You know, there is a popular theory in Ireland pertaining to the beginnings of the Celtic Tiger economy that is little known outside the Emerald Isle. This theory essentially assigns the credit for the dramatic transformation in Irish economic fortunes in the 1990s not to the endeavours of the unfortunately named Dick Spring and his colleagues, but to Ireland’s first appearance at the World Cup Finals.
The World Cup in 1990 had everything as far as Irish fans were concerned. We had an unlikely hero in Jack Charlton, the former World Cup winner with England who had led the Irish team to victory over his home country two years earlier in the European Championships. We had the bad guy: Eamon Dunphy, self-appointed conscience of journalistic integrity and all-around bad sport. Dunphy’s reputation with the Irish public nosedived after he had the audacity to throw a pen across the studio while declaring himself “ashamed” after the first round game with Egypt.
Dunphy has always insisted he was ashamed of the performance (which was truly shameful, in an insipid 0-0 draw against an awful team) and not of his country, but it didn’t matter. Dunphy just didn’t get it. We loved Charlton, and we loved that he hated Dunphy. Charlton was leading our lads out against better teams and beating them, and when members of the Fourth Estate took umbrage with his style, he told them to stuff it.
It was fantastic. The dodgy shell suits. The bad dancing. Old men crying. The euphoria! Irish broadcasting legend Bill O’Herlihy can never escape his own flirtation with innovative fashion statements.
Yes, the World Cup in 1990 had everything, and it showed Irish people that good things could happen. It opened Ireland to the world in a way we had somehow avoided whilst sending missionaries, builders and entertainers out into it for one hundred and fifty years. It was a “Yes We Can” moment, stretched out over more than three weeks. Really.
2 Comments
ok, whoever edited that video knew what they were doing. “there she goes” gets me EVERY TIME.
seriously, though, i got chills watching that footage. and i really don’t give a crap about sports so… yeah. thanks for the cultural lesson, john!
p.s. who is that main singer guy at the beginning?
I agree, “There She Goes” is perfect. One of my favourite memories as a child is watching the World Cup games with my parents. My mum got me a t-shirt celebrating the Irish goalkeeper, Packie Bonner. He became a national hero overnight!
The singer is Liam Harrison. He has a career back in Ireland but I only know about this song. The group seem to be called the “Goal Celebrities” because they’re supporting GOAL, an NGO charity that gets a lot of support in Ireland. Irish people love novelty songs, and love giving to charity!