Qualifying for the Euros means something other than Ireland meeting bailout conditions

HERE it is. The Big One. Or, as the French say, Le Gros Wan. Ireland’s opening bow at the Euros. Our recent economic turnaround, as a country, can be traced to our progress at major footballing events.

Even though our 2012 trip to the European Championships ended in ignominy, it was still hugely important to get there. For the first time in a while, ‘qualifying for the Euros’ meant something other than meeting a bailout condition.

Our first opponents are the old enemy, Sweden. I say ‘old enemy’, but Swedish Vikings never actually invaded Ireland and this has been a sore point ever since. We feel slighted, as if we mustn’t have been worth their while pillaging. Say what you like about the Danes and the Norwaynes, but at least they made the effort to call.