Latest / The Irish Steelers Podcast / Art Rooney II Interview: St Patrick’s Day Special

Transcript

Art Rooney II Interview: St Patrick’s Day Special · The Irish Steelers Podcast

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hy folks, Welcome into the Irish Sitters Podcast. Michael here,
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: as we look back from the end of the season,
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: start looking ahead to the NFL Draft coming up next
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: month and then eventually Staelers training camp and then the
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: start of the season. It's time to get back in
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: the wagon and start doing some Irish Steelers podcasts and
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: as we celebrate Some Patrick said this weekend, I can't
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  Speaker 1: think of a better guest. Today, we're going to be
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: joined by the president of the Pittsburgh Staters, mister arc
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Really in the second. Let's bring them on on this
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  Speaker 1: Irish Steelers podcast special for Some Patrick's Day. Here Wes Bolks,
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: we are absolutely delighted to be joined by Steelers president
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  Speaker 1: arc Really the second and mister Nie, it is an
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  Speaker 1: absolute pleasure to have you on this podcast as we
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: celebrate not only Some Patrick's Day, but almost a year
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: of the Steelers presence on the island of Ireland for
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: the Global Markets Program.
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: How are you well, Michael, I'm doing great. That'd be
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  Speaker 2: Saint Patrick's Day to you and all of our Steeler
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: fans and in Ireland. We were really excited to have
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: Ireland be awarded to us as a country. We can
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  Speaker 2: do more activities in now, So we're excited about the future.
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: That's brilliant to hear. And look, your family, that's great
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  Speaker 1: to hear and your family. The Rooney family has not
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  Speaker 1: only a special bond, but a relationship with the Island
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: of Ireland. That's something that's not only been going on now,
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  Speaker 1: but it's evolving over generations. Can you talk to us
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  Speaker 1: about how proud you are of your relationship with the
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  Speaker 1: Island of Ireland.
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  Speaker 2: Oh? Sure, Well, you know, my family on both sides,
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  Speaker 2: on my father's side and my mother's side, came from Ireland.
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  Speaker 2: My grandparents on my mother's side came from County Mayo
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  Speaker 2: back in the nineteen twenties. Fortunately, I got to know
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: them and have been able to go back and visit
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  Speaker 2: their relatives in County Mayo and the Reagans and the
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  Speaker 2: Duffies are great families out there in County Mayo. So
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  Speaker 2: that's on the on my mother's side, and then on
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  Speaker 2: my father's side, the Runeys came from County Down. They
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  Speaker 2: came over a little earlier, probably in the eighteen fifties.
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  Speaker 2: So we have not traced our, you know, any direct
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  Speaker 2: relatives back to County Down but it's a great family
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  Speaker 2: history over there, and fortunately I've been, I've had the
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  Speaker 2: pleasure of visiting often over the years.
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  Speaker 1: As it symt Patrick said, this weekend obviously a huge
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  Speaker 1: day for so many people across the island of Ireland,
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  Speaker 1: so many staters funds. Can you talk to us? Do
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  Speaker 1: you how many fond memories all symt Patrick's day?
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  Speaker 2: Oh? Sure, you know the Saint Patrick's State Parade at Pittsburgh.
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  Speaker 2: It's one of the biggest parades in the country, and
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  Speaker 2: so growing up we always went to the parade and
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  Speaker 2: some years we even had a Steeler's float in the parade,
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  Speaker 2: and I remember, you know, riding in the parade when
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  Speaker 2: I was a little kid. And we also I think
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  Speaker 2: I remember in the nineties we had one of the
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  Speaker 2: largest snowfalls in the history of Pittsburgh on the Saint
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  Speaker 2: Patrick State Parade. So, but a lot of great memories
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  Speaker 2: of celebrating Saint Patrick's stay down through the years, particularly
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  Speaker 2: as I say that the parade in Pittsburgh has always
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  Speaker 2: been a highlight. Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: I actually see the pictures of the Pittsburgh and Patricks
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  Speaker 1: that take place every year and it really looks like
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  Speaker 1: you're in Dublin. So it's great to see and great
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  Speaker 1: to hear that so many people have such a fun
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  Speaker 1: relationship with the island and it's so fantastic to see.
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  Speaker 1: And we know that the Ireland Funds Dinner is coming
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  Speaker 1: up next week and for many listening, for those fans listening,
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  Speaker 1: just so eure aware folks. The Ireland Funds was founded
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  Speaker 1: by mister Rooney's lead father Don in the nineteen seventies
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  Speaker 1: to help build relations on the Island of Ireland between
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  Speaker 1: Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and has now grown,
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  Speaker 1: i believe mister Rooney to over five hundred million dollars
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  Speaker 1: of funding and growing every year. A fantastic initiative. Can
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  Speaker 1: you talk to us about the tradition of the dinner
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  Speaker 1: that takes place in Pittsburgh every year.
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: Well, it's the Ireland fund Dinner. Pittsburgh has certainly become
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  Speaker 2: a great part of the tradition of Saint Patrick's Day
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  Speaker 2: in Pittsburgh and just a great time. And you know,
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  Speaker 2: we always honor some notable members of the community and
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  Speaker 2: this year we're honoring Bill Dempchek, the CEO of P
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  Speaker 2: and C, which is one of our largest corporations here
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  Speaker 2: in Pittsburgh as well as Charlie and Latasha Batch. And
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  Speaker 2: Charlie and his wife Tasha have been great members of
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  Speaker 2: the community and you know, do tremendous work with youth
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  Speaker 2: programs in our community. So to two great honorees for
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  Speaker 2: this year's event, which will be held next week. And
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  Speaker 2: you know, it's been thirty some years that the dinner
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  Speaker 2: in Pittsburgh's been going on, and approaching fifty years that
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  Speaker 2: the first dinner took place in New York. So it
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  Speaker 2: the Island Fund has really grown into something that I'm
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  Speaker 2: not sure that my father, Tony O'Reilly really ever dreamt
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  Speaker 2: that it would have grown as much as it did,
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  Speaker 2: but it's it's been fantastic and we are honored to
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  Speaker 2: continue the tradition you know that my father started.
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  Speaker 1: That's brilliant to here and do you know, it's just
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  Speaker 1: a progress And in terms of progress, there has been
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: so much stuff happening. It's really been a historic year
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: for Stas fans here. As we look back, it's been
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: a very successful year. The first ever in person launch
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: for a team in another country for the NFL Global
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  Speaker 1: Markets Program at cro Park in May, almost a year ago,
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  Speaker 1: also a couple of activities, not only in Dublin but
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  Speaker 1: in Northern Ireland. We've seen stuff happening in Belfast with
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  Speaker 1: your son Don and also events happened in that royal
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  Speaker 1: county Dyne. How have you found the first year in general?
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  Speaker 2: You know, the response to our various activities has been great.
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  Speaker 2: You know, we had a watch party in November that
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  Speaker 2: you know many people attended, and of course are Irish
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  Speaker 2: podcast has been a great hit, and you know the
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  Speaker 2: social media following by our Irish fans is continuing to grow.
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  Speaker 2: So it's been an exciting year and we're looking forward
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  Speaker 2: to continuing to build on that.
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  Speaker 1: It's been great and it's great to look back in
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  Speaker 1: the nine and even remember because when the Steelers took
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: over Cook Park Stadium for the in autumn for a
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: game against the Cleveland Bryans. See guys there like Alan Fanicus,
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: Antonio Holmes and lieutenants. I'm not sure if they told
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: you much about their time, but they seem to love it.
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  Speaker 1: Did you catch much of the watch party at the time,
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  Speaker 1: And looking back and thinking about that game in the
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: late nineteen nineties, what did it mean to you to
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  Speaker 1: see an event like this take place in Ireland.
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  Speaker 2: No, it was a great event and you know, my
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  Speaker 2: son Dan was there and as you say, San Antonio
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  Speaker 2: and Allen Fanica had had a great time. And you
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  Speaker 2: know it's great to have our alumni come back and
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  Speaker 2: meet the people in Ireland. They really enjoy it. Cordial
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: Stewart of course was back for the launch back in
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  Speaker 2: the last May, and as I say, our alumni, I
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: really enjoyed coming back and sometimes even getting in a
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: round of golf. But it's it's been a fun year,
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: that's for sure.
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: Well, I'm sure you know and we all know that
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  Speaker 1: it's not just about the game itself. It's about grassroots
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: developing the game and that's key and we've seen that,
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: especially over the last few weeks. And we've seen in
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: recent weeks the launch and this has been one of
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: the biggest changes since our podcast has been on Lost,
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: the launch of the Steelers Ireland Kicking Clinic, which takes
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: place this April. How important is Roney for you is
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  Speaker 1: that the Steels not only bring on board new funds
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: for the team, but also identify talent on the out
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  Speaker 1: of the Ireland.
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  Speaker 2: Well, as you know, Michael, you know there are some
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  Speaker 2: great kickers in our London coming out of both you know,
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  Speaker 2: both the football side and the GLIC football side. And
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  Speaker 2: so wouldn't it be fun if we've on a kicker
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  Speaker 2: out of the group and so we're we're excited about it. Uh?
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  Speaker 2: You know, it would be another way to you know,
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  Speaker 2: call attention to American football and how the game is
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  Speaker 2: played and you know, allow people in Ireland to learn
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  Speaker 2: more about it. Uh. I think we have two of
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  Speaker 2: our former players will be coming over Seawan Sweesham was
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  Speaker 2: our kicker for many years and Jordan Berry. Uh. And
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  Speaker 2: though they would both come from you know, Sean Sweesham
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  Speaker 2: is a native of Canada and Jordan Berry is as
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: a native of Australia. So we certainly have a history
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  Speaker 2: of of kickers coming from other countries. And like I said,
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  Speaker 2: would wouldn't it be great someday if we had an
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  Speaker 2: Irish kicker.
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  Speaker 1: I would love nothing more than to see an Irish
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  Speaker 1: kicker for the Pittsburgh Steters. Let's market Donald Hope what
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  Speaker 1: happens finally, mister any Look, many fans of this podcast,
• 8:52
  Speaker 1: as Steelers the NFL in general, would not forgive me
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  Speaker 1: if I don't ask this question. Look, The Steelers have
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  Speaker 1: already noted online on marketing page that they have stated
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  Speaker 1: a want and a desire to explore playing a game
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  Speaker 1: in Dublin at some point in the future. We can
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  Speaker 1: talk about that, but what would it mean to you
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  Speaker 1: if that happened and you and your family's legacy, and
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  Speaker 1: how exciting would that be for the Funds, not only
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  Speaker 1: in Ireland, on the US and Europe as well, if
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  Speaker 1: the Steelers were to come home to Ireland for a
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  Speaker 1: game in the future.
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  Speaker 2: Oh, it would be fantastic. You know, we really look
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  Speaker 2: forward to it as you As you know the game,
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  Speaker 2: the American football games in London have been very well attended,
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  Speaker 2: very well received. Now in recent years we've had games
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  Speaker 2: in Germany which have been very strongly received. So Ireland
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  Speaker 2: is I think a logical next step here and and
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  Speaker 2: so you know, sometime over the next few years we're
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  Speaker 2: really looking forward to being over there for a game
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  Speaker 2: in Dublin.
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  Speaker 1: Well, I have to say, I think a lot of Funds,
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  Speaker 1: especially at this time of the years and projects. Deemisterray
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  Speaker 1: will really appreciate you coming on here. You're a very
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  Speaker 1: busy mom. We really thank you for your time and
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: for joining us. On the Irish Theaters podcast ahead of Some,
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  Speaker 1: Patricks said, we want to wish you and all of
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  Speaker 1: the listeners of this podcast the Happy Some Patrick's say
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  Speaker 1: La Fie la parig Honnor with I'm mister Roonnie. Thank
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  Speaker 1: you so much. I'm sure we'll trot to you very
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: soon again. You're welcome over here anytime, and we hope
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: you enjoy the rest of this off season. We'll chat
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: to you say thank you well.
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: Thanks Michael Happy saying pact today to you and all
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: your listeners and ghost feelings
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: At