Neill O'Neill
IT was the year that brought us millennium celebrations in Dublin, the start of the Lotto, George Bush Senior’s inauguration as US President and ‘Rainman’ sweeping the boards at the Academy Awards.
In sporting terms, Ben Johnson was sensationally disqualified in the 100-metre sprint at the summer Olympic Games in Seoul that year, but neither this nor the failure of the 65 athletes competing for Ireland to win a single medal at the Games really mattered to Irish sports fans, whose moment in a lifetime had come earlier in the summer.
Millions of Irish people around the world were tuned in on Sunday, June 12, 1988, as ‘Razor’ Ray Houghton scored the only goal in a highly-anticipated clash with England, to give our national soccer team one of its greatest ever victories.
If, like this reporter, you don’t remember that day but have seen the replay hundreds of times, it was the first game of Ireland’s first ever major soccer tournament and was only six minutes old when John Aldridge knocked Kenny Samson’s mis-kick into Ray Houghton’s path. As the country held its breath, the Liverpool midfielder sent the ball past Peter Shilton with a looping header.
That the team held on for victory for the next 84 minutes is not just a fact of history, it’s the stuff of legend.
Ireland would eventually exit the tournament at the group stage after a draw with runners-up USSR, and a defeat at the hands of Holland – who went on to win the championship. Our achievement in almost making it out of a group that contained the two finalists was all the more remarkable given the fact that there were only eight teams contesting Euro ’88 (this has since increased to 16) and Ireland was not expected to be among them.
That famous day at the Neckarstadion in Stuttgart remains the only victory Ireland have ever recorded in a European Championship, and 1988 the only time we managed to qualify for UEFA’s flagship event.
Among those lucky enough to be in the then West Germany was Ray Staunton from High Street in Westport. He remembers Euro ’88 as if it were yesterday.
“There was a lot from Mayo in West Germany for the finals. I went out with Joe and Ronnie Ring and we met loads of others from Westport out there like Padraig and Ger Burns, Techno, Eamonn McKeown, Paul Bree, John Mulderrig and Brian and Maureen Cusack.
“We spent ten days out there and went to the three group games. We were all so used to watching these championships on television and never dreamt we’d be there, and next thing here we are in a big tournament like Euro ’88. It was a magical event to be a part of. We probably didn’t realise the enormity of the achievement and how good it was until afterwards,” he recalls.
Ray and the lads bought their flights and tickets as a package and stayed in a small town near Stuttgart where 1,500 Irish fans had set up camp.
“I remember landing in Frankfurt Airport and there were hundreds of police with dogs. They were expecting trouble as they assumed we’d be like the English but they realised after one day that we were a different proposition and pulled back. It wasn’t too dear out there and I remember the old Irish five pence coin was the same size and weight as a German mark and we could make phone calls and buy drink at vending machines and save a fortune in the process. The Germans really looked after us and the entire trip was just a great novelty.”
Naturally, the English game was the highlight for Ray, who had a bird’s eye view when his namesake gave Ireland an unlikely lead.
“I’ll never forget that moment. We went ballistic, it was amazing, and after 80-odd tense minutes following the goal we went and had a good drink for ourselves.”
Having attended most of the qualifiers, Ray saved his pennies and pounds and was determined not to miss Ireland’s soccer debut on the big stage. He recalls that there were like-minded compatriots who were living all over Europe at the time with the same idea.
“We were in Hanover after the USSR game and next thing I saw this guy walking down the street in a Mayo jersey and it was John Mulderrig from Westport. I remember the whole trip being good-natured and great craic, it was special to be a part of it.”
Since this tournament Irish sporting endeavour – and with it the expectations of fans – has reached new levels. Many would contend that Euro ’88, on the back of Stephen Roche’s Tour de France win in 1987, spawned another golden decade in Irish sport with Italia ’90, the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and the controversial, but successful, Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
Despite the passing of two decades, thoughts of Euro ’88 still bring smiles and happy memories flooding back to people, and you can be sure that there was a lot more howling at the moon by Irish fans this month 20 years ago, than by the dogs in ‘Joxer goes to Stuttgart’ – Christy Moore’s iconic song about the tournament.
Ireland’s Group in Euro ’88
Ireland 1 - 0 England
Ireland 1 - 1 USSR
Ireland 0 - 1 Netherlands
Memorable |quote
“We won the game we should have lost, drew the game we should have won and lost the game we should have drawn”
George Hamilton’s famous summary of Ireland in Euro ’88
Irish Squad for Euro ’88
Manager: Jack Charlton
Squad: Packie Bonner, Chris Morris, Chris Hughton, Mick McCarthy, Kevin Moran, Ronnie Whelan, Paul McGrath, Ray Houghton, John Aldridge, Frank Stapleton, Tony Galvin, Tony Cascarino, Liam O’Brien, David Kelly, Kevin Sheedy, Gerry Peyton, John Byrne, John Sheridan, John Anderson, Niall Quinn.
Life in 1988
> Charles Haughey was in his third and final spell as Taoiseach of Ireland
> Price of a pint of Guinness was €1.80
> Average weekly industrial wage was €261.39
> The Eurovision Song Contest was held in Dublin and was won by Celine Dion, representing Switzerland
> Meath beat Cork 0-13 to 0-9 to win the All-Ireland Football Final
> Galway beat Tipperary by 1-15 to 0-14 in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final
> Wales and France shared the Five Nations Rugby Tournament
