THREE ATLANTA-AREA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAMS TO PLAY
IN IRELAND’S CAPITAL CITY OF DUBLIN IN SEPTEMBER 2016
Blessed Trinity, Buford And Marist Will All Play In Dublin As A Curtain Raiser To
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic Between Georgia Tech And Boston College
Three Atlanta-area high school football teams will play a 2016 regular season game in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday, September 2 next year.
Atlanta-area schools Blessed Trinity, Buford and Marist will travel overseas to participate in the tournament that is an official event of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, which will be played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin the following day, September 3, when Georgia Tech takes on Boston College.
The traveling teams will participate in a traditional American Pep Rally and Parade in Ireland’s capital, while also undertaking educational tours during their stay to prepare for the Dublin Friday Night Lights matches.
In expanding established Irish-American relations, as many as 3,000 travelers associated with the high school games are expected to visit Dublin.
Six high school teams from the United States and Mexico have so far committed to play on Irish soil, the others coming from Florida, New Jersey and Mexico City. Additional teams will be confirmed in the coming weeks, when details of each school’s opponent and Dublin host venues will also be announced.
High school teams heading to Ireland in 2016:
Belen Jesuit, Miami, Florida
St Peters Prep, Jersey City, New Jersey
Marist High School, Atlanta, Georgia
Blessed Trinity High School, Atlanta, Georgia
Buford High School, Buford, Georgia
Prepa Tec, Mexico City, Mexico
“We are excited to have some of America’s top high school teams go over to Ireland for one of the most memorable experiences of their lives,” said John Anthony, CEO of Anthony Travel and a Director of Irish American Events Ltd. “This is a game they will be telling their grandchildren about someday. We look forward to thousands of American football fans traveling across the Atlantic to join local fans and share this amazing educational, cultural and sports experience.”
Marist School president Rev. John Harhager, S.M. said: “We are so pleased that Marist School’s varsity football team and cheerleaders as well as our marching band will be able to participate in this event in Ireland next year. It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to have an once-in-a-lifetime experience abroad.
“This opportunity is especially meaningful for our school, as we have connections to both Boston College and Georgia Tech. We have alumni playing on both teams, a former Marist band director is marching band director at Georgia Tech, and a Marist alumnus is the Jesuit chaplain of Boston College’s football team. Additionally, we hope during our time in Ireland that we may visit with students from three Marist schools in and near Dublin.”
Blessed Trinity head coach Tim McFarlin said: “The trip to Ireland gives the boys a chance to play the game they love in front of a whole new audience. The opportunity to be immersed in a different culture makes it all that much more special. Our team, coaches and the Blessed Trinity community are excited and grateful for the experience.”
Buford head coach Jess Simpson said: “Buford High School, our community, and our football program are excited to be a part of the 2016 Ireland event. This is an incredible opportunity for our players; an once-in-a-lifetime chance to play the sport they love on an international stage. We pride ourselves on a tradition of excellence in our program and look forward to this as another key chapter in the storied history of Buford football.”
Further information is available at www.CollegeFootballIreland.com/HighSchool or from the media contacts listed above.
High schools interested in playing in Ireland in 2016 should contact Patrick Steenberge: Patrick@collegefootballireland.com / 817-219-7274
The event follows successful tournaments played in association with American college football games in 2012 and 2014 when more than 12,000 spectators watched 14 visiting high school teams in action.
