Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Irish airline aer Lingus will proudly serve as the presenting
partner of Steelers Ireland twenty twenty five. Airlingus's growth in
North America continues in twenty twenty five as the airline
prepares to fly to two new US destinations, Nashville and Indianapolis,
using its new Airbus eight three twenty one xl or aircraft.
This brings the number of transatlantic routes operated by the
(00:21):
airline from Dublin, Shannon and Manchester to twenty four. Steelers
fans traveling to Ireland for the big Game can enjoy
a relaxing journey when they fly with air Lingus. Air Lingus,
You're very welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Hey, folks, You're very welcome into the Irishtaters podcast presented
by er Lingus. And we all know what's happening the Sunday,
the historic NFL Doublin game between the Pittsburgh Staters and
Minnesota Kans. Michael mcadier honored to be hosting this podcast
this week. I'm getting very emotional nigh over the next
few days. And I know a man that's joining me today.
He is smiling right now, is sitting beside him on
(01:01):
the bus back down from Belfast and Dry where the
Staders had the chance to go home today in a
real way where teams have never really done that before
for international games. Was very very special. Obviously, Pregenta about
ar lingus more than that. Later on, Alan the Masni,
President of American Football Ireland al Presidente, as I've been
calling you on the bus. How are you doing it?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Let'st I'm good, Michael, how are you?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
I'm good, I'm good. So before we start off like
there's so many questions, I can ask you talk to
us a bit about your role. But talk to us
for anyone who's listening in this. You know an NFL
fan talk about AFI, talks about how you got involved
in football and why you love football so much.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Well, I've been involved in football for over twenty years.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
I started in Cork with a Cork Admirals and I
was ended up coaching there for many many years. Then
I joined the board of American Football Eland and last
year was elected president. So I suppose my role now
is basically the overall management and running of football, and
obviously with domestic league our own football side of teams,
(02:08):
and we have the NFL side and all of the
other various things around it. So I think our main
role is to grow the sport in Ireland and to
continue expanding what we have and bringing in new players
and get more people involved in the sport.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Before we continue, I think it's important for me to
say very quickly and acknowledge the fact that there is
a European Flag Championship this weekend in Paris and the
very very best look to both flag teams male and female.
A lot of work going into that that's in Paris
this weekend.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah it is.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Yeah, I mean, look, it's a fantastic opportunity for our
flag players and coaches to be over there taking part
in the European Championships. You know, look, we're very excited
about how they're going to get on and we were
looking forward to seeing some great results and some great
football from them.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
And look, just genuinely the very very best look to
both teams. Some brilliant people involved, their tireless voluntary work.
Absolutely you can see Alan we will talk about obviously,
you can see the group and that really shows about
like what today has been the grove of flag football.
I know Kelly is so important as well, but it's
getting people into the game, isn't it It is?
Speaker 4 (03:12):
I mean, look, it's a great way to introduce the football.
They learn the rules to learn you know that there's
non contact, so it's it's an easy way to get
into the sport, and you know, to work our national
team coaches some players have been doing over the last
few years is just absolutely fantastic and the growth of
the sport here in the last few years has been huge.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Talk to us about your experience with the Steelers. I'm
right and thinking whenever they come into the market officially
they've always been here, But when they came into the
market officially, you weren't president yet, but then you then
you are president, and how have you found you know,
not the responsibility, but how have you find working with
them over the last few years.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Yeah, I mean when they came over first, I was
kind of the appointed person to deal with with the
NFL side of things. So look, I've been working with
the Steelers I Sports over here for the last two years. Look,
we have a great relationship with them. You know, they're
very accommodating and everything we want, we we do and
and voice a verse and we've helped them out with
with a few camps and things.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Like that as well. So you know, they're very welcoming
to us, We're very coming to him.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
So look, we've had we've had a great over back
and forth with all the events that have been going on.
And you know, it's fantastic to have those connections with
with an NFL team in Ireland.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
That's one thing we talk about connections. But when you
are and we've seen it today firsthand, when you have
a family that has links to Candy down for a start,
nobody else has that.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
No, I mean, it's a very special connection.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
I mean for the runis to be you know, to
have left Ireland and how to come back and especially
to be part of the first NFL game and you
know a regular season game in Ireland. I mean that
that is that is a fantastic journey and it's a
fantastic story to say that.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
You know, they're they're they're finally back in their homeland
to play football.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Steelers obviously in Belfast today and in their we good
crack today, like really really good full on the road
flag football event this morning in Belfast. Believe nine or
ten schools represented in that area. What a great experience
for those kids. Great for you as well, to see
kids get involved in to be a sport they haven't
done before.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah. Absolutely, how did you enjoy this?
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Wor? Yeah? Look, that's our main goal is to get
kids playing sport at a younger age. You know, the
more people we get playing the sport, the more we'll
expands as an association and as a league. So you know,
the opportunity for these kids today to have met the
NFL Stars and to get a chance to see what
Howard's run at that level is fantastic.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
And you know, our main hope is that some of
these kids.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Will go away and say, listen, we want to be
football fans, and they want to be Steelers fans.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
And it's funny because like when you've got guys like
Jerome Badas Ike Taylor in Belfast, those kids are getting
that experience that's some of the best to do it
as well. That's priceless, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
I mean, like the opportunity to even see these players
and you know, to these people that have been you know,
fantastic heroes on the field for many years playing football.
I mean that's something that you know, lots of them
might not appreciate. That a little bit older, but it
you know, they can look back in today and say WHOA,
who I met and who I got you know, we
(06:15):
got to learn from.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
It's huge, huge, long may that continue, I know, and
I'm not I'm not trying to bagging up here, but
like you're a corkman, you're traveling the island, You're putting
a lot of work in for so thank you for
what you do, really really good fun to then, balfast.
I want to thank every child that came out and played.
I want to thank the players and the Steelers for
coming up. I think that means an awful lot to
a lot of us. I always say, have roub North
(06:37):
and means a lot to me to see something like
that going on. And I'll tell you what meant a
lot to me. In the way down here, we had
a chance to stop off in new A. The Runny
family was here, obviously, the ancestral hume And for people
wondering why that's so important, leaving in eighteen forty and
coming back almost two hundred years later, that's my one
line this week. Alan students from Newer High School and
(06:59):
Saint Mary's High School in Uri today and we had
two students from like a student from each school. Two
students were awarded the Dan and Patricia Rooney No Mind
Left Behind Scholarship. It's a program developed by the Ireland Ones,
which is obviously very close to the late Dan Rooney's
heart it was. It's designed to help and support young
people from schools in socially and economically disadvantage areas to
(07:21):
attend university and a reflects the Rooney famili's long standing
ties in the region and commitments to educational advancement. Look,
the one thing I'm gonna say on that is what
a moment that was for those kids and for those
schools as well. There's nothing like this man like that is.
It's pretty spad do, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
It is absolutely I mean, you know, for kids to
get this kind of an opportunity, you know, it's so
it's it's it's fantastic. I mean, it's going to completely
change their lives. Yeah, you know, it gives them an
opportunity for something they had, you know, may not have
been able to get themselves.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
And it comes from the generosity of the Runis.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
And I know, as you said that, the Turland Fund
is definitely very close to Dan's heart. So I think
it's it's an absolutely amazing thing to do for the kids.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
You were telling me before we had record here that
you know, you're a football man with heart. You know
it's not obviously you know you enjoy the guy, enjoy her.
But when it comes to your you're a football man.
And for people listening from Europe, we're talking about American
football lot. So for you outside of your own Afi,
what does Sunday mean to you? Like, never mind the
fact that we're going to see the historic moment, but
(08:24):
the staters I never thobabed see this day the same.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Yeah, I think so too.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
I mean, look, it's it's I was at the game
in nineteen ninety seven, the preseason game.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
How did you find that?
Speaker 4 (08:34):
I mean it was it was amazing because it was football,
and you know before that it was only on the TV.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And Kruger is a little bit different now as well.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Completely different plays, So you know, to you know, I
had I suppose football was always like having a regular
season game was kind.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Of seen for a long time.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Is unattainable here to finally have that opportunity here, I mean,
you know, as you said, apart from the whole historic thing.
I mean, the atmosphere is want to be electric through
park looks amazing. So you know, for a football fan
it's heaven.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Are you feel emotional?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Did think you'll be emotional some there? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (09:08):
I mean look again, it's you know, and especially suppose
all of us that have been involved in this for
a while. It's the culmination of it's actually here, you know,
and I think, yeah, it's going to be very emotional.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
I think for lots of people.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
Finally saying this is we have a regular season NFL
game in crow Park high optimistic?
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Are you for the future, because it seems like Alan
since you've come in, I must saying, like, obviously you've
been a huge output, even the deep when you've came
in the NW, it's grown massively. Like again, the potential
here for such a small island is on match. It's
it's a very very exciting time.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
It is very exciting.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
I mean, look, we have an opportunity now to get
kids playing football in schools. We had the launch of
the flag NFL flag.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Yes with the school there a couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Over every secondary school across the island of Ireland got
a flag set the flags and the football sent to them.
I mean, you know what we want to see is
we want to see kids in schools playing football. That
then will you know, help our clubs grow around the country.
And you know, I mean that's that's the end of
the game, is to grow the sport here and to
make it into a powerhouse of a sport in Ireland.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
I'm going to give my prediction at the end of
the week. But have you have you got a production?
They had a Sunday just finally.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
Oh yeah, Look, I mean I think I think the
Steelers will will certainly win.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
You have to win. They have to win, don't think
they do?
Speaker 4 (10:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Yeah, I think so. I know it.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Look, I mean they've been playing well. I think with
the talent they have an offense and defense. I think
it's it's it's more than a jubile.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
I'm sure Man mc cork will be happy to seeing
arn Rodgers run out on Sunday and Kruk park Man's
class very very excited. Can I just on behalf of
people who listen to this podcast, but on behalf of
Irish football fans, just thank you forever and you've done
and continue to do and I hope you enjoy the
next few days. I know it's going to be very
busy for you, but I hope you're taking to me
a moment on Sunday just to go business class, Alan
(10:58):
Gerry Mugget. Thank you, thanks from and for people listening.
We will be back up, believe with another podcast this week.
A reminder to go to Fitzsimon's in Temple Bar, the
home of the Steelers. This week Marion Square getting underway
as well and the big Ones on this Steelers Vikings
in Croke Park. For now, we will chat to you
soon on the Irish Steelers podcast.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Irish Airline Aerlingus will proudly serve as the presenting partner
of Steelers Ireland twenty twenty five. Airlinus's growth in North
America continues in twenty twenty five as the airline prepares
to fly to two new US destinations, Nashville and Indianapolis,
using its new Airbus eight three twenty one excel Or aircraft.
This brings the number of Transatlantic routes operated by the
(11:52):
airline from Dublin, Shannon and Manchester to twenty four. Steelers
fans traveling to Ireland for the Big Game can enjoy
a relaxing journey. When they fly with their own lingus
Air Lingus, you're very welcome.