If things were that simple there'd be no need for this discussion in the first place! They don't have tenuous links to Sunderland (or, more likely, Yunirah); they positively love them -- if fact, they <are> them, as in we, us, etc, -- precisely because they are far enough away.
They have tenuous links at best to clubs like Sunderland - and most probably no links. Whetehr they love them or not isn't the issue.
Look up the word tenuous if you don't believe me...
Too many people on here think that all that's stopping the good people of Navan from getting off their bar stools and supporting an Irish team is the lack of one in their own town.
Having LOI teams in other towns - many much bigger - hasn't got the masses to support Irish football there. And if someone living in Navan can identify themselves tenuously with a club like Sunderland, then finding a link to existing Irish clubs like Bohs or Drogheda shouldn't be a problem for them.
It wasn't a problem for me anyway, but yeah, there is a lot of interest in soccer in Navan, but it's all talk and no action I'm afraid, as is the case with a lot of towns across Ireland.
And if someone living in Navan can identify themselves tenuously with a club like Sunderland, then finding a link to existing Irish clubs like Bohs or Drogheda shouldn't be that difficult for them.
What about this for a crazy idea?
You all know how that hotel which hosted Real Madrid went out of their way with investment ,best practice etc.What if the government,in these days of unemployment decided to introduce a new industry into Ireland.This industry could create jobs at admin,advertising and player level.Would bring in many tourists in winter or summer,put Ireland back on the tourist map and give RTE and other Irish tv stations something to do,and attract self financing advertising revenue?Would the government be willing to grant aid this industry to the same extent they did overseas manufacturing investors?
THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE
INVEST IN IRISH FOOTBALL?
PS How about a team from Shannon to add to your list
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