Anyone in Italy, 1990?

Looking for anyone who was there who might have a few stories to tell etc

I was there, it wasn't bad. Lots of stories, but from what I can recall one of the most retold stories is the story of The Cefalu Wall. I wasn't there that day so I cannot substantiate the veracity of the story but it goes like this. A group of irish fans were staying in the campsite in coastal town of Cefalu outside Palermo and one afternoon they were having a few jars when they noticed an altercation across the road where there was building going on. The barman told them the row was between the bricklayers and the boss and it was over the lack of progress being made on the building of a wall. The boss said they wouldn't be paid unless the wall was finished that day and he went off. The bricklayers got the hump and walked off the job. Among the irish lads were a few builders who for the craic decided that they'd finish the wall. This they duly done. Later that day the Italian brickies and their boss returned and to their utter amazement found that the wall was finished. As I said I wasn't there but I'm sure some of the older lads might recall this story.

Edited by Cabra Hoop - 10 Jun 2015 at 11:51pm

Cabra Hoop wrote: I was there, it wasn't bad. Lots of stories, but from what I can recall one of the most retold stories is the story of The Cefalu Wall. I wasn't there that day so I cannot substantiate the veracity of the story but it goes like this. A group of irish fans were staying in the campsite in coastal town of Cefalu outside Palermo and one afternoon they were having a few jars when they noticed an altercation across the road where there was building going on. The barman told them the row was between the bricklayers and the boss and it was over the lack of progress being made on the building of a wall. The boss said they wouldn't be paid unless the wall was finished that day and he went off. The bricklayers got the hump and walked off the job. Among the irish lads were a few builders who for the craic decided that they'd finish the wall. This they duly done. Later that day the Italian brickies and their boss returned and to their utter amazement found that the wall was finished. As I said I wasn't there but I'm sure some of the older lads might recall this story.

this story is one of the many stories contained in the 'Whats the story' book

I was there, aged 15 at the time. Went with Funtrek by land and sea, boat from Dun Laoighre to Holyhead, train to Folkestone, boat to Boulogne in France then train to Paestum in southern Italy. Took 48 hours and I was fit for a bodybag by time we arrived. Arduous trips to both islands then followed. Got charged at in Cagliari by 500 English "fans",women and children got hurt. I had my chronic constipation cured that day and didn't enjoy one second of the game. Got sunstroke the day before the Egypt game,worst 48 hours of my life, puking and shivering during the 0-0 draw. Horrendous. Same trip back to Palermo for the Holland game. Train stopped on tracks by striking Fiat workers for 5 hours, looked like we might miss the game when the train started to move. We were told to wave and salute the workers as we passed otherwise they might not let any more fans trains through. We waved and saluted and called them all sorts and they waved back. Got to our seats as Gullit was scoring. The evening picked up after that. Genoa was a blast and made the three previous games worth it. Couldn't stay for the Italy game. All I remember is spending July and August asleep after that trip, I was exhausted beyond belief.

Some trip i must say , massive really on so many levels .

My memories of it here, including a brilliant Paul Kimmage piece after the Dutch game

FREEWHEELER wrote: My memories of it here, including a brilliant Paul Kimmage piece after the Dutch game https://irelandfaneuro2012.wordpress.com/2015/06/11/italia-90-my-memories-of-three-crazy-weeks/

gspain wrote: I was in Cefalu as well but can't verify the wall story.  Cefalu was an amazing spot.  Party atmosphere watching the other games on the big screen in the square.

The Cefalu Wall story could well be "one of them stories" that gather legs over the years....remember the queue for tickets on the sunday afternoon the day before the Romania match in Genoa. We were corralled behind crash barriers in snake like queue of maybe 3-4 deep for what seemed like hours upon hours. It was roasting hot, we were all dehydrated and in somewhat of a disheveled state. At the top of the queue were a group of italian police in their prestine uniforms, designer shades and poser haircuts. The queue was moving very slowly and a lot of the lads were getting very agitated and there was the occasional half hearted push forward. I was towards the front of the queue when there was one of these little forward movements. One of the Italian coppers clattered his baton against the crash barrier to encourage us to move back. He held his baton in the air shaping to hit anyone who moved any further forwards. Now one of the irish lads took exception to this. He was a big gregarious fella who you'd give a wide berth too in normal circumstances. He shouts at the copper "Put that thing down or i'll ram it up your hole". The copper says something to his mate and walks away from the queue.

So we start singing "you're going home to your mammy, home to your mammy"....

More memories here from someone who was at each one of Ireland's games