Working in the toy department

The worst of times…the best of times. Liam Mackey reflects on an extraordinary 31 days in the Far East, from the depressing pall of greyness that hung over the Irish camp in Izumo through the drama of Ibaraki and onto the swansong in Suwon.

THE PHRASE that kept coming to mind throughout the World Cup of 2002 was the one U2 used to put up in lights during their Zooropa tour, the one with the Orwellian ring: