ND vs Navy will be security nightmare for Ireland

Notre Dame is going to play Navy at the new soccer/rugby stadium in Dublin on September 1, 2012. It will be a great occasion, but not one without some not-so-serious and very serious security implications.

In America Notre Dame vs Navy is simply a college football game. Nothing more. That will probably not be the case here because Navy is, after all, part of the United States Navy, which is, as we all know, part of the 'American death machine.' I fully expect tens of people from the usual anti-American rent-a-crowd to turn up to protest at the presence of the Navy's midshipmen in Dublin.

Those protesters will be annoying, at most, but nothing the local police force can't handle. However, there is a far more spine-chilling threat that the Irish government and gardaí (Ireland's police force) will have to devote a great deal of time and energy on: al Qaeda and friends.

Is it likely al Qaeda will target the game? I don't really know, but I do know that there are very few opportunities in Europe where 30,000 Americans, including possibly thousands in the military, are gathered in one place. Yet, that's exactly what we'll have here on September 1, 2012.

I have great faith in the gardaí and I trust the Irish government to do their damnedest to guarantee the security of all the Americans who come to Dublin for the game, but nothing is 100% certain. And although the game was only formally announced this week, the details are as they were when it was first mooted back in 2005. Seven years is a long time if you wanted to plan something.

Of course, it isn't just the few hours during the game that the police will have to be worried about, but the whole weekend. Back in 1996 when ND and Navy last played here Dublin seemed to be filled with Americans, many in uniform. The city will have to be on alert the whole weekend.

I don't want to put you off coming for the game. I hope to see you all there. Just don't be surprised if you see A LOT of police personnel while you're here.

Oh, while I'm at it, I'd like to recommend that this game be called the Commodore John Barry Bowl. He was, after all, an Irish Catholic and the father of the American Navy. What could be more appropriate?

I've decided — President Obama should come for the ND vs Navy game in '12

Posted by TheYank at 10/14/2009 6:28 AM EDT

This idea just popped into my head, but I think President Obama should come to Dublin for the September 1, 2012 college football game between Notre Dame and Navy. A few years ago I thought the game was a bad idea, but given the sea change in attitudes to the United States in this country since last November's election it doesn't seem like such a bad idea anymore.

At the time the game was announced I thought the anti-Americanism here would spoil the day, but if the President came it would change the atmosphere to one of unadulterated joy. {Unless President Obama's star wanes significantly over the next three years.}

It would be a good time for the Irish government to have the President visit because the influx of all those Navy personnel - even if only those based in Europe come, it'll be a lot - will be a security nightmare for the government. Croke Park and anywhere else that members of the United States Navy congregate will be a target for those whose anti-Americanism is a far greater worry than the feisty-little-sister attitude that too often prevails here.

The security is going to have to be very tight in Dublin in the run-up to that game because, let's face it, seven years is plenty of time to plan something odious and America's terrorist enemies might see Dublin as a soft place to carry out such an attack. Having the President here at the same time would allow the government to smother the city in security and deflect the annoyance of the locals who will be happier to greet President Obama than those who serve under him in the Navy.

So, that's settled then. President Obama to visit Ireland in September 2012. I'm preemptively dismissing all those concerns about re-election, party conventions, etc. that will be in full swing during 2012.