Republic of Ireland General Discussion Thread 2026

Different airlines have different rules, but with Aer Lingus if you book a 'smart' fare (which is the first option that includes a checked bag anyway), then you can change your dates to any other time you want for free, just paying the difference in cost if the new date is more expensive. So that's a good option if you've any intention of ever making a trip over… I travel back and forth a lot, so nearly always have one booked at a cheap rate that I then change as needed.

Otherwise you can spend a bit more for a 'Flex' fare, which is then eligible for cash/voucher refunds.

Hopefully he gets gouged off everyone who he has to deal with personally. Supply and demand baby!

Children telling me that they were able to watch the playoff draw in school (two different schools). I’m absolutely delighted for them and that there’s common sense with regards to letting children get excited about this.

Yeh, the odds are against us , but if this is as close our kids get to experiencing the World Cup, I’m all for it. For 4 months they can dream , they can watch the draw in December and dream. Hopefully it also lights a fire with some who try to follow their own dream in sport.

Life is hard enough as it is and these sort of nuggets of joy should be cherished. The sense I got last week really did feel like 2002 or 94,90. The fact “it was just for a playoff place” has absolutely zero bearing on the sense I got. Brought me back to that fateful night in Windsor briefly.

Life is short, the good times can be few and far between. I pity anybody who can’t enjoy a moment without requiring higher standards and I know many like that. Enjoying the small wins on the journey is just as much as enjoying the big moments.

My wife just had a big operation and it’s looking good. Driving my kids to the hospital , we can chat about the playoffs aswell as their mum, it’s a great way to be able to relate to the kids on multiple levels. One wants a parrot t shirt ; the other who doesn’t even follow soccer said it would be cool to see what it would be like to see Ireland in the World Cup. These are the things that matter. Not that Ireland somehow won a game last minute , but that everybody can enjoy it , fans and non fans, and even for a brief moment we can all enjoy the same thing for what might be different reasons.

Football, for so long for me, has me demoralised with everything about it being ruined by money and quite stinking stewardship from fifa , uefa and even our own FAI over the years. But though reconnecting with my my sons “career”’, coaching his team , following his progress at other teams , getting back to my Shelbourne roots in 2020 and enjoying Ireland , I’ve found my love for the sport again.

The time it gives me , with my children , is simply priceless. The shared joy of moments with my “crappy Irish league” has been as good as any of my experiences at Ireland World Cup matches (I was in Japan and at a lot of the Irish home/away games in 90s/00s. I’ve also been at massive EPL games that were superb. But I’ve enjoyed the last few years as much if not more. Even the shels 3-2 win over bohs couple of weeks ago (after being 2-0 down) was absolutely amazing fun.

I’m rambling so will stop, probably my meds just kicking in. Even though the odds are against us, I’m gonna enjoy dreaming about next summer with my kids.