I don't know how far it is from Dublin to North Belfast but:::

TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, August 12, 2006


NORTH BELFAST, Northern Ireland - There's a wee bit of Steelers mania in this
northern Irish city
scarred by decades of violence. Decorated with black and gold memorabilia, the
Pittsburgh Bar and
Restaurant sits deep in the Ardoyne, a heavily Catholic electoral ward on the
front line of the
conflict known locally as the "troubles."

Tension lingers between nationalists who tend to be Catholic and unionists who
are predominately
Protestant. But here in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom,
all is well in
this pub, where the theme is over-the-top Steelers.

A "Men of Steel" poster greets patrons as they enter. Glass-enclosed turf from
Three Rivers
Stadium in the shape of a shamrock adorns a wall facing the bar and a replica of
the Lombardi
Trophy for the Steelers' Super Bowl XL victory sits behind it, with a Steelers'
banner flying
overhead. The pub's general manager, Sean Murphy, proudly holds a football
signed by Steelers
owner Dan Rooney. On trips to Ireland, Rooney became friends with Father Myles
Kavanagh, a
well-known Belfast priest who heads the Flax Trust, the development trust that
owns the
Pittsburgh Bar. Responding to inquiries via e-mail, Rooney said Kavanagh has
visited Pittsburgh
to see the Steelers play and has attended Steelers road games. Kavanagh and his
assistant,
Sister Mary Turley, came up with the idea of the Pittsburgh bar theme, Rooney
said.

Rooney, a co-founder of the American Ireland Fund, said he has visited the bar a
few times, and
has provided "Steelers stuff." The bar features a "Dan Rooney Lounge," which is
used for special
events, Murphy said.

Murphy never has been to Pittsburgh and doesn't know a lot about American
football. Still, the
night of the Steelers' Super Bowl victory in February was special at the
Pittsburgh Bar. Murphy
got a big-screen TV for the event.

"We were all here. We had a party here that night," said pub patron Tommy
Duffin, 45, an
electrical contractor. "This place was just packed. It was half-six (6:30) in
the morning when
we left."





>
>
>Anyone know of a good "international" sport bar (sports pub?) in Dublin,
>Ireland whee I can watch a Steelers game? I'll be there this Sunday and
>I think it would be the greatest to watch a game in an Irish pub.
>
>Do they watch "real football" in Ireland? ;+) If I can find a pub, I'll
>bring my hard hat!
>
>Thanks,
>Jim


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GOING FOR 6!

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