By Onaleigh Earls
For a big sporting event the streets of Galway are usually a sea of maroon with flags and banners in shop windows. The last couple of weeks have had a twist on the traditional colours of the city. The first official NFL regular season game took place on Sunday last in Croke Park with the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Minnesota Vikings 24-21.
The occasion meant black, gold and purple took over our already colourful streets as Vikings and Steelers fans filled the city’s hotspots. Both sets of fans created a playful rivalry, bantering across jerseys and chants. The city felt like the west of Ireland had been swapped for the Midwest.
It’s estimated that between thirty and forty thousand fans have travelled to our shores for the game. They have been easily recognisable, as they wear their team’s merchandise proudly; sometimes it’s hard to think they brought any unbranded clothing with them. The majority of visitors to our cobbled streets so far have been donning their black and gold jerseys – Steelers fans.
Many are using this time to connect with their Irish heritage and family members who live close by. Barbara and Paul Mitchell are just one couple who visited Galway before they made their trip to Dublin for the game. They are using the event to meet their son who lives in London for work. “Of course we’re Steelers fans, but we’re really here to spend time with our son and make the most out of being in close proximity with him,” says Barbara.
Approximately 600,000 people applied for tickets to the game, with just 75,000 of those being lucky enough to witness the spectacle. Not everyone visiting had tickets. Jan McCoy and Kimberly Rau from Pittsburgh planned a trip to Ireland for their 30th wedding anniversary months before the game was announced. They’ve been to Kilkenny, Cork, Kerry, Clare and now Galway. ‘In Pittsburgh we have Steeler Nation — we travel everywhere for games. In any city there’s probably a Steelers bar or fan club. ‘It’s been great to see a lot of fans around even when we didn’t expect it 10 months ago,’ said Jan.
JaCoby Smith from Atlanta has been a Steelers fan since his parents bought him a jacket when he was younger. He didn’t grow up in Pittsburgh but says, ‘Being part of Steeler Nation is a blessing.’ He travelled to Ireland with a group of friends he’s met on the road following the team. ‘When the Steelers announced they were playing in Ireland, I knew I had to come,’ he said.
The Vikings may not have been victorious on the day, but do hold an advantage on their schedule. They are the first team to play back-to-back international games in different countries. That’s giving their supporters extra time in Ireland before heading to London for their second match.
Some chose to travel around Europe like this group of friends. Paul Langinki, Mark Langinki and Andrew Brust added a splash of colour in luchador masks outside the stadium on Sunday. They had visited Dublin and travelled around Ireland before, but this time they stayed in the capital on Sunday before flying to Croatia and onto London for the Vikings’ next game.
But the majority of fans, like Becky and Paul Herskind, will spend their extra days touring the country. ‘We’ve been here since Wednesday, but we leave Dublin on Monday and will be visiting Cork, the Cliffs of Moher and Galway while we are here,’ said Becky. Paul laughed: ‘We heard Galway is a great town, and people from Minnesota love to drink, so we have fit in just fine.’
Although the game was played in Dublin, it’s clear that events like this have a massive impact on Ireland’s tourism and hospitality sector. The Irish government estimates the event will generate around €64 million in economic activity, from sightseeing to souvenirs. Even cities like Galway, far from the capital, benefited, proving that a single sporting event can have an impact long after the final whistle.