The special connection between Germany and Ireland

If ever there was a county with a branding problem it's Germany. For some reason I didn't expect to find such beautiful countryside and warm people as I did in the southwest where we were based. Of course the Saarland is just over the border from France and not far from Switzerland so it's hardly suprising that its anything but drab.

Our first night was spent in Frankfurt, a 'mere' 80 miles away from Frankfurt-Hahn airport. O'Leary is certainly taking the Michael with that but I'm not complaining - I can't imagine ever attending the World Cup on a similar budget again. The night was spent in Sachsenhausen (un-related to the concentration camp!) which is like a mini German Temple Bar. Fans from most teams in this year's competitions were among the revellers and then there were the gatecrashers like us.

On Friday we got the train down to Saarbrucken, passing through Kaiserslautern and getting our first glimpse at the Fritz-Walter Stadium. We stayed in a friend's house a few miles outside Saarbrucken in Ommersheim - a typical country village which offered us a glimpse of the real Germany. And a beautiful glimplse it was. Village housing  was of a quality and design you simply don't get in Ireland. Our friend Wolfram's house was architect designed as were many others in the area. The village is beautifully kept with no litter anywhere to be seen and colourful flower pots on most balconies. How I wish we could compete with the Germans in that regard.

On Saturday it was back up to Kaiserslautern for the Italy v USA game. No we didn't get tickets but it was an incredible atmosphere and experience nevertheless. I couldn't put an estimate on it but I've never seen anything like the throngs of people winding down every sidestreet and alleyway as far as the eye could see. It was a carnival atmosphere and the Germans are again to be commended on how expertly organised everything was. The police presence wasn't at all intimidating and I didn't witness a single bit of trouble on the whole night.

The most fascinating thing about my trip was journeying through the area of the Rhineland-Palatinate, the origin of so many of my fellow Limerick men. The Irish Palatine Association, based in Rathkeale, documents much of the history of the numerous German families who, bizarrely, fled to Ireland in the 1700s and settled in Carlow, Wexford and mainly county Limerick -

Today, there is still a tenuous Palatine presence to be found in
Ireland, in the main confined to County Limerick. However, as an Irish
Palatine identity continues to diminish, conversely, one now sees a
greater returning of descendants of the great Palatine Diaspora of the
18th and 19th centuries, as people attempt to trace their roots and
meet distant relatives.

In an effort to meet the demands of those seeking information
as regards their ancestors, the Irish Palatine Association was set up
in Rathkeale in 1989. Some years after the establishment of the
Association, a beautiful new Heritage Centre was opened which now
houses a great amount of memorabilia and artefacts associated with
Palatine way of life. A computerised database is also available which
will enable descendants of the first settlers trace their roots quickly
and easily.

I'm actually related to descendants of the Palatines, the Shiers, through marriage so besides the World Cup this was a very special trip for me.