As the sun finally broke through the clouds in the capital on Friday morning, residents of Portland Row in Dublin’s north inner city were readying themselves for this weekend’s All-Ireland football final.
Blue and navy bunting was being hung from houses with flags erected at gates on the road, which has a proud sporting tradition, producing the likes of Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington and Irish footballer Wes Hoolahan.
“Kellie’s mother rang me this morning asking if I had any bunting left so I’m going down to her house now with [some],” said Paul Dixon, who has lived in the area all his life.
[ The All-Ireland football final: By the numbersOpens in new window ]
“We all love the Dubs. It’s great for the area because everybody gets a bit of work out of it – parking cars, selling chocolate, teas and coffees. It’s great craic around here.
Matt Williams: Take a deep breath and see how Sam Prendergast copes with big Fiji test
New Irish citizens: ‘I hear the racist and xenophobic slurs on the streets. Everything is blamed on immigrants’
Jack Reynor: ‘We were in two minds between eloping or going the whole hog but we got married in Wicklow with about 220 people’
‘I could have gone to California. At this rate, I probably would have raised about half a billion dollars’
“We’re all looking forward to the match on Sunday but the nerves are starting to go now. I’m getting the windows washed because you wouldn’t know who’s going to call into the house for a cup of tea that morning.”
Mr Dixon is heading to the game and, like most of his neighbours, is predicting a Dublin win over their long-standing rivals, Kerry.
“All the country people hate the Dubs. They hope it’s the last dance. It won’t be the last dance for most [Dublin players]. We’ll keep going, just to annoy all the culchies,” he laughs.
Josie Parrott, who is grandmother of Irish footballer Troy Parrott, adds: “It is lovely around here. We always put the bunting up, always for Kellie’s fights as well.
“There is a great sense of community when something like this is happening. I always get nervous watching these big games and especially if I’m watching Troy. My nerves are shot, especially if you see them going down injured.”
Liam Gifford, owner of the Bridge Tavern pub in Summerhill, which boasts colourful murals of Jim Gavin and Pat Gilroy on its exterior walls, is busy organising deliveries of plastic cups.
Mr Gifford said, based on previous finals, he expects over 1,300 pints of Guinness to be pulled on match day: “One of the busiest days of the year for us.”
Meanwhile, Mr Gifford’s father William (80), who helps out as a barman, said: “This Sunday is going to be crazy. We have to take all of the furniture out so everyone can stand and there’ll be people standing outside.
“The place will be absolutely hopping, especially with them playing Kerry. The buzz is brilliant. I’ll be working for the first half and then I might try to get out and watch the second half.
“Kerry are very good at holding the ball so we’ll have to wait and see.”
Over on Russell Avenue in Drumcondra, which sits in the shadow of the Hogan Stand, Betty Rock, great-aunt of Dublin forward Dean Rock, is somewhat divided over which bunting to fly from her home.
Ms Rock was raised in Dingle, though her late husband, Joseph’s, family are synonymous with Dublin GAA.
On the walls of her home sits a black and white photograph of William Rock, father of Joseph and grandfather of Barney, from the All-Ireland football final in 1952 where he was a steward.
Ms Rock is keen to stress, however, that she considers herself “a Kerry woman – especially when the Rocks are around”.
“I usually put up one of each – the Dublin bunting on one side and the Kerry on the other. The Rocks all come by the house and say to me, ‘Take down those Kerry colours,’ but I do it just to annoy them. It’s all a bit of fun.”
