State Papers: Government was wary of 'exuberance' of Irish fans at 1994 World Cup

Roy Keane and Paul McGrath during the game against Italy at the 1994 World Cup in the US. Photo: INPHO/Allsport

Fears that the “exuberance” of Irish soccer fans might create negative publicity was one of the main reasons why the Government decided that Ireland’s qualification for the 1994 World Cup finals in the US should not be used to mount a campaign to promote the country.

Newly released files from the National Archives show there was concern among senior civil servants that the antics of “boisterous but well-behaved” supporters of Jack Charlton’s team might be misunderstood.

Confidential documents show consultants strongly recommended against using the tournament “as a vehicle for the promotion of Ireland". Instead, they advised the Government that State agencies should target specific events such as the “corporate entertainment of carefully chosen executives.” 

The Irish ambassador in Washington, Dermot Gallagher, noted arguments against a major promotion of Ireland pegged to the World Cup included that the tournament would have relatively little impact on America in general.

Mr Gallagher pointed out that matches would not receive a high level of TV coverage. He also remarked: “While Irish soccer fans may be the best in the world, their (for us, normal) ‘exuberance’ could possibly attract some negative coverage from the US media.” 

The ambassador recognised that his staff would need to have arrangements in place to manage any problems with fans “quietly and effectively” as everything would be “monitored closely by the media".

One note from an Irish diplomat in the Washington embassy told officials in the Department of the Taoiseach that the consultants saw “very little likelihood of a commercial return for the substantial sums which would be required in such a campaign".

The consultants also concluded that a large promotional campaign would be “a high-risk strategy” and cited the fear of some fans misbehaving despite the good reputation of the Green Army.

The official observed:

While noting that Irish fans were recognised as the best soccer fans in the world, they feared that even a few isolated incidents involving fans could be highlighted by the media in a totally counterproductive fashion.

The tourism body had originally allocated a budget of IR£20,000 for its promotional activity around the World Cup on the basis of around 7,000 fans travelling to the US.

However, it subsequently had to seek an additional budget of IR£50,000 as the estimate for numbers travelling to the tournament from Ireland was increased to 15,000.

Files from the Department of the Taoiseach show civil servants were anxious to build on the goodwill generated by Irish soccer fans following the presence of the Green Army in the European Championships in Germany in 1988 and the preceding World Cup in Italy in 1990.

They also believed that Jack Charlton and team members would have some free time during the tournament to “undertake promotional work” and that consideration should be given to making them “honorary ambassadors".

Officials also stressed that it was important “to get away from the traditional St Patrick’s Day type of promotion” during the World Cup and instead promote Ireland as a modern European country.