Planning for this five-week adventure paid no heed to the English Premier League nor the Champions League schedules, both of which concluded while we have been out of the country. However, Marilynn graciously indulged my Arsenal passion as they lifted the PL trophy and came ever-so-close to winning the Champions League, comprised of the best football teams in Europe.
Arsenal 1, Burnley 0 (River Bar, Dublin)
Arsenal played the day we arrived, taking on already-relegated Burnley. If Arsenal won its last two games, it would top the league, simple as that. If the second-place team, Manchester City, faltered in any way, the title could be wrapped up sooner.
After we settled into our hotel, had a quick nap and ate in the hotel restaurant, Marilynn and I donned our Arsenal jerseys and braved the rain to walk to the River Bar, the official Gooner pub in Dublin. Don’t ask me what the bar is like, because I have no idea. I spotted an Arsenal fan taking a smoke break outside, pointed to my jersey and made the universal shrug that means “where’s the match?” He pointed downstairs, an area just inside the front door.
We quickly made our way downstairs to see about 150 Arsenal fans in an expansive basement area with two large televisions and several smaller ones showing the match. Even though we arrived before game time, every seat was already taken, with fans chanting and ready for a good time.
We erupted into deafening cheers when Kai Havertz headed home the winner from a Bukayo Saka corner late in the first half.
Given our degree of jet lag, we walked home during the half, and I watched the second half from the hotel. I’m sure the crowd groaned when Havertz received a yellow card for a high boot challenge on a Burnley player, an offense the replay official watched endlessly before determining that was sufficient punishment. A red car would have meant the team would have to play the remainder of the match without Havertz.
Bournemouth 1, Man City 1 (The Old Stand, Dublin)
The following evening, Manchester City took on Bournemouth, a mid-table team vying to play European football next season (in other words, no pushover). The study abroad group was enjoying the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl. I was, too, but I’ll admit to wearing my Arsenal jersey for a second day and checking my phone every five minutes. A Man City tie or loss would mean that Arsenal had won the title.
I cheered quietly when Bournemouth scored, then held my breath as the game ticked into second-half stoppage time. Man City tied the match during extra time, which ratcheted up my emotions. My phone indicated time left when I stepped into The Old Stand, which has been open in the same location for 350 years. Cheers erupted — not for me entering the pub, but from a group of Arsenal fans who were in the pub. The pub was airing another football match, but coverage was interrupted to show fans outside the Arsenal stadium in London cheering wildly, as Man City’s tie meant that Arsenal had won the Premier League!
Crystal Palace 1, Arsenal 2 (An Púcán, Galway)
By the final day of the Premier League season, Marilynn and I had relocated to Galway, where she would spend a week in the University of Galway library doing research. We checked into our accommodation, student housing (i.e., a really, really tiny dorm room designed for one), and made a beeline for the city center, where we watched the match at An Púcán, a local sports bar with a huge outdoor patio where the match was being shown.
Although Arsenal had already won the league, the final day is a chance to see the team lift the trophy and generally celebrate. And since it’d been 22 years between titles, there was a lot to celebrate.
Unfortunately, there were no tables available on the patio, but we did manage to snag a two-top inside thanks to Steve, the guy who had reserved the table starting at 6 p.m. No one was sitting there because of the reserved sign, but the match would be over by the time Steve needed his table. Sweet!
The mussels we shared were superb, and the mains we had later were equally fine. The only disappointment was the men’s toilets, which I described in my Google review as “wild animals fornicating in a dung heap on top of a landfill.” I used the disabled toilet or the patio toilets from that point on. I should also note that the pub responded promptly to my review, and the second time we visited during our trip (the food was that good), the men’s room was MUCH improved — so thanks, guys.
We moved to the outdoor area for the trophy lift. Someone had been to the London Arsenal store and bought champions jerseys that several friends were wearing. It took seemingly forever before the ceremony, all the better to cheer and chat with fellow fans. I somehow got in the middle of the celebrations, which weren’t quite to my comfort level, but a terrific time was had by all.
Champions League Final: PSG 1, Arsenal 1 (4–3 penalties)
The following Saturday found us in Lisdoonvarna, in the west of Ireland. We were spending the weekend with friends from Atlanta who happened to overlap with us. Marilynn and I took a bus from Galway to Lisdoonvarna, settling into our accommodation at the Rathbaun Hotel just before lunch.
I was looking for someplace to watch the match, but the options appeared limited. Yes, it was slightly before peak tourism season, but Lisdoonvarna seemed like a town that progress forgot. Many rooming houses were closed or didn’t serve people not staying there.
Fortunately, we had a great lunch at the Irish Arms, a short walk from our hotel. The cold, locally smoked salmon I had was delicious, and Marilynn liked her soup. I was wearing my jersey, of course, and the barman offered to reserve us a table for the match a few hours later.
Not surprisingly, the crowd was small — us and three ladies vacationing from London at another table and a handful of local blokes who huddled around the bar to watch the match. We did our best to urge the team on, but a second-half penalty and many missed chances led to extra time and then a penalty shoot-out that Arsenal lost. It was a disappointing end to the Champions League campaign, but a successful season overall.
To Europe ... and Back 