Hours After -- The View From Dublin, Ireland

It's been a few hours since the Fightin' Irish put a "half a hundred" on the Naval Academy this afternoon at AVIVA Stadium.  The 50 - 10 final score put a nice bow on what has been a special weekend for the University of Notre Dame and the ND Family.

From Friday Night's "Welcome Home" celebration to Mass this morning with thousands of Notre Dame fans at historic Dublin Castle -- to our team's performance on the field -- you just couldn't have had a better time in IRELAND if you were an IRISH fan!

In the past few minutes I've taken a lap around the worldwide web to see what the early reaction is to ND's dominating win -- and what the IRISH people are saying about Notre Dame's visit to their country:

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  ESPN

LINK:  NBC NOTRE DAME CENTRAL 

LINK:  IRISH INDEPENDENT

LINK:  IRISH INDEPENDENT #2

LINK:  IRISH TIMES

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  DAILY MAIL UK

FACT: Nowwhere Else But Notre Dame!

I challenge any of your friends that root for schools other than Notre Dame -- and I will name them for you; Michigan, USC, Alabama, Florida, Oregon, Ohio State, etc. -- and ask them if they've ever experienced this:

• A Pep Rally televised on NATIONAL TELEVISION -- in a country THOUSANDS of miles away from home -- with forty of that countries "top artists" performing along with the Band of the Fighting Irish.  With MILLIONS more watching it online!!

Folks -- Friday's Pep Rally in Dublin is INCREDIBLE!!!

I had the good fortune of sitting in on the Band of the Fighting Irish's performance yesterday and I will tell you it's off the charts (PHOTO ABOVE OF REHEARSAL).  College Football has never seen anything like this --- EVER!

 I can't stress enough how special this night will be for the University of Notre Dame and its family!

So, if you're sitting back in the States -- just click on the link below and you can watch a one-hour TAPE DELAY of the Pep Rally at the link below.  THE SHOW BEGINS at 4:30 PM ET:

LINK:  WATCH THE NOTRE DAME DUBLIN PEP RALLY HERE!
 

Notre Dame Endzone -- Aviva Stadium

Here's a photo I took this afternoon at AVIVA Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.  As you can see they're in the process of painting IRISH in the endzone.   This is a beautiful stadium!

If you look closely in the bottom left of the photo you'll see some media assembled to take pictures of the FIGHTING IRISH who were getting their first look at the stadium.

The NOTRE DAME DOORS of IRELAND...

If your travels ever take you to Dublin, Ireland -- you'll see a blue door with a green carpet outside and the iconic NOTRE DAME MONOGRAM on Merrion Square.

It just happens to be the entrance to the University of Notre Dame's O'Connell House.

LINK:  NOTRE DAME'S O'CONNELL HOUSE

NOTRE DAME TAKES OVER DUBLIN!

35,000 Notre Dame football fans have begun to make their arrival known here in Dublin, Ireland!  Here's some of the coverage:

LINK:  IRISH TIMES

LINK:  AVIVA STADIUM

Watch Notre Dame's Dublin Pep Rally!!!

If you'd like to watch Notre Dame:  A Welcome Home -- an eighty minute "extravaganza of IRISH TALENT and NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL - you can!!!

At 4:30 PM ET this FRIDAY -- the WORLD can watch Notre Dame's celebration in IRELAND on the web!  Click on this link below:

LINK:  WATCH THE DUBLIN PEP RALLY -- HERE AT 4:30 PM ET

Photo of Notre Dame Locker Room Plates

Here's what will be hanging above the lockers in Notre Dame's locker room at Dublin's Aviva Stadium.  Makes you kind of wonder what the jersey color might be???   

This photo was "tweeted" by Notre Dame Football Equipment Manager Ryan Grooms.

Diggins Earns Silver @ World Skills Challenge!

Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins competed in a skills competition this past weekend in Athens, Greece -- and she walked away with SILVER!

LINK:  WORLD SKILLS CHALLENGE

Skylar Diggins Leads USA to WORLD TITLE!

Skylar Diggins spent the last week in Athens, Greece -- representing the United States of American in the inaugural 3x3 World Championships --and she's a WORLD CHAMPION!  This three-on-three tournament featured Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins, Stanford's Chiney Ogwumike and UCONN's Bria Hartley and Ann Strother.  Here's the story:


LINK:  SKYLAR'S A WORLD CHAMPION!

Bringing "Home" the Fighting Irish to Ireland

The man who played the key role in bringing Notre Dame back to Dublin -- along with his good friend Don Keough, Life Trustee -- is Ireland businessman and Trustee Emeritus, Martin Naughton .  (Photo -- that's Naughton on the left and Keough on the right)

Notre Dame fans will enjoy this story that ran in the IRISH TIMES yesterday.  Click on the link below.

LINK:  NAUGHTON & KEOUGH

LINK:  AN INTERVIEW OF MARTIN NAUGHTON

Vatican's Papal Nuncio to Ireland -- a Domer!

Archbishop Charles John Brown is a 1981 graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the current nuncio to Ireland.  Brown was named to this post by Pope Benedict XVI last November. 

The Archbishop will be one of 40 expected concelebrants for Saturday's Mass at Dublin Castle -- prior to kick-off of the Notre Dame / Navy game.

LINK:  ORDINATION OF ARCHBISHOP CHARLES BROWN

LINK:  ARCHBISHOP BROWN IN THE NEWS

Irish Eyes Just Might Be Smiling in Dublin!

Here's a first look at the weather forecast for Notre Dame's opening game this Saturday in Dublin, Ireland... 

I'm liking what I see for Thursday, Friday and Saturday -- have my fingers crossed!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME WEATHER IN DUBLIN

Domer On David Letterman Last Thursday

Michael Somerville '94, was on The Late Show with David Letterman last Thursday night doing his stand-up comedy routine -- FUNNY!  Here's a link to Michael's performance and a link to his official website:

LINK:  MICHAEL SOMERVILLE ON LETTERMAN

LINK:  OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Notre Dame Football Facemask Turns GOLD!

I am lovin' this move!!!

I can't wait to see what the finished product looks like -- but word broke today that the facemasks on the GOLD HELMETS of Notre Dame are being replaced with a new mask that has some GOLD in them!

This photo was "tweeted" by Ryan Grooms, Notre Dame Football Equipment Manager.

Notre Dame Sets Guinness World Record!!!

The folks at Guinness World Records just announced that the University of Notre Dame set a world-record on March 2, 2012 in the Purcell Pavilion in a game called "knock-out basketball."

433 participants -- smashed the previous world record of 379!

Here's a link to how you play this game -- along with a link to the World Record:

LINK:  KNOCKOUT BASKETBALL RULES

LINK:  GUINNESS WORLD RECORD!

Golden Tate Returns Punt 92 Yards for TD!

Tonight in an NFL Exhibition game, former Notre Dame All-American Golden Tate -- returned a punt 92 yards for a TD!  The Seahawks rolled over the Chiefs 44 - 14.  Here's a link to Tates' TD!

LINK:  GOLDEN GOES 92!

Photo "Tweets" -- ND Football Equipment Mgr.

Ryan Grooms has been busy packing the Fighting Irish for Ireland -- yet, he continues to find time to "tease" the Notre Dame Nation with his tweets.  His "tweet' associated with the photo above was "back up jerseys" for Ireland..."

Coach Kelly with ESPN's Mike & MIKE

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly was on ESPN's Mike & MIKE show this morning.  Here's an audio link to the segment:

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY ON MIKE & MIKE

Notre Dame Football Tickets On Sale Today!

At 8:30 AM ET -- TODAY -- a few tickets to select Notre Dame football games will go on sale.  You can call 574.631.7356 or visit the Notre Dame Ticket Office at the Purcell Pavilion.

LINK:  TICKETS RELEASED FOR PUBLIC SALE

Coach Kelly Names ND's Starters for Navy

In today's press conference, Coach Kelly let the media in on who we would see on the field first on both sides of the ball.  And, you're going to see some new faces!  (One of those new faces is starting corner Keivarae Russell -- pictured above.)

LINK:  COACH KELLY'S PRESS CONFERENCE