But that old Gaelic charm was by no means limited to today's matches. Here's a medley of the wonderment that Ireland has produced in France:The above clip is a personal favorite of mine from a week ago. Who is that man on the balcony that all of these Irish fans are cheering on? Is he a former Irish footballer? A French politician? Nicholas Sarkozy, maybe? Nope. Just some random-ass French guy.And here's Northern Ireland's former footballer Keith Gillespie was treated to a dip in the crowd surf:Major appreciation for the Belgians, wonderful little gesture for this young Irish girl #Euro2016 pic.twitter.com/5OpsOwcFIT
— Ryan (@ryan3levis) June 18, 2016
More delights:It's just Keith Gillespie crowd surfing on Northern Ireland fans #NIR #GAWA #EURO2016
[via @ColinMurray]pic.twitter.com/2e3zcgRRZw
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) June 17, 2016
"England fans attacked by Russian fans" "German and Ukraine fans clash" Meanwhile at Poland vs Northern Ireland https://t.co/flYLg0GXBX
— Filip [SDMN] (@FilipKaz) June 12, 2016
While England fans throw bottles in Lille, Ireland fans clean up their bottles in Paris… #CleanUpForTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/YD9dDXiv1N
— BreatheSport (@BreatheSport) June 15, 2016
The below clip shows a few Northern Ireland fans calling up an emergency line to report that striker Will Grigg's on fire. Seems like fun at the time, but in retrospect, maybe not the best to tie up services in case, you know, someone is actually on fire.Northern Ireland fans keeping it real…very real…at #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/6eChPVXqUZ
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) June 12, 2016
Ireland fans weren't totally outside the radius of violence, but it seems that they bridged support for their opponents anyway:Northern Ireland fans calling for an emergency pic.twitter.com/32ypugtiEd
— Football Funnys (@FootballFunnys) June 16, 2016
And perhaps the crowning moment of peak Irishness: Northern Ireland fans and Republic of Ireland fans coming together—despite some historic, ahem, tensions—to sing some known songs.Sláinte.Brilliant image of Northern Ireland & Poland fans sticking together after being attacked by French hooligans… pic.twitter.com/luFGmp076v
— BreatheSport (@BreatheSport) June 12, 2016