Monday, February 17, 2025

HERE WE GO! Mullingar Irish soccer fans depart for Euro 2016 football tournament

By Paul O’Donovan

The European Championship Soccer finals kick off in France this Friday, with the Republic of Ireland playing their first game on Monday next, 13th of June, but already the mass exodus of Irish supporters travelling to France from Mullingar and Westmeath has begun.
In scenes that may become reminiscent of the movie comedy ‘Planes, trains and automobiles,’ starring Steve Martin and John Candy, Republic of Ireland soccer fans from Westmeath will be travelling by Planes, Trains, Automobiles and ships to get to France and support Martin O’Neill’s side.
Ireland play their first game against Sweden in Paris on Monday, 13th of June, their second group game against Belgium in Bordeaux on Saturday, 18th of June, and their third and final group game against Italy on Wednesday, 22nd of June in Lille, but Irish fans will be hoping the side will progress further and their stay in France will be extended.
Three lads from Mullingar have decided to make an adventure of the whole trip and travel from Mullingar to France by camper van. Brothers, Barry Carr and Paul Carr, along with Rory Farrell, will make the long journey from Mullingar to France in their highly equipped camper van.
“I told the wife I’m going to the Euros, you can get a divorce if you want!” said Barry with a smile, when he decided he was going!
“In fact, before Ireland’s last qualifying game had finished against Bosnia, I received a phone call from my brother, Barry, asking, “‘Are you doing anyhting in June?” said Paul with a laugh.
“We are all soccer mad and have been season ticket holders at the Aviva for many years,” said Barry. “Myself and Rory worked for many years in Lansdowne Road as security personel and we actually looked after the team, bringing equipment in and out of the dressing rooms and that,” said Barry as he recalled a memorable evening where they sat and chatted to Roy Keane in the team coach one night, when Keane was a player on the Irish team.
Barry clearly has everything organised for the group and was on the ball as soon as the draw was made for the finals.
“Last December when the draw was made, I was sitting in front of the computer, I had all the cities on the map in front of me, the campsites picked out, and the minute the names of the venues were called out, I was onto the campsites straight away. So we got a campsite in Paris, one in Bordeux and one in Lille,” said Barry.
“Now we don’t know if that campsite in Paris is under water or not,” quipped his brother, Paul, very smartly, referring to the recent heavy floods in Paris, a comment which was greeted by a great laugh by the others. “We are afraid to look it up,” said Paul.
The lads intend on sharing the driving across France and staying until the quarter finals if Ireland get there.
“We don’t know about the fuel strike in France, we are hearing you can still get fuel, but we will fill up in Rosslare before we go and if we run out of fuel, we run out, so what…” said a very relaxed Barry.
Whatever happens the lads will feel right at home in the camper van as it is fully equipped with a kitchen, fridge, toilet, shower, bunk beds, barbecue, TV and SKY box, all you could want. “It has all the home comforts, including a table and chairs to sit out on,” said Barry, who was pleased that they had all secured tickets for the Ireland matches.
An added bonus for the sports mad fans is that they will also take in a stage of the Tour De France and Barry a keen cyclist said, “On 2 June the Tour de France starts, and we are not back home until the 5th, so we will see the start of that too as we are just nine kms away from the start.”
“We know plenty of other lads that are going to France too. Some of them are flying to places like Brussels or Amsterdam and are hiring camper vans there, while other fans are just choosing a game or two and flying over for individual matches,” said Barry.
So how will Ireland do then…?
“We are hopeful, we have to get a result in the first game,” said Rory “and we will have a fair idea after the first game how we will get on.”
The lads leave on Thursday morning and drive to Rosslare and then take the boat to Roscoff. “Then we have four nights in Paris, five in Bordeaux and then a marathon drive from Bordeaux to Lille, which is a 800km trip. It will be an adventure and if Ireland do well it will be a bonus!” said Barry.

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