CONOR O'Clery's publisher, Gill & McMillan, picked a smart time to launch his new book, The Greening of the White House. Not only could our man in Beijing make it home to Ireland for a flying five day visit but so could 15,000 Irish Americans who touched down in their spiritual home not admittedly for Conor's book launch, fine and all as it was - but for the big Notre Dame versus Navy football game in Croke Park today.

Tickets have been selling well but up until the middle of the week at least, the game was far from being sold out (tickets can be had from HMV). Tom Kane from Adare Manor couldn't understand it. "You pick up the paper and you see a half page about Manchester United," he shrugged, "I just don't get it." The point is, of course, that the vast majority of Irish people just don't understand American football, no matter how prestigious the teams involved.

By Thursday the Shelbourne's Horseshoe Bar was thronged with Irish Americans in town for the game including ex FBI agent Ed Kenny, who was here with fellow Mutual of America executive Tom Moran, the legendary Jim O'Brien who brought the big first American football game to this country; MCI's John Sharkey who is travelling with his wife Helen and is just delighted to be back in Dublin, and the charismatic Bill Barry, who once worked for Robert Kennedy and often accompanies the American delegation involved in the peace process.

Author Frank McCourt was in the bar being congratulated on all sides for his book Angelas Ashes - its New York Times bestseller status means he's possibly better known in Irish America than he is here, although the extraordinary coverage the book is receiving should soon assure his fame on this side of the pond.