Irish fans prove to be model citizens
SAINT-DENIS, FRANCE Water isn’t the only thing separating Ireland from England.
Irish supporters scattered throughout France are doing their best to distance themselves from English hooligans.
Not that it’s been difficult. Hundreds of England supporters brought mayhem in Marseille and Lille this week.
The Irish, on the other hand, are saving lives. No, seriously. Prior to Ireland’s match with Sweden here at Stade de France, an elderly man collapsed outside the venue.
An Irish man — later identified as Jay Keating by the Mirror — sprung to action, attempting to save him using chest compressions.
When the good deed was done, Keating realized he’d lost his Ireland-Sweden ticket in the process. He was out of luck.
That is, until another group of Irish do-gooders showed up. The men all pitched in and bought Keating a seat to watch The Boys In Green draw Sweden in SaintDenis.
Later on, another group of Irish lads was down the road in Paris doing something most supporters ignore: Cleaning up after themselves.
As is typical with this lot, the Irishmen sang a song: “Clean up ... for the boys in green” to the tune of a common Catholic hymn as they collected bottles and cans shamefully littering the streets.
It seemed so unlikely, so out of place at a tournament where violent fan support has ruled the news cycle.
The Irish, though, had a spotless reputation coming into Euro 2016. Nothing demonstrated that more than what happened at their tournament opener.
Whereas hundreds of security, cloaked in bright yellow, separated Turkish and Croatian supporters the night before at Parc de Princes in southwest Paris, Irish supporters were left do as they pleased at the much-larger Stade de France.
Unlike their neighbours across the Celtic Sea, the Irish have earned as much. Like their team, Ireland has come to France to play and support the right way.