Cathal Barry
Photo credit: EPA The chaplain to the Irish community in Paris has heaped praise on fans who travelled to France to support the boys in green at the Euros, saying they managed to “melt the hearts” of the French.
Fr Dwayne Gavin told The Irish Catholic that the atmosphere in Paris was “electric” ahead of Ireland’s recent clash with Sweden in the Stade de France.
“The atmosphere was electric on the streets in Paris before the match. There were Irish fans all over the place singing and people were stopping to talk to them which Parisians don’t usually do.
“It’s pretty hard to melt the hearts of the French and I don’t know how the Irish fans have managed to do it, but they have,” he said.
Fr Gavin, who is based at the Irish College in Paris, said the Irish fans had made a great impression on French media and police.
“They are spontaneous and enjoying themselves but yet they are respectful. The security officials here have been praising the Irish for how easy they have been to deal with.
“Even in the French press, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said.
Fr Aidan Troy, a Passionist priest based in St Joseph’s Church near the Eiffel Tower, told this newspaper that attending the match against Sweden was “one of the most incredible experiences of being so proud to be Irish”.
“It was wonderful. There wasn’t a hint of bother or trouble and it was just so great to be there. Singing the national anthem was just one of those marvellous occasions.
Talking
“Everybody was talking about how proud the Irish must be of their fans. That’s a huge accolade. Please God it will last and I think it will,” he said.
Fr Gavin also reported large numbers of Irish fans attending Mass at the Irish College in Paris ahead of the match against Sweden in particular.
“The numbers were up before the Swedish match because it was here. There was a good number of people in green jerseys and fans not just from the south, but from Northern Ireland too,” he said.
