In our house sport is dominant, especially during the summer months.
Our small back garden was sacrificed to football years ago when our kids were younger. Grass literally did not get to grow under our feet and that was just fine with me.
The GAA dominates every year, in playing, coaching, going to live matches and watching the championship games on TV, usually with an annual pilgrimage to Croke Park for the All Ireland Football final at the end of each July (that used to be the third Sunday in September but I guess not everything can stay the same forever).
Other sports get a look in too of course and for a few weeks every July the TV will have tennis from Wimbledon, the Tour de France, and athletics, be it World Championships, Commonwealth Games or Olympics.
But the years we love the most are those biennial major football events, the Euros and the World Cup.
A person can quickly get accustomed to watching a major, important and usually high quality match each day, for weeks on end.
This year’s World Cup has gone on so long - it started five weeks ago and only concludes this coming Sunday.
World Cups gone by involved watching TV together but the years speed by and now those back garden kids are spread over these islands meaning the shared experience is mostly in message groups, but its still a special experience.
The observations, disagreements, smart comments and admiration for ‘worldie’ goals are shared in extended family WhatsApp groups, the 2026 equivalent of family hook ups. We will miss this World Cup when it is over.
In spite of both the belligerence of the host nation and greed of the organisers, World Cup 2026 has been a monumental success, against the odds perhaps.
The ticket prices alone made me think that we would be looking at some half empty stadia, or that prices would plummet before each game, but they haven’t.
The ridiculous and blatant interference by the deranged Trump has sullied the tournament for sure but then Messi conjures up a special goal from nowhere, or Cape Verde take everyone by surprise with their performances, and suddenly the magic is back.
- Ireland’s first whiskey hotel owner says ‘people will understand’ controversial name changeOpens in new window
- Ballycastle’s Marine Hotel taken off the market as luxury operator behind Slieve Donard prepares to take over managementOpens in new window
- This ‘Belfast boy’ has finally woken up to the magic of the Glens and the north coast of IrelandOpens in new window
- Why a modern economy cannot be built on outdated infrastructureOpens in new window
To look at the behaviour and the impact of the Scottish fans was wonderful. It was just a pity their team’s on-field performance didn’t have the same bravado or influence as they limped tamely out at the group stage.
The atmosphere and sense of occasion that took over Mexico City for the match against England was a tribute to both teams and both sets of fans and only made me jealous that it wasn’t Irish fans enjoying that once in a lifetime experience.
The impact of a major sporting event, economically and societally is undeniable and is only positive. I honestly think that the closer we get to Euro 2028 the short sightedness of our politicians, locally and at Westminster, to not get the deal on Casement done in time so Belfast could host Euro group games, the more the frustration and sense that we are losing out, will grow. We will be watching games from London, Glasgow and hopefully attending matches in Dublin, but not here.
Belfast is a sports city, even when it comes to the weekly Saturday morning 5km parkrun there are now 47 of these events throughout Northern Ireland and nine in Belfast. As a percentage of the UK population that puts us at the very top of the parkrun pile.
Cricket has been a revelation this year and at the start of August thousands of fans will come to Stormont and Magheramason in Co Tyrone to watch the Ireland men and women’s teams play Afghanistan. These events all bring tourism, spend and profile for this place.
It is a pity that so many of our sports facilities are sub standard, and I am not referring solely to the Casement Park debacle.
Irish League soccer grounds are not up to scratch for starters and athletics, swimming, cycling and GAA all have legitimate claims that they are under provided for.
Sports requires investment and of course that involved hard decisions.
But really, when Dublin has two major venues with capacity of 50,000 and 80,000; the province of Munster has four venues than cater for 40,000 people, it is unarguable that we have been let down on the question of sports infrastructure.
Without decisions finally being taken, money being invested, genuine partnership being fostered between our Executive parties and the sports bodies, we continue to lose out and will be left with our TV screens and WhatsApp groups. Thank God we have those.
Brendan Mulgrew is managing partner at MW Advocate. Follow him on X at @brendanbelfast.
