College Football Returns to Dublin as Navy face Notre Dame in Dublin Showdown

An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TD; Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD; and Minister of State with Responsibility for Sport and Physical Education, Thomas Byrne TD, have today (24 August 2023) welcomed the return of US College Football to Ireland as a sold-out Aviva Stadium, Dublin, plays host to Navy vs. Notre Dame in the season-opener on Saturday. Over 40,000 overseas visitors are expected to attend the game.

The Aer Lingus College Football Classic five game series is a successful and proactive public-private collaboration. The series provides a timely and welcome boost to the Irish hospitality and tourism industries, and the games show that Ireland is a very welcoming and capable host for events of this nature.

This year’s event will see the return of the teams from the University of Notre Dame and the US Naval Academy as they resume their rivalry at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin. The game also provides another excellent opportunity to showcase Dublin and Ireland and, more generally, the many attractions that the island of Ireland offers as a holiday destination.

An Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, said:

“I would like to convey a warm welcome to the many thousands of visitors who have travelled to Dublin to celebrate this season opener game between the University of Notre Dame and the United States Naval Academy on Saturday. In addition to being a competitive and historic football game, this sell-out occasion at the Aviva Stadium will showcase once again the hugely significant ties that bind Ireland and the United States. 

“The relationship between our two countries touches every aspect of our lives. Ireland hosts a larger number of American study abroad students than from any other country – almost 12,000 every year. Close to 8,000 Irish citizens travel to the United States every year on private and Government-funded exchange opportunities. This reflects an increasingly fluid form of migration that benefits both countries enormously.

“Having the opportunity to host this game in Dublin will highlight the strong links between Ireland and the US across education, trade, culture and much more. I also look forward to welcoming the United States Secretary of the Navy during his visit to Ireland this week, as well as Congressional Delegations led by Senator Chris Murphy and Representative Pat Fallon.”

In welcoming the event Minister Martin, said:

“It is a great pleasure to welcome back the teams from Notre Dame and Navy and their thousands of fans who have travelled to our capital city for the game. This high profile fixture, which marks the start of the 2023 College Football season, will put Ireland, and Dublin in particular, in the spotlight, as it is estimated to be seen by more than 3 million viewers overseas. We are fortunate to have secured this five game series which offers the potential to position Ireland as the European home of College Football.

“I am pleased to have secured funding for Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland to support the series. Large scale events such as this are an important part of driving tourism demand because they provide international and domestic visitors with another compelling reason to holiday in Ireland. I would urge the fans of both teams to take the opportunity during their stay to explore all that Ireland has to offer as a holiday destination; from our stunning scenery to our remarkable heritage and our truly amazing visitor attractions.”

Minister Byrne, added:

“I am delighted to extend a very warm welcome to the supporters, players and staff of the Notre Dame and Navy College Football teams. We love sport in Ireland and it is great to see top class college football played in our country. This will be the third time these sides have played in Dublin and this year we welcome a new generation of supporters with them. I encourage everyone travelling to Dublin to take the time to enjoy Ireland to the full. These games serve to raise the profile and awareness of College Football in Ireland and Europe. I welcome the ability of the series to enable networking opportunities, facilitate further educational links between our universities and create enduring friendships.”

• The College Football Classic series brings two American College football teams to play a competitive game at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin rather than at the home ground of one of those teams. Games like this have been hosted in the Aviva Stadium and Croke Park in past years and have been great successes. The current contest is known as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
• The Aer Lingus College Football Classic five-game series is a successful and proactive public-private collaboration to host five College Football games annually between 2022 and 2026. The games attract significant investment and many travelling supporters from the U.S.A. The initial game in 2022 attracted 14,900 U.S. visitors. The Notre Dame Vs Navy game will take place on 26 August 2023 and 40,000 tickets have already been sold in the USA for the event.
• The series is estimated to be worth close to €400m to the Irish economy as per Grant Thornton and Fáilte Ireland, and is a welcome boost to the Irish hospitality and tourism industries. The 2022 game alone is estimated to have been worth €53.5 million to the Irish economy. The 2023 College Football Classic is expected by an independent report to be worth much more than this to the economy

Peil Choláiste ag teacht ar ais go Baile Átha Cliath le Navy ag imirt in éadan Notre Dame i gcluiche cinniúnach i mBaile Átha Cliath 

Chuir an Tánaiste agus an tAire Gnóthaí Eachtracha, Micheál Martin TD; an tAire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán Catherine Martin TD; agus an tAire Stáit le Freagracht as Spórt agus Corpoideachas, Thomas Byrne TD, fáilte inniu (24 Lúnasa 2023) roimh fhilleadh Pheil Choláiste na Stáit Aontaithe go hÉireann agus an Staid Aviva i mBaile Átha Cliath ag óstáil chluiche oscailte an tséasúir, atá díolta amach, idir Navy agus Notre Dame ar an tSatharn. Táthar ag súil go mbeidh níos mó ná 40,000 cuairteoir ag teacht ó thar lear chun freastal ar an chluiche.

Is comhar poiblí-príobháideach rathúil agus réamhghníomhach é an sraith chúig chluiche Chlasaiceach Pheile Coláiste Aer Lingus. Tá fáilte roimh an borradh tráthúil a chuireann an tsraith seo faoi thionscail fháilteachais agus turasóireachta na hÉireann, agus taispeánann na cluichí seo gur óstach fáiltiúil cumasach í Éire ar imeachtaí den chineál seo.

I rith imeacht na bliana seo tiocfaidh foirne ó Ollscoil Notre Dame agus Acadamh Cabhlaigh na Stáit Aontaithe (“Navy”) agus iad ag dul in iomaíocht le chéile arís ag Staid Aviva Bhaile Átha Cliath. Cuireann an cluiche deis iontach eile ar fáil chun Baile Átha Cliath agus Éire, agus na háiteanna tarraingteacha atá ar fáil in Éirinn go ginearálta mar áit saoire, a thaispeáint.

Dúirt an Tánaiste, Micheál Martin:

“Ba mhaith liom fáilte mhór a chur roimh na mílte cuairteoir atá tagtha go Baile Átha Cliath chun cluiche oscailte an tséasúir seo idir Ollscoil Notre Dame agus Acadamh Cabhlaigh na Stáit Aontaithe a cheiliúradh ar an tSatharn. Chomh maith lena bheith ina cluiche iomaíoch stairiúil, taispeánfaidh an ócáid rathúil seo ag Staid Aviva na naisc fhíorthábhachtacha a cheanglaíonn Éire agus na Stáit Aontaithe. 

“Imríonn an gaol idir ár dhá thíortha tionchar ar gach gné dár saoil. Óstálann Éire méid níos mó mac léinn atá ag staidéar thar lear ó Mheiriceá ná ó aon tír eile – beagnach 12,000 gach bliain. Téann beagnach 8,000 saoránach Éireannacha go dtí na Stáit Aontaithe gach bliain ar dheiseanna malartaithe príobháideacha agus le maoiniú ón Rialtas. Léiríonn sé seo cineál imirce atá ag éirí níos saoráidí ar féidir leis an dá tír an-tairbhe a bhaint as.

“Leis an deis atá againn an cluiche seo a óstáil i mBaile Átha Cliath, léireoidh muid na naisc láidre atá ann idir Éirinn agus na Stáit Aontaithe san oideachas, sa trádáil, sa chultúr agus i bhfad níos mó. Tá mé ag súil go mór fosta le fáilte a chur roimh Rúnaí an Chabhlaigh de chuid na Stáit Aontaithe agus é ag tabhairt cuairte ar Éirinn an tseachtain seo, chomh maith le toscaireachtaí Comhdhála faoi cheannaireacht an Seanadóir Chris Murphy agus Ionadaí Pat Fallon.

Agus í ag cur fáilte roimh an imeacht, dúirt an tAire Martin:

“Is mór an pléisiúr dom fáilte ar ais a chur roimh na foirne ó Notre Dame agus Navy agus a mílte leantóirí a tháinig go dtínár bpríomhchathair chun an cluiche a fheiceáil. Leis an chluiche iomráiteach seo, a chuireann tús le séasúir Pheile Coláiste 2023, beidh an bhéim ar Éirinn, agus ar Bhaile Átha Cliath go háirithe, mar go bhfuil sé measta go mbeidh níos mó na 3 mhilliún daoine thar lear ag breithniú air. Tá an t-ádh linn go bhfuil an tsraith chúig chluiche seo faighte againn, a thugann an deis dúinn a bheith mar cheanncheathrú Peile Coláiste san Eoraip.

“Is cúis áthais dom go bhfuil maoiniú faighte agam d’Fháilte Éireann agus do Thurasóireacht Éireann chun tacú leis an tsraith. Tá mórimeachtaí cosúil leis seo tábhachtach chun éileamh turasóireachta a spreagadh mar go dtugann sin fáth an-láidir eile do chuairteoirí ó Éirinn agus ó thar lear saoire a bheith acu in Éirinn. Molaim go láidir do lucht leanúna an dá fhoireann an deis a thapú agus iad anseo chun triail a bhaint as gach rud atá ar fáil in Éirinn mar áit saoire; idir ár dtírdhreach álainn, ár n-oidhreacht iontach agus ár dtarraingtí cuairteora den scoth.”

Dúirt an tAire Byrne an méid seo:

“Tá mé an-sásta fáilte mhór a chur roimh lucht tacaíochta, imreoirí agus baill foirne na bhfoirne Peile Coláiste Notre Dame agus Navy. Tá an spórt an-tábhachtach dúinn in Éirinn agus is iontach an rud é peil choláiste den chéad scoth a fheiceáil inár dtír féin. Seo an tríú uair go bhfuil an dá thaobh seo ag imirt i mBaile Átha Cliath agus i mbliana cuireann muid fáilte roimh ghlúin nua tacaithe a tháinig leo. Molaim do gach duine atá ag taisteal go Baile Átha Cliath am a ghlacadh chun sult iomlán a bhaint as Éirinn. Cuireann na cluichí seo le próifíl agus feasacht Pheile Coláiste in Éirinn agus san Eoraip. Fáiltím roimh an deis a thugann an tsraith seo dúinn deiseanna líonraithe a chruthú, níos mó ceangal oideachais idir ár n-ollscoileanna a éascú agus cairdis bhuana a spreagadh.

• Tugann an tSraith Clasaiceach Pheile Coláiste dhá fhoireann pheile Coláiste Mheiriceánacha le chéile chun cluiche iomaíoch a imirt i Staid Aviva i mBaile Átha Cliath in áit ar pháirc bhaile ceann de na foirne sin. Rinneadh óstáil ar chluichí den chineál seo i Staid Aviva agus Páirc an Chrócaigh i mblianta roimhe seo agus bhí an-rath orthu. An tSraith Chlasaiceach Pheile Coláiste Aer Lingus atá ar an chomórtas reatha.
• Is sraith chúig chluiche é an tSraith Chlasaiceach Pheile Coláiste Aer Lingus, atá mar chomhar poiblí-príobháideach rathúil agus réamhghníomhach chun cúig chluiche Peile Coláiste a óstáil gach bliain idir 2022 agus 2026. Meallann na cluichí infheistíocht shuntasach agus go leor tacaitheoirí ó na Stáit Aontaithe. Mheall an chéad chluiche in 2022 14,900 cuairteoir ó na Stáit Aontaithe. Beidh an cluiche idir Notre Dame agus Navy ag tarlú ar an 26 Lúnasa 2023 agus tá 40,000 ticéad díolta sna Stáit Aontaithe don imeacht cheana féin.
• Meastar go bhfuil luach de beagnach €400m ag an tsraith do gheilleagar na hÉireann, dar le Grant Thornton agus Fáilte Éireann, agus cuirfidh sé borradh faoi thionscail fháilteachais agus turasóireachta na hÉireann. Meastar go raibh luach de €53.5 milliún ag baint leis an chluiche in 2022 amháin do gheilleagar na hÉireann. Táthar ag súil, dar le tuarascáil neamhspléach, go mbeidh luach i bhfad níos mó ná sin don gheilleagar ag baint leis an tsraith Chlasaiceach Pheile Coláiste 2023.