Wahlberg to jet in for football classic
The Irish, we all end up in Boston looking for work, Bono told a crowd at a U2 concert in Boston in 1992.
Now it’s the other way around, as some Bostonians of note are coming here not so much looking for work as a win. Your diarist is, of course, referring to the Aer Lingus College Football Classic between Boston College and Georgia Tech at The Aviva Stadium on September 3, when over 25,000 US high-fliers are set to descend on Dublin for the big game.
It will be a bling Boston tea party, and then some.
The illustrious line-up of guests and grandees expected include Hollywood movie star Mark Wahlberg (The Departed, The Fighter and Ted) and former NFL Tampa Bay player Cecil Martin.
Heading this way is that great friend of Ireland, Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh, who visited Dublin last year and also officiated at the opening of the first State-side Primark in Boston last September (if Bob Geldof pitches up at the Aviva, he might want to avoid conversation with Marty about a certain magnificent Irish clothes retailer. But I digress.)
Mayor Walsh will be leading the Boston College supporters with thousands of their alumni including Ireland’s most high profile Boston College alumnus Denis O’Brien expected to be among them.
How do I know this? I know everything.
On the Georgia Tech side, Mayor of Atlanta Kasim Reid will be leading the charge, and former US Ambassador to Ireland and owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers Dan Rooney will also be attending.
Many leading US business luminaries are also en route — including Chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola, Muhtar Kent.
Your diarist suggests you waste not a second in checking out College Football Ireland. com for tickets (fast selling out), where a donation will be made to Special Olympics Ireland for every ticket sold.