July 23, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame’s Sept. 1 football opener against Navy in Dublin is less than six weeks away — and Irish fans will have a full listing of events from which to choose during their stays in Ireland.
Here are some of the featured events during the week:
- A Friday (6-10 p.m.) Notre Dame/Ireland celebration and pep rally, “Notre Dame: A Welcome Home,” at the O2 Arena, featuring the Band of the Fighting Irish, cheerleaders, leprechaun and a variety of famous Irish musical performances (doors open 6 p.m., 80-minute show begins at 8:30 p.m. and will be telecast live in Ireland on RTE; open to the public; tickets are $20)
- A Saturday (9 a.m.) Mass of Thanksgiving at Dublin Castle, including Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Papal Nuncio Charles J. Brown, Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins, C.S.C., and Congregation of the Holy Cross Superior General Father Richard Warner, C.S.C. (free and open to the public; there is no seating at this outdoor event — all attendees will be standing)
- A Saturday (10 a.m.-1 p.m.) Notre Dame tailgate in the Temple Bar district (open to the public)
- A Saturday (11 a.m.) parade through the Temple Bar district by the Band of the Fighting Irish (open to the public)
- A Friday (2 p.m.) tennis match at the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in Dublin between the Notre Dame men’s team and the Ireland Davis Cup team (tickets are $15)
- Monday through Friday twice-daily VIP tours of Parliament at Leinster House the week before and the week following the game (free and open to the public; register at gameday.nd.edu)
- A Thursday academic program (8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) at the Science Gallery (located at the Naughton Institute, at the Pearse Street entrance to Trinity College), titled “The Future of Energy: Dreams and Responsibilities” (speakers include Ed Maginn, Notre Dame professor of chemical and bimolecular engineering; Prashant Kamat, Notre Dame Zahm professor of chemistry; Tom Corke, Notre Dame director of FlowPAC; free and open to the public; register at gameday.nd.edu)
- A Friday academic program (3-4:30 p.m.) at the Trinity College Examination Hall, titled “Ireland in Transition: Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities” (featuring the Keough Naughton Institute and including Trinity College lecturer Elaine Byrne, the Institute’s Declan Kiberd, Father Michael Drumm from the Irish Catholic Schools Partnership Trust, with moderators Father Sean McGraw, C.S.C., and Kevin Whelan; free and open to the public, register at gameday.nd.edu)
- A Sunday (11 a.m.) Pilgrim’s Mass at St. Mary’s Church on Haddington Road (free and open to the public)
- Monday Notre Dame family pilgrimages (option one to Croagh Patrick, option two to Knock Shrine; option three is self-directed retreat; free and open to the public; register at gameday.nd.edu)
Go to gameday.nd.edu for a complete listing of the weekend events and registration options.
The Notre Dame-Navy football game kicks off at 2 p.m. in Dublin (9 a.m. EDT) at Aviva Stadium. CBS Sports will telecast the game live in the United States, and ESPN America (holder of the international rights) will send the game to 63 other countries around the world.
— ND —