An essay about sport, connection, and authentic Irish culture
Inspired. Buzzing. Electric. I could easily be referring to watching the latest ‘golazo’ scored by Stephen McGinn, Bryan Meija, or Rodri Ayala, but I will get to that feeling shortly. When I returned home to Winter Park from my first trip to Ireland in the summer of 2025, it was actually hard to completely put into words to family and friends how I felt visiting where my Mom’s side of the family is from.
I fell in love with Dublin, but especially County Cork, where my Irish family ties originate. Visiting my cousin Hallie and spending time each day at the Bar Barossa on Oliver Plunkett Street, with football on the telly’s, was like everything I imagined it would be like. We even ended up in a filming of Young Offenders Season 5 for BBC!
Growing up in the South during the 90s, I loved playing youth soccer for travel teams and for school, but true soccer culture was relatively nonexistent in Georgia and Florida. Fast forward to around 2015, and both the Orlando City Soccer Club and Atlanta United MLS clubs have accrued massive followings! Excellent progress for the advancement of the game in the US, but I never felt connected to the MLS. Maybe I lost my connection to the magic of soccer after years of no longer actively playing and not having a local club of my own to grow up with.
When the Hoynes and The Castle Pub & Restaurant arrived in College Park directly from Dublin in 2023, I couldn’t believe my luck that I now had an authentic Irish pub just down the road from our home on Fairbanks Ave. With every Guinness pint and “G” I’ve split, I found more and more connection to my Irish lineage leading up to last summer…
Finding Irish Culture in Orlando, FL
Wow. Ireland in person was everything I had always dreamed it would be my whole life. I can’t believe how instantly comfortable I felt. I got to talk about film, sports, and Hip-Hop with residents and fall in love with their unique regional accents. I soaked up all the sights and sounds, the people, the history. I was in the English Market in Cork of all places, and bought Kneecap and Fontaines DC t-shirts — I feel energy pulsating through me every time I put my T-shirt on!
I paid respects to my family members who have passed and made sure to make tons of memories with loved ones there. Once back in the States, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything. My roots, my family, my connection, my culture. I feel more whole in a way that’s hard to describe.
As fate would have it, I was having a Guinness at The Castle in December when I met Adam Raji, both a founder and Coach of Emerald FC in Orlando, FL. He too was inspired by childhood family memories when he decided to make good on the vision for a close-knit community team. I can also vouch for Adam’s kindness and generosity in helping us acquire some official Emerald FC kits to begin properly supporting the lads!
In finding my authentic culture in “Ire-lando”, I’ve been inspired to write again for the first time in a long time. Maybe by fulfilling the need to express myself and connect my story, somebody else will recapture the magic they had from their youth on the pitch. If we’re lucky, we can remember even more about our families and learn more about our backgrounds along the way. Or just find pure, unbridled joy and elation like the “Green Bhoys” do at every match…
How to Attend Emerald FC Matches
Remember the excitement I referenced when one of the Emerald strikers lands a shot in the upper 90? You will hear and see the Green Bhoys supporter group losing their collective minds when we put another point on the board! No proper football club is without its proper hooligans, and attending an Emerald FC match in Orlando is the only way to catch the spirit.
Now that I am aware, I’m embarrassed at how much incredible football was right in my neighborhood without me knowing! Many of Emerald FC’s matches are played locally within minutes at either Bishop Moore Catholic High School or SoFive Soccer Centers Winter Park. That’s right, actual UPSL Premier Division (Florida Central) action that you can practically walk or bike to.
What makes it even better: The Castle is right around the corner to celebrate or commiserate with the best pints, dishes, and staff that you could hope for. I can get spice bags, curry chips, or even colcannon cakes to truly complete the Irish experience. There are many ways to get involved like becoming an Emerald FC member, sponsorships, or donating, but make sure to attend the actual matches the most. They are free to get in, perfect for families, cheering, or socializing.
When I wear my Emerald kit now, I get the same feeling that I do when I wear my Kneecap T-shirt from Cork. I feel connected, proud, excited, and cool. In fact, I’m wearing it while writing this essay and fulfilling one of my New Year’s resolutions to get more involved in my community. Maybe I was inspired by the Club pillars of Culture, Community, and Competition. Maybe I just like killer uniforms, or maybe I just like Guinness.
It doesn’t really matter because I’m all in.