In The History of Rome – Volume 1, there’s a quote about our ancestors that is as relevant today as it ever was.
“The celts have shaken states everywhere, but founded none…” (Theodor Mommsen)
If ever the Irish race needed summing up, this is the line to do just that.
Not quite grand enough to conquer the world. Not quite big enough to forge an empire. But, by Jesus, tough enough to stick it to the best of them. Brave enough to stand toe-to-toe with the deadliest and look defeat right in the eye until it blinks first.
On their day, the celts and the Irish could move mountains. But empires aren’t built in a day. World Cups aren’t won in a game.
Ronan O’Gara gets that. Andy Reid gets it.
Both are still Republic of Ireland fans to the core but in that stomach lies the good stuff. The Irishness.
Andy Reid is one of the most stylish footballers this country has produced in a long time but even he gets what makes Ireland tick. On SportsJOE Live, Reid put it perfectly.
“We’ve got to be realistic – I’m talking in football terms here. Ireland are not an elite football team,” the former midfielder said.
“The population suggests that there’s not enough players for us to compete. The structure, although it has improved and it has got better, is not at elite standards. And that doesn’t give us the opportunity then to compete there and people have to understand that.
“We’re never going to be Spain, passing the ball with two or one-touch football, loads of passes and then scoring great goals. It’s never going to be like that. It’s going to be a fight, it’s going to be about finding the best ways for us to win a game.”
Ronan O’Gara backed it up. He grew up watching the Republic make noises when circumstance and whatever else suggested that they should keep schtum. They wouldn’t. Not for anyone.
That inspired the next batch. Even the next rugby batch.
“If we lose that [attitude], then we’re dead,” O’Gara said on SportsJOE Live.
“That’s key, the fight and the dog. That’s central to every Irish team.
“From growing up in Cork, the best nights were Euro ’88 and Italia ’90. That just gave everyone reason to believe.”
Reid reinforced it.
“If you fight and give everything you’ve got, the Irish people will accept that. It’s that Irishness and that fight that sets us apart and makes us proud.”
Watch the show below.
