A LOT of big players came to town this week and by big. I mean six foot two and over 20 stone. To launch this summer's big American Bowl clash between the Pittsburgh Steelers (who are champions in their league), and the Chicago Bears in Croke Park on July 27th, Steelers owner, Dan Rooney and Bears owner, Mike McClaskey, along with several players (the measurements above are those of Bears lineman, Jim Flanagan), came for a hectic whirlwind of official functions, beer and golf.
Steelers boss Rooney is no stranger to Ireland as one of the founders of the Ireland Fund, one of the owners of Ashford and Dromoland Castles and the man behind the Rooney Prize for Literature which will be presented here next month. On Tuesday, he and McClaskey, who also boasts Irish roots, led the boys from the US "Croke Park to the UCD practice fields to Temple Street Hospital.
Before heading off to a big "Budweiser party, the boys settled in to watch two of their number appearing on Dempsey's Den, commenting that it was the first time they had been interviewed by a turkey.
Meanwhile, Rooney put on his other hat and went off to the American ambassador, Jean Kennedy-Smith's residence for a meeting with local corporate leaders including Fergus Madigan of Mitsubishi Electronics; Eddie Nolan, chairman of Ford; Bernadette Kelliher Nolan of Kilkenny Design; and Maria O'Connor of Price Waterhouse along with Colonel Bill Tawpey, the US military attache.
Wednesday morning saw the Steelers meeting Garth Brooks, also in town this week, for breakfast in the Westbury Hotel as Brooks is a big Steelers fan and proud owner of a jersey with "Brooks, 1" on the back.
Rooney, meanwhile, was joined by the vice-president of the National Football League, Joe Browne (whose late father hailed from Kilrush, Co Clare) and the pair headed up to Iveagh House. They joined the Tanaiste, Dick Spring and more of the city's business people including Telecom Eireann's Alfie Kane and Waterford Crystal's Redmond O'Donoghue and the topic for discussion over bacon and eggs was Ireland's bid to have, the special Olympics staged here in 2003.
Functions apart, the big agenda was golf, with Mike McClaskey heading off to Portmarnock on Tuesday afternoon and Steelers coach Bill Cowher whisked away by Dan's brother Pat Rooney to his place in Lahinch. The five players and some of the cheerleaders who are headed by a former Miss Texas with the glorious name of Cindy Villarreal-Hughes, had another idea and popped into McDaids for a quick pint.