World Cup: What makes an event enter the psyche so that it is endlessly celebrated until all involved are dead?

It starts officially tomorrow although celebrations have been underway for a little while. The 30th anniversary of Ireland’s Euro 88 adventure. Specifically, tomorrow marks 30 years since Ray Houghton’s goal.

Thursday sees the end of the twenties of the George Hamilton’s phrase “and Bonner has gone 165 minutes of these Championships without conceding a goal ... oh danger here” as USSR equalised Ronnie Whelan’s goal. Next Monday, the festival will be brought to a close with a quiet and dignified ceremony marking Wim Kieft’s cruelly bouncing Dutch winner. I watched it again yesterday and noticed Packie Bonner’s protest: Just a howl in the darkness at the games the gods play with the lives of men.

Let’s not forget this is also the 5th anniversary of the 25th anniversary of Euro 88. Preparations are also underway for the 30th anniversary of Italia 90 in 2020 but next year really is the big one: the silver anniversary of USA 94.