prized rituals and sports surrounded by such welcoming people.