Ole - Spanish community speaks global language of football

The Spanish community in Ireland is somewhat bemused at the enthusiasm of Irish football supporters.

The Spanish community in Ireland is somewhat bemused at the enthusiasm of Irish football supporters.

"If Spain won the World Cup, they would be like that, but they would not have flags on houses and cars now," says Mr Oscar Laguna, one of 15 Spanish students at the Academy of English Studies in Dublin.

He is planning to watch Sunday's match between Spain and Ireland with a group of Spanish and Irish friends. A barbecue and party have been planned for Saturday night and the festivities may continue through the night and morning, he says.

The Spanish Embassy estimates there are about 12,000 Spaniards living in the State. That population swells every summer when about 30,000 young language students arrive.

READ MORE

With so many nationalities, every match is an emotional rollercoaster at the Academy of English Studies. "We have Mexicans, Italians, Argentinians, all watching matches together," says director, Mr David O'Grady. "But there are no rows."

Student Mr Jorge Perez says he hopes Spain will win, "but look at Argentina - they are out. France - they are out."

"If we win, we will put our flag on the O'Connell monument," says his friend Mr Alfredo Andrés. "But I am not betting on anything."

The Spanish Ambassador, Mr Enrique Pastor, will watch the match with some friends in his residence, his spokesman says.

He says Spanish people tend to get more excited about local teams than about their national team.

Over at the Instituto Cervantes in Northumberland Road, staff are predicting a Spanish victory. "It's okay, we will win," says Ms Sol Sayans confidently. She will watch the match in a house with about 20 Irish and Spanish friends, but has not decided what she will do on Sunday night. "It depends on the result and how the Irish people take it, but you Irish are good losers, no?"

The institute's administrator, Ms Bertha Rocafort, is also going to the party. Is she confident that Spain will win? "Oh, yes, absolutely."

Da Pino restaurant on Parliament Street in Dublin is a popular haunt for Spaniards. Its manager, Ms Sara Jimenez, is in a difficult predicament as her mother is Irish and her father is Spanish.

"I don't know what to do, I don't know what to wear," she says.

Shooters sports bar in Parnell St, Dublin, is popular with Spanish people and the bar is expecting an influx for the match. BBC 5 Live is broadcasting from the bar from 10 a.m. on Sunday.

"I would be very surprised if we didn't have 200 or 300 Spanish people," says the owner Mr David Long. When Real Madrid and Barcelona played each other, about 800 people packed into the bar.

"There was no animosity. There was lots of noise, air horns, chants, it was as good as being there."

Mr Francisco Losantos, who attends the Galway Cultural Institute, doesn't know what he will do yet. "If we win, maybe it would be better to say at home," he says, laughing.

The 15 Spanish students in the North Monastery Language Centre in Cork are booked to go on a bus tour to Kerry on Sunday. "But I expect they will stop off to watch the match somewhere," says a spokeswoman.

Alison Healy

Alison Healy

Alison Healy is a contributor to The Irish Times