Hidden Histories: When The Azzuri Came To Dalymount Park

“They would have every right to walk off - it must have been very frightening for them.”
These are the words of one of Ireland’s international footballers, when Italy came to play us in Dalymount Park in 1985. Tonight, of course, all eyes are on the Azzurri.
The event could have been Ireland’s Hillsborough, as tens of thousands of fans - many without tickets - packed into Phibsborough to watch the world-famous Italians.
It happened at a time when one Dubliner, Liam Brady, had the Irish in love with Italian football - but the Italian footballing authorities were none too impressed by us.
There was significant fall-out, and it pretty much heralded the end of the Dalymount Days for Ireland.
Donal Fallon joined Gavan Reilly for another episode of Hidden Histories to discuss.
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