I find that hard to believe, not the Charlie Bird thing but the rioting.
I find that hard to believe, not the Charlie Bird thing but the rioting.
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist thinks it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.
I went down to have a look. Tension, maybe. Rioting? Not that I saw.
There were a load of Sinn Fein heads marching to free Dessie Ellis as far as I can rembember. I think it was that night.
we were walking down o'connell street as some loon in an ingurlund jersey and union jack style bandana ran past us with a bottle of wine (i think) in his paw.
he smacked one of our group with the bottle in the face, smashing the bottle but thankfully not too much lasting damage to my friends face. we gave chase and the british thug turned onto talbot st (i think). as he turned the corner a paddy wagon pulled up right in front of him (rabbit in the headlights type of thing) and the gardai piled out, my other friend caught up with our british friend but the gardi interviened pulling the thug to the back of the paddy wagon, as the last of about 6 gardai piled in after the thug one of them turned to us and said 'we'll take care of it from here lads!!!'. the crash, bang, wallop from the back of the paddy wagon was quickly drowned out by the screams of the british tourist and the cheers of the on-looking crowd!!!!
maybe it wasn't a full blown riot but there were a fair few flakings up and down o'connel street that evening/night.
Hi Galway and up the tribesmen
I am going to go one better than that
I am going to let the cat of the bag or so to speak in this post. This is something that I have been told 2 or 3 times. I don’t know if it is not true and if it is not then well sorry
We all remember ROI vs England in 1995; it was an awful night and something that we shall all never forget. I was told that when the Gardai had rounded up the main ‘leaders’ if we can call them that, of the rioters, they put them all up against the wall at the docks. The Garda that was in charge told one of the young Gardas to get a saw and go down to O’Connell Street and cut down 20 branches about a meter long and about 5 cm thick. He told the young Garda that he had to cut them down from O’Connell Street and nowhere else. The young Garda duly obliged and returned shortly with the sticks. Each of the 20 experienced Garda that were on duty that night each took and stick in their hands and ordered their younger counterparts to pull down the trousers of the rioters. Once the trousers were down the Gardai wailed the rioters on the backs of their thighs over and over again. The guy who witnessed it said he never saw anything like it in his life. When the boat had finally arrived to pick up the rioters (as arranged) they beat them onto the boat as well, across the head, arms, anywhere they could get a clean shot
- Never mentioned in the papers
- Never mentioned amongst any ranks of the Gardai
- They never came back
- I have a new found respect for the Gardai since that day.
Believe what you like
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist thinks it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.
I agree with Osarusan on this one. The more likely story was, a guard booted an English hooligan up the arse and shouted 'Ya little feckin toe rag' and the story snowballed ever since with every person adding little bits on.
Still though, deep down in our hearts, I suppose we can choose to believe it happened.![]()
Last edited by Torn-Ado; 17/12/2007 at 2:53 PM. Reason: spelling
I think I should the parachute, because I'm great.
In fact, I think I should get both parachutes, in case one doesn't work.
Good story but I have my doubts as well. Firstly, it would have taken the average Garda at least 3 days to get 20 branches to the specifications mentioned. They would have had to get the it signed off in triplicate by the Chief Super. Secondly to obtain the saw they would again have to go through the procurement department and a tender process would be put in place to ensure that the saw was acquired fairly and at the best price!! Lastly, and this is the real reason, why I believe it didn't happen is that at least 6 of the 20 Gardai present would now be suing the state for deafness caused by the screams of the previously mentioned thugs![]()
Last edited by beautifulrock; 17/12/2007 at 3:15 PM.
I was going by Eason's after the 1-1 draw and saw 4 large English women in shell suits leading a group of English yobbos all shouting insults and threatening passersby . Coming down O'Connell street from the opposite direction (and in the middle of the street) was a group of Ireland fans (about 50). Bottles got thrown but the 2 groups never met as a large group of guards came out from the side streets and stopped both groups from meeting.
Last edited by Noelys Guitar; 17/12/2007 at 7:38 PM.
I absolutely despise football hooligans but I remember one English beaut that I worked with telling me that Dublin in 1991 was the only time he's seen English fans ****ting themselves so much. He told me when he was ****ed that "those facking paddys kicked the facking ****e out of usbig time"
Remember watching both games in Kilburn and there being serious rioting on the underground between fans.
Also remember a game in Wembley (think it was 76). I was on the underground coming home from work and there were about 20 english thugs abusing about ten irish lads who were about 17 (just off the boat). They shut up fairly sharpish when about 5 big Irish navvies got on and started singing rebel songs!!even most of the ordinary english were ****ing themselves.
was in gatwick airport and picked up a book called england away or something like that. it mentions in detail the game in 1991 in dublin.
You gave it to me and I still have it (well it is at my Mam's house). Going back on Wednesday. Can you PM me your address again and I'll post it to you from Dublin?
Sorry about that.
I remember the came against England at home. Ronnie Whelan alsmost scored with a cheeky free. When Cascarino scored it seemed like the crowd in the south terrace swelled forward.
Massive missed opportunity in that qualification series.
There is no such thing as a miracle cure, a free lunch or a humble opinion.
I was at the game in Wembley and will never forget it.The atmosphere was electric and the way the noise gradually increased as we built momentum before Quinnys goal was incredible.Spoke to an England supporter in the pub a couple of weeks later and he said never before had visiting supporters made such a racket.
was in kilburn on the afternoon before the wembley game. sitting down sinking a few when a concrete block came smashing through a window and landed on a table beside us. 2 young lads and their dad and his mate were sitting at the table at the time and thankfully the block landed flush in the centre of the table and missed all the lads heads. could have been very very bad. pure scum thing to do. van screeched off with the culprits inside.
Wasn't uncommon back then. I was living in London during Italia 90 and went up to Kilburn to watch the matches. After the 1-1 draw with England there wasn't major trouble but a few lads got picked off. Remember one fella got chucked through the window of a laundrette after being hopped on on his way home.....
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