Joxer went to Stuttgart in his Ireland Retro jersey, half the country went to Poland and turned Poznan green. Even taking the Irish team all the way to Korea and Japan didn’t stop the Credit Unions stumping up for the hordes of Irish invading Asia.  There’s men still order noodles with their chips on a Friday night. What sort of country is it anyway? Sports mad. There’s wiser eating grass.

Nothing brings the country together like a bit of success on the sports field. With Ireland North and South heading for the green fields of France, it’ll be lonely round the fields of Athenry, Antrim, Ballymena and Ballymun with menfolk and womenfolk loading up the camper vans, jumping on Michael O’Leary’s finest or paddling their own canoe.

The effect of sport on the national character is unreal. Bruce Springsteen may have had the Taoiseach playing air guitar but after a result or two in France, we reckon we’ll have him logging in to oneills.com for one of our Ireland Soccer jerseys as he relives his youth! Here’s some memories to whet the appetite. Even you weren’t born you probably remember it!

Ireland’s Sporting Moments

Packie Bonnar Saves a Penalty

Packie Bonnar saves a penalty. Many people have forgotten that forgotten man Dave O’Leary scored the decisive penalty that day against Romania, but if you’re a certain age you know exactly where you were when the big man from the Rosses did his stuff. I’m getting emotional even thinking about it.

Katie Taylor Wins Olympic Gold

Surely one of Ireland’s greatest ever athletes, Katie caught the imagination of the nation with her exploits in London. A brilliant boxer, fast and technically superb, her Olympic campaign had grown women and men cry. Her honesty and her faith a joy to behold. Here’s wishing her well in Rio.

Who Put the Ball in the England Net

In the Euro ’88 Ireland were considered rank outsiders, a status that didn’t really reflect the quality of players the team possessed. But when Ray Houghton stuck the ball in the England net he became an Irish sporting icon. Unlucky not to progress to the semi finals, the result marked the Boys in Green as a team not to be messed with in major finals. In 1990 they built on their success. Kevin Sheedy stuck the ball in the England net!

Gerry Armstrong Scores Against Spain

In 1982 Northern Ireland had qualified for the World Cup but were given no chance in a group that contained hosts Spain, Yugoslavia and Honduras. Captained by current Republic manager Martin O’Neill, they had left themselves with a mountain to climb against Spain in Valencia when Mal Donaghy was harshly sent off. Cometh the hour cometh the man. Big Gerry Armstrong latched onto a cross from Billy Hamilton to win the game. Armstrong admits himself that that goal changed his career, the former Antrim GAA u21 footballer is now a household name for his commentary on Spanish football.

Major Winning Golfers

For a nation obsessed with golf, major successes were a long time coming. But like a reliable bus service once they started they kept coming. Started with Padraig Harrington leading the way at Carnoustie. A year later he repeated the trick at Royal Birkdale with an injured wrist and three weeks later won the US Open. In 2010 Portrush man Graeme McDowell lifted the US Open at Pebble Beach. Darren Clarke won the Open in 2011, before Holywood sensation Rory McIlroy won four majors starting with the 2011 US Open. Who’s next? Shane Lowry anyone?

Sonia Wins Silver in Sydney

A national sporting icon. After a couple of career disappointments, the entire country roared Sonia to Silver in the Sydney Olympics. Always a heroic figure, the second place was a redemption of sorts after the disappointment of Atlanta. The nation’s darling she epitomised the esteem in which we hold our sporting legends.

Shane Long’s Goal Against Germany

After the disappointments of the Thierry Handball and the performance of the team in Poland under Trapp, it was time for another truly uplifting moment, and nothing uplifted people off their sofa than Shane Long’s strike against Germany. It taught us supporters that we could dare to hope again. So Allez les lads to France. Joxer can break out the Credit Union loan, the vintage O’Neills Ireland jersey, the camper van, the sleeping bag, the box of Tayto crisps, the flat of stout, the Bodhran and of course his new 1916 Commemoration jersey, as he checks out the talent on the Banks of the Loire.

It’s the biggest exodus of Irish to Europe since the Flight of the Earls. Good luck to both teams in France.