How the rest of the world see us....

[tetsujin1979]

That footage is amazing. And to think some people are embarrased by how we behaved out there.

People who weren't there.

[paul_oshea]

I'd agree with that generally Tets, but a fella in our group, who I think you met before actually, came out of the stadium after the spain game saying it was embarassing how we were singing with 10 minutes to go.

[paul_oshea]

Just had an email from a journalist from the daily paper in gdasnk and she said there was talk on the main gdasnk radio station last night, describing the Irish and their behaviour, she said that it was all very positive, and that they had removed 23tonnes of rubbish the week we were there, and most of it supposedly was pint glasses, everyone taking them and walking around the main square/old street -which they werent meant to do. But we were very civilised because none of it was broken on the streets like other countries, but deposited safely into rubbish bins.....they obviously didn't speak with the cleaners of Poznan!!

[Noelys Guitar]

From the Uefa site
@adi7anand: Who has the most passionate fans at Euro 2012?

Tardelli: The Irish. I was very impressed by their behaviour and how they always supported their team. It's not normal what they did and there aren't many Italian fans who would have done that. But our fans have been very close to our team as well. They know about our strengths, and that we've tried our best, and they have represented our flag well

[ArdeeBhoy]

http://theinsideleft.com/ireland-at-...ther_multiline

[Stuttgart88]

Very good. Any chance you can add a simple narrative to the links you post instead of just sticking a link up in isolation?

[ArdeeBhoy]

I think I say quite enough already...

Leave it up to people to make up their own minds.

[paul_oshea]

From the Uefa site
@adi7anand: Who has the most passionate fans at Euro 2012?

Tardelli: The Irish. I was very impressed by their behaviour and how they always supported their team. It's not normal what they did and there aren't many Italian fans who would have done that. But our fans have been very close to our team as well. They know about our strengths, and that we've tried our best, and they have represented our flag well

Interesting at UEFA website, not Italian. THe use of "our" and "their".....

[Stuttgart88]

Oh, Tardelli
He used to be Italian
And he still is

[paul_oshea]

No as we started the day of the italy game, oh trapatoni he used to be irish, he's italian now. Funny the italians came up with the same chant.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Yeah, had made up that chant before we even left....

Of course my prophetic words were ignored!

[tetsujin1979]

Electronic Arts (EA) are running polls on twitter today for various "best of Euro 2012" categories, here's the feed for the best fans: https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23Eur...23Euro2012Fans

[tetsujin1979]

I'd agree with that generally Tets, but a fella in our group, who I think you met before actually, came out of the stadium after the spain game saying it was embarassing how we were singing with 10 minutes to go.

I've heard a few people say that, and they are entitled to their opinion, but I'd rather be singing than booing or sitting on my hands, or (and I've never done this) leaving early

[gaf1983]

http://theinsideleft.com/ireland-at-...ther_multiline

it's a piece of great writing explaining why the Irish felt they had to sing that night against Spain, sets it against the wider backdrop of the economic malaise and another generation lost to emigration.

[Bottle of Tonic]

Sensational Jeff.

I have to admit the bad mouthing of the Irish fans in Poland from some of the Irish media and more disappointingly from football fans who stayed at home kinda got to me when I landed home a week ago. The buzz, camaraderie and feel good nature of my 10 days in Poland will live long in the memory and I was saddened to see the cheap shots flying in the minute I began to read some of the reaction to the fans presence in Poland. When I had my own not-a-clue-about-football mother on the phone to me going on about the eejits singing 'You'll never beat the Irish' when "sure didn't they get hammered in every game" I knew good old Irish bregrudgery was alive and kicking.

The 30,000 odd partied like hell, made friends and had the craic like only the Irish can so what can we do to keep the national whingefest going? Sure they drank like there was no tomorrow ( fecking Irish can't enjoy themselves without alcohol), were rowdy and puked all over the place and sang like goons when we were getting beaten. Its not the way to do it lads - Keano said so.

Then I spent the week looking at pictures and videos like those above and realised those whingers and detracters were simply jealous

Credit to all the lads who were out there. I don't live in the country anymore and it was great to spend 2 weeks having solid 24/7 craic with the inventors and masters of it!

[BonnieShels]

That footage is amazing. And to think some people are embarrased by how we behaved out there.

yeah, but I'm not driving from Berlin next time.

You didn't drive last time. :-P

[osarusan]

it's a piece of great writing explaining why the Irish felt they had to sing that night against Spain, sets it against the wider backdrop of the economic malaise and another generation lost to emigration.

It's a nonsense article that tries to create the most tenuous link between the singing and Ireland's other woes.

I've already said on here that the singing was great to watch, but to link it to economic problems and emigration is silly.

A vast percentage of the supporters who travelled to this tournament had arrived in Poland from places such as Cagliari, Toronto, Sydney, Singapore, San Francisco and New York.

No figures for this, but the word 'vast' is ridiculous.

The true Irish supporters decided to come together in unison, to express pride in themselves and their culture at a time when being Irish and what that means has become increasingly confusing. Perhaps a sing-song was our last refuge.

To suggest those who sang were the 'true' Irish supporters and those who didn't sing aren't is nonsense.

If you ask any of the Irish fans in Poland in 20 years time what their recollection of the year 2012 was, you can be sure they will not tell you about mortgage arrears, being unemployed, longing for home or trying to find their way in the world. They will not tell you about John Delaney or Roy Keane. Instead they will tell you about two weeks in June, when it was a joy to be Irish, and when a citizenry divided by economics and geography united, and sang together as one.

Sounds emotional, but nonsense.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Hmm. Pedantry aside, for those of us lucky enough to be there, I'd say Bottle of Tonic got it just about right in his reply above...

And for what it's worth very similar went out in the other 4 Finals we reached too, albeit with more satisfying results!!

[tricky_colour]

Very good. Any chance you can add a simple narrative to the links you post instead of just sticking a link up in isolation?

Maybe make a new thread with a title on it????

(perhaps not )

[tetsujin1979]

Stories coming out today that Platini will deliver an award to the FAI for the behaviour of the Irish fans
Usual comments from LOI fans, which help nobody including themselves, have already begun