Irish in Toronto talk up chances ahead of World Cup clash with 'cocky' Canada
Rachel De Nógla from Dublin, Chloe Mackey from Kildare with Michaela McLoughlin and Erin Merkley. The girls who all play for the Toronto Gaels GAA club got together to watch Ireland's World Cup opener against Australia last week.
The Canadians are feeling "cocky" about ending Ireland's hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stages of the World Cup, but expats in Toronto say "you can never rule out the Irish".
Vera Pauw takes her team to Perth for their second World Cup outing on Wednesday, with the game kicking off at 1pm Irish time. Ireland need a win or a draw in order to keep the dream alive after a 1-0 defeat to tournament co-hosts Australia last week.
The spoke to Irish expats living in Toronto this week and they are hoping they can get one over on the locals. Meath woman Bevin McEvoy has been living in Toronto for almost five years and will be tuning into the game from her office alongside Ireland's rivals.
“I’ll be watching with my work colleagues, most of whom are Canadian. Although, one is from Nigeria, who are also in Ireland’s group, so there has been a lot of banter in the work group chat to say the least,” said the 29-year old.
Bevin took it upon herself to create a World Cup pool for the office and says that the competition so far has been “fierce”. "My Canadian colleagues are very cocky about their chances, but I’ve told them they’re in for a surprise. You can never rule out the Irish,” Bevin said.
Bevin said Irish people are “so loved” in Canada and she feels very proud to be representing the Irish abroad.
“I’m often stopped in public and asked about my accent and where I’m from. We have a great reputation over here,” she said.
However, Bevin admitted that major events like the Ireland v Canada game do make her homesick.
“I know it will be the same for the World Cup,” she said.
Since upping sticks and taking on life in Toronto, Bevin says she has become so much more involved in Irish sports and “just general Irishness.”
“I take great pride in being Irish over here. Sporting events are a wonderful way of connecting and bonding with other Irish people, and just generally having the craic."
Dublin woman Rachel De Nógla said this is a “historic time for women’s sport in Ireland”. “It’s the first time our generation are seeing our women represented at the World Cup and it’s pretty special to watch,” she said.
Rachel, originally from Clondalkin, got up at 4am to watch Ireland’s World Cup debut against Australia. She headed to a friend’s house to watch with a group of girls from her new local GAA team, the Toronto Gaels.
“I'll always remember where I was the first time I got to see an Irish women's team play in the World Cup,” she said. However, Rachel says “it’s not just about the football”.
“It's about representation too, and what it will mean for young girls seeing the Irish women's team represented on the world stage, and how they are reshaping the attitudes of people toward women's sport.
“Reaching the World Cup will only fuel the growth of women's sport in Ireland. With dropout rates for young girls in sports in Ireland being a real problem, this team is going to inspire a whole generation, and that's a pretty special thing.”
Meanwhile, Chloe Mackey from Kildare has just submitted her Canadian citizenship application but says “it will never change or take away from the fact that I’m Irish born and raised”.
“I’ll never identify as a Canadian, the passport is great to have from a travelling perspective and means I don’t need a visa to come and go from Canada, but I’ll always be Irish,” she said.
Chloe too will be watching Ireland take on Canada from the office where there are " a good few Irish" working, so "there will be a bit of friendly competition with the Canadians".
Chloe, 27, got together with friends to watch the opening game, saying: “I wouldn’t have missed it! The girls and I gathered at 6am with sausages and rashers on for the breakfast rolls,” she said.
Emma Brady from Ballyconnell in Co. Cavan has been living in Toronto for almost eight years and she's backing Amber Barrett to score another last-minute winner.
“I will watch with the few Irish people in my office and whatever Canadians I can rope in too.
“I haven’t decided what to wear, but there will be some form of green, and I always have a tiny Irish flag at my desk. I can walk around the office proudly when we win,” she said.
Emma said she is “so proud” of the Irish women’s soccer team making it to the World Cup and loves how female sports stars are making waves.
She said:
New to Toronto, 24-year-old Laura Toner from Kinnegad in Co. Westmeath said that while “the time zone doesn’t do us any favours” she is still planning to tune in on Wednesday.
Laura, who moved to Canada three months ago, is proud to be representing the Irish abroad saying “expat patriotism is unparalleled.”
“Just this weekend, we tuned into the All-Ireland Hurling finals on GAAGO. Hearing Marty Morrissey on the TV while gawking at the CN Tower out our apartment window, there’s just something magical about it."
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