Members of leading Irish supporters’ group YBIG are hoping to raise thousands of euro for Irish and French good causes, including a fund set up by friends of Irish Times journalist Carl O’Malley, when they take on their local hosts in a charity game on Friday June 17th in the coastal town of La Rochelle.
Large numbers of fans have opted to base themselves in the town which is a traditional holiday destination for Irish people and having organised a hugely successful game in the Polish town of Torun four years ago, YBIG are hoping to surpass the attendance of 3,000 and more than €10,000 raised on that occasion.
The money will be divided between a fund to provide for the education of Carl's still young children and a charity, Neuf de Coeur (Nine of Hearts) established by former Marseille, Milan and France star Jean Pierre Papin after his daughter, Emily, was diagnosed with cerebral lesions at just eight months old.
The Irish cause was close to the heart of match organiser, Tommy Shields from Galway, who met and befriended Carl while the pair were supporting Ireland at the World Cup in Japan in 2002.
“We try to get a game in around every game really if we can and we look to raise a few quid wherever we can too,” he says. “It’s been going on now for about seven years and we’re hoping that this will be the biggest one yet.
“For YBIG it’s just another way of bringing people together on the trips. It’s all about fun and friendship through football. YBIG, through its forums on the website (YBIG.ie) lets people know what people are doing, how they are getting somewhere and where they are meeting up when they get there. This just seems like an obvious next step. Torun in Poland four years ago was massive and this looks like being even bigger.
“To do be able to it for Carl’s family makes it all that bit more special. We great times in Japan; he was a very special lad and a big Ireland supporter.”
Players (Ireland’s are drawn from all over the country although there is something of a Connacht flavour) from both sides have paid to participate while admission to the game, at the town’s substantial Stade Francois le Parco, will cost €5 with shuttle bus from the centre included. At this stage, though, the game, which takes place at 6pm on the day before Ireland face Belgium in Bordeaux, is merely the highlight of a five day festival being hosted by the town with concerts and tours of the local area being organised for the visitors by local businesses including restaurants and bars, most prominently, local Irish pub, the General Humbert.
"This is a fantastic initiative and sounds like it will be a great day," said former Republic of Ireland international Kevin Kilbane. "One of the greatest things about international football is the way it can bring supporters from different countries together but after that it takes someone to take the next step in order to establish lasting relationships. I think YBIG and everybody else involved in this game, and the wider festival, deserve huge credit for their work. That the money being raised is going to two such worthy causes only makes the whole thing better."
Further information on the game and wider festival can be found here.
