No Blarney for Vikings on the Ireland Fan Experience
During the offseason, the NFL announced its slate of games that would be played abroad, with a new twist: one team would play two of those games in a row.
A surprise to Vikings fans is that it was their team crossing the pond to play the NFL’s inaugural game in Dublin, Ireland, and then going to London the following week. Taking on the Steelers the first week and then the Browns the next came with a mix of emotions.
Tony Schultz shares his trip experience to Dublin for the NFL’s first game in Ireland, blending Vikings football, family memories, and the charm of Irish culture.
Some felt the team was being punished, while others saw it as an advantage, not having to play in the opposing team’s stadiums. I saw it as an opportunity to see my favorite team play overseas and spend quality time with my family on vacation.
First, to be clear, we had been planning a trip to Ireland at some point so my wife could spread the ashes of her sister, who passed away in 2020 due to cancer. It was her request, and we wanted to honor that. The Vikings playing there was a spark of motivation to plan that trip sooner rather than later. We were glad to have something to do as a family that balanced out the emotions of laying to rest a loved one.
What’s It Like In Ireland?
Is there somewhere you go that you always know you will be treated nicely? It may be a store or your local mechanic that always greets you with a smile and asks how your day is going, or a bar where everybody knows your name.
That is Ireland everywhere you go. We spent a week and decided to stay at an Airbnb in the middle of the country, in a town called Clonaslee. We did this because we weren’t just going to the game, but also traveling to see the sights, and this cut down on time spent driving everywhere.
For some perspective, you have to understand that the country of Ireland is smaller than the state of Minnesota and that it takes the same amount of time to drive from Houston County to the Lake of the Woods as it does to drive from Blarney Castle to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland. That’s eight hours in the car from the southern end to the northern end, excluding stops at Kwik Trip to get a snack or have a bathroom break. You can see a lot while staying there, without having to attend a football game.
Wherever you stop, though, you will get a wonderful “Hello” and a mention of what a lovely day it is. We were lucky as it hardly rained while we were there, except for the final day, and it was at night, after we had gone to as much as we could fit in.
Everyone, from waitresses and bartenders to shop owners and gas station attendants, was sincerely nice. It was so refreshing and not forced at all. Although some of the wait staff in Dublin were obviously working extra hard with the extra people in town, and some of them looked to party harder than others, they still made you feel welcome. I’m hoping that any fans that come back from there bring a little of that with them and spread it into their workday.
Weather-wise, it was what we expected with cool breezes and highs only in the 60s, but our Minnesota blood could handle that with ease. Everyone we met said we got lucky, as it had been rainy most of the time for the last month or so. There wasn’t a fan I met who didn’t love the fact that the weather was great for the game, with the sun peeking through the clouds on and off.
While we used the excellent commuter train to get to Dublin on game day, we also rented a car to get around the rest of the week. Driving in Ireland is an experience all in itself, especially when you’re not on their major highways, which are similar to those at home. Imagine the windiest road you know, whether it’s on a hill or out in the country, that has many tight corners.
Now imagine it’s everywhere: a wall of rocks or hedges is 6 inches from your car, and you’re driving on the wrong side of the road at approximately 50-60 miles per hour. You can’t commonly see around the corners to check if someone is coming, and then you pass them with only 6 inches between your vehicles. Fun times. My wife attributed my upbringing in the Driftless Area of Minnesota, driving on gravel country roads, and playing video games, as my advantage on the challenging roadways.
The NFL In Dublin Experience
We all know why the NFL is pushing hard in these other countries and finding ways to attach teams to certain countries: money. It will always drive what the league is trying to accomplish. Yes, prices jumped dramatically everywhere in Dublin, according to locals I spoke with and people who travel there often.
The Irish people seemed somewhat surprised and upset that hotel prices were $600 or more per night at some establishments. They understood why, but still felt it was a bit extreme. Since we didn’t stay in the city, we were removed from most of the fan activities with the team and former player appearances that the team held.
They looked like fun, and after reading through social media, it seemed that everyone thought the Vikings, along with the NFL, had done a great job. Still, even as far away as Blarney and Galway, signs were hanging welcoming fans, flags of both teams, balloons decorating shops, and folks with a heavy Irish brogue ready to give you a “Skol!” if they saw you wearing purple.
Gift shops at The Cliffs of Moher sold items featuring the Steelers and Vikings. It felt like the whole country was happy we were there, and that felt really good. You never felt like we were invading their space. The people of Ireland couldn’t wait for us to come see their beautiful home and have fun at a “match” that some of them didn’t understand but were excited to host.
My friend and former coworker, Jeremy, stayed in Dublin, and he said it was a generally positive experience.
He said, “The entire experience was absolutely fantastic! Everyone, from Steelers fans to Vikings fans to American Football fans, was fun and welcoming. Dublin opened its arms to give fans lasting memories.” Since Jeremy took a shorter trip then I did he did most of his exploring in and around Dublin. “The museums were absolutely wonderful”, he went on to say. “The Guinness Storehouse is a must. If you want some quiet time, take the train to Howth. It’s incredibly beautiful, and you will find a few amazing restaurants.”
As I mentioned, the teams took over certain pubs for their fans, with the main Vikings headquarters being J.R. Mahon’s (pronounced mans). We went there before the game and had a great experience with food and fellow fans. “The Vikings takeover was a great idea. Most pubs had flags or balloons representing both teams, and they were always kind when they found out you were there for the “match”.
Whether it was a taxi driver or someone random in a pub, curious and genuine questions would be asked”, stated Jeremy. Others we spoke with in passing said they had nothing but a good time and had good things to say about the restaurants and the team events, such as having Viktor and the cheerleaders show up. It always went back to the people and staff who were so nice to them.
Croke Park Hosts Its First NFL Game
While everyone was happy to be going to the game as a Vikings fan, you knew it was still an “away” game and that the Steelers were the home team. It sure felt that way.
We all know how well The Purple Faithful travel and show up for these games in Europe, but Ireland has embraced the Rooney family and the Steelers, so it was a good 60% Steelers fans to 30% Vikings, with the rest a mixture of random NFL fans and Irish spectators just there to see this peculiar match and have the NFL experience. With an attendance of 74.512 people, it was quite a sight to behold.
The things you didn’t see sitting at home were an Irish band named Clada that played traditional Irish music, which got every fan pumped up and dancing along with an Irish drumline that joined the Steelers drumline for a performance. The stadium is an older one that underwent renovations about 20 years ago to add seating. The seats there were a little narrow, and my long legs had my knees firmly against the seat in front of me, but it didn’t matter much as we were standing for much of the game.
That’s common over there during soccer matches. The concourses were a bit too snug for the traffic. It was reminiscent of the Metrodome with fans squeezing past each other to get to the bathrooms and snacks, but a bit worse. There was a bad bottleneck at the food station and neighboring bar, and people were stacked up on each other trying to get past just to reach the men’s bathroom.
Jeremy pointed out, “They were definitely not ready for the amount of beer that was going to be served that day! I stood in a beer queue for about 25 minutes. That’s the price you pay when the Guinness is good, though! The stadium is absolutely massive and will compare in size to the newer NFL stadiums, but Croke Park is definitely dated. Fewer amenities vs a stadium like US Bank.”
The atmosphere itself was really fun, and the game presentation was great. All the fans seemed to genuinely enjoy being there and socializing with one another, regardless of who they were cheering for. When that 4th-quarter comeback ensued, the place went from zero to one hundred in two seconds.
Before that, you could tell who American fans were and who were from Europe as the local fans cheered at the wrong times when their team was on offense and not enough on third downs. When the Vikings tried to tie things up in the 4th quarter, though, it was hard to hear yourself think in the best way possible. Even though my team lost, I was happy that the Irish fanbase got to see an exciting game in the end, worth talking about at the pub later.
I asked Jeremy what he thought of the atmosphere as well, and he said, “The pure energy coming from the stands! People were singing along, the Irish band jamming during TV timeout, and the genuine happiness coming from all the fans.”
What Did the Irish Fans Think Of The Game
We had one guy from Ireland sitting in front of us, and he admitted he didn’t know much of what was going on. Those of us around filled him in on a few things, like the onside kick rules and a few more of the finer points. He said he was having a great time and really felt that, even though the game was hard to follow, he truly enjoyed the fans and how much they got into it with their jerseys and costumes, some of which were truly creative.
I asked random fans on the way out, and as the throng of people made their way back to the pubs through the streets, what they thought. Most of them were fans of the game and were thrilled to see an NFL game with their favorite team playing there.
One guy got almost emotional and added that it wasn’t just the game but that he loved having all these people come from America to be with them and have fun. It gave them a great sense of pride with so many people telling them they loved being in Ireland. Jeremy added, “Everyone was really fun, happy, and were sharing laughs anyway they could.”
In The End, It’s All About One Thing
We flew back on Wednesday after a few more days of adventures in the Emerald Isle. I was upset about the loss, of course, but I started to realize that it was fading away quickly.
The experience that the NFL put on all over the country, and mainly in Dublin, struck a great balance between hyping up the game and still letting it be an authentic Irish experience. Nothing felt forced. “I saw a friend yesterday,” said Jeremy, “he’s a Steelers fan. He said, “How was it to fly all that way to watch your team lose?” My reply, “I’d do it all over again. Ireland was absolutely beautiful, the people were great, and the beer was incredible. I’m not bothered by the loss at all”.
I felt the same way, as my family and I had a great time. We have memories of and beyond the game that will last a lifetime.
I really just want to thank the people of Ireland for making us American fans feel sincerely welcome. The NFL and the respective teams did a great service to all the fans who made the trip and to those who live there. It could have just been about consuming the product and making us spend a bunch of money, but it seemed to go beyond that.
The game was what brought us all there, but it’s the people that make me want to go back. If the Vikings are playing there when I do, then that’s just a bit of the luck of the Irish.
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