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FIRE Steakhouse & Bar Celebrates It’s 15th Birthday

FIRE Steakhouse & Bar on Dawson Street is open for al fresco bookings for patrons to enjoy an award-winning dining experience with customer and staff safety paramount within a controlled friendly environment.

FIRE Steakhouse & Bar is celebrating its 15th birthday on Monday, September 28th. Over the past 15 years, FIRE has served in excess of 1 million diners including famous faces such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Rory Mcllroy, Bono, President Bill Clinton and Rihanna, to name but a few. The celebrated steakhouse & bar is open and offering unique al fresco dining options on Dublin’s most enviable outdoor terrace overlooking Dawson Street. Following NPHET’s recommendation, the Government advised that all indoor dining was to cease in a bid to further curtail the spread of Covid-19 and to align with guidelines FIRE is making the most out of its fantastic outdoor space as well as launching a cosy outdoor snug.

The team at FIRE quickly adapted to these new restrictions, adding large scale umbrellas, garden heaters, and comfortable, spacious and safe table settings, to add to its already beautiful terrace area. Additionally, FIRE has put the finishing touches on a cosy new outdoor snug, perfect for private dining for groups up to six people. Complete with heaters, cover and freshly laundered, individually wrapped blankets, it is the perfect space to celebrate a special occasion during these remarkable times.

To celebrate its 15th birthday, FIRE has some unique offers for both cocktail and steak lovers to enjoy al fresco. The FIRE15 cocktail is a boldly sweet concoction with a touch of bitterness…containing DWD whiskey, Amaro Averna and dark caramel syrup, the cocktail is an embodiment of the maturity of FIRE and the bittersweet times we’re living in. Perfect as pre- or post-dinner cocktail, the bitter is a nod to the restrictions, while the sweet is the fact they are still open. Carnivores can enjoy a new menu addition, the 15oz 35day Dry Aged Hereford Prime Porterhouse Steak. Cooked over open flames and served alongside FIRE’s bone marrow, a choice of fries or baby Caesar salad. To celebrate its 15th Birthday this steak offering comes to a mouth-watering €55.15.

Customers can find out more information about the menu, reservations for outdoor spaces, safety practices and “welcome back protocols” at www.FIREsteakhouse.ie. For the latest updated follow @firesteakhouse on Instagram.

 Opening Times

Open late 7 nights a week:

Monday – Thursday from 4.30 pm

Friday – Sunday from 12.30 pm

 

Book Now

Or contact a member of the FIRE team:

T: +353 (0)1 6767 200

E: FIRE@mansionhouse.ie

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SOLE Seafood & Grill and FIRE Steakhouse & Bar are nominated at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards

The teams at FIRE and SOLE are thrilled to be nominated at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards. SOLE Seafood & Grill has been nominated for ‘Best Luxury Seafood Restaurant’, which they brought home from the awards in Russia last July. FIRE Steakhouse & Bar has been nominated for ‘Best Luxury Steakhouse’ for the first time ever.

World Luxury Restaurant Awards

Established in 2015, these awards acknowledge and celebrate the very best restaurants in the world. The awards recognise culinary excellence and memorable experiences in restaurants around the world. The SOLE team were honoured to have taken home this award last year and would love to bring an award home along with their sister restaurant, FIRE this year.

Restaurant Dublin

Both restaurants offer truly magnificent dining experiences in the heart of Dublin city center.

SOLE offers professional service and the freshest seafood carefully prepared by their team of experienced chefs. Enjoy the very best Irish seafood from Irish shores including West of Ireland oysters, Dingle Bay crab, Irish lobster and Dublin Bay prawns. Their menus change seasonally, so you are guaranteed the very best in-season produce at SOLE.

FIRE offers a dining experience in a historical setting. The restaurant itself was originally built in 1864 for the Lord Mayor of Dublin as their ‘Supper Room’. FIRE has recently undergone a €1.1 million stylish refurbishment, which showcases a completely new look for the restaurant. The FIRE Steakhouse & Bar menu has been revamped and now includes more steak cuts than ever before.

Vote now

Last year, SOLE took home this award and they would be thrilled to win it again! FIRE is celebrating their 15th birthday this month and this award word would be the perfect birthday present for them! Voting is officially open and would love it if all our friends of FIRE and SOLE could take two minutes to vote for us:

Vote SOLE Seafood & Grill for Best Luxury Seafood Restaurant

Vote FIRE Steakhouse & Bar for Best Luxury Steakhouse

Vote here.

 

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FIRE Steakhouse and SOLE Seafood & Grill receive COVID-19 Safety Charter

The COVID-19 Safety Charter is an initiative endorsed by the Irish Government to reinforce confidence in domestic and overseas visitors in tourism businesses. This is designed to give comfort and reassurance to employees, employers and consumers that FIRE has opened safely. Fáilte Ireland issued guidelines for the Irish tourism and hospitality industry, which is designed to meet the government’s safety guidelines.

Receiving this Charter means that at FIRE Steakhouse & Bar and SOLE Seafood & Grill, every employee has completed appropriate COVID-19 hygiene and safety control training. We have also appointed a COVID-19 Lead Worker Representative, who completed the extensive Fáilte Ireland COVID-19 Safety & Hygiene Control Training.

What does this COVID-19 Safety Charter mean for FIRE and SOLE?

  • Our team have a clear understanding of the COVID-19 infection.
  • FIRE and SOLE have awareness in our role and responsibility for helping prevent the spread of infection.
  • We have a clear understanding of the standard precautions surrounding COVID-19 infection control.
  • Our team have a clear knowledge of the correct hand washing techniques and practices.
  • FIRE and SOLE know how to apply all this knowledge to our place of work.

The FIRE and SOLE teams are delighted to have received this COVID-19 Safety Charter, after implementing their Welcome Back Protocols. They are committed to providing their guests with a safe and comfortable dining experience.

Find out more about Fáilte Ireland COVID-19 Safety Charter here.

SOLE Seafood & Grill

www.SOLE.ie

E: Reservatios@SOLE.ie

T: +353 (0) 1 544 2300

 

FIRE Steakhouse & Bar

W: www.FIRErestaurant.ie

E: FIRE@mansionhouse.ie

T: +353 (0)1 676 7200

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Update: 2020 College Football Classic – Notre Dame vs. Navy

29 April 2020: The event organisers of the 2020 College Football Classic: Navy vs. Notre Dame are working closely with their Irish and American partners, including the Irish government, the US Naval Academy, the University of Notre Dame and the governing body of collegiate sport to monitor the situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The recent Irish government announcement on ‘licences for gatherings over 5,000’ does not apply to this fixture as the game does not require a licence. However, the universities and the governing body of the collegiate sport in the United States are currently working towards options and solutions on how to manage the upcoming sporting season. Public health and safety advice will remain paramount, so during this crucial time event organisers of the College Football Classic Series have asked for support to allow the universities and the NCAA to finalise their recommendations with an expected announcement in mid-June. At that time, the event organisers will, in turn, be in a position to update on the specifics of the Navy vs. Notre Dame scheduled for 29 August 2020 at the Aviva Stadium.

The five-game series is estimated to bring an economic boost of €250 million to Ireland over the coming years and event organisers are confident they, together with their partners and stakeholders, can ensure the future of the series over the coming years.

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HOW TO MAKE A CONFERENCE MORE INTERACTIVE

With today’s technological advances, Conference-goers have very high expectations when it comes to attending an event. People are looking for an experience rather than just a monotone speaker and PowerPoint Presentation. They want a completely immerse experience, even when it’s a Virtual Event. They want access to exclusive material and insights that they cannot get anywhere else. Here are tips on how to host successful interactive events.

HIRE A PROFESSIONAL MODERATOR

If you really want to make your conference stand out, it is worthwhile investing in a professional moderator who is experienced in giving insightful and engaging discussions to audiences. A moderator must be able to:

  • Collect the audience’s questions
  • Keep to time limits for discussions
  • Give their input
  • And much more!

For a virtual event, the moderator must still be able to be exciting and engaging, even if it means telling a few jokes to keep the audience engaged!

LIVE POLLS

Live polls are a fun way to actively engage your audience, as people love to compare their opinions to those of others. Incorporating real-time polls into your conference is simple, thanks to Social Media. You can easily create a Facebook poll, Tweet a poll or Instagram story poll during an event. Live Polls are perfect for virtual conferences, as many video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom, have this feature.

Q&A

It is always a great idea to include time for a Q&A at a conference. Nothing is more boring to an audience that sitting and listening to a speaker for a couple of hours with no two-way interaction. Q&As make the event more exciting and enables the audience to give their own take on the discussion. It is an easy way to get your audience involved without causing any major disruption to your event. Even for virtual events, attendees are often asked to Tweet their questions or send their question via a video conferencing platform.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Offer your audience to attend a small meeting on a specific topic they are interested in. Smaller breakout sessions are great for a more personal experience. This gives the conference attendees to participate more actively. Many people feel more comfortable sharing their ideas with a smaller group of people than with a whole conference. For virtual events, breakout rooms are accessible on video conferencing platforms. It’s a great addition to virtual events as it will allow the audience to brainstorm and delve deeper into topics.

HOST YOUR NEXT INTERACTIVE CONFERENCE IN THE ROUND ROOM

The dedicated team at the Round Room can help you host a truly immersive interactive conference with their state-of-the-art facilities.

They are now offering an audience-free, live-streaming event package, perfect for you to host your Virtual Event. Discover the benefits of hosting a Virtual Event at the Round Room.

To find out more, contact a member of our team today:

E: sales@mansionhouse.ie

T: +353 (0)1 6344 628

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THE BENEFITS OF A LIVE STREAMING EVENT

WHY LIVE STREAM AN EVENT? 

Interested in hosting a live streaming event? Keep reading to discover why live streaming events are so beneficial for your business right now.

REACH A WIDER AUDIENCE

Live streaming allows events to reach a wider audience from across the world. For example, if you are giving a conference in Dublin, someone from New York who is interested might not be able to afford to travel. A live stream event allows anyone to be able to attend no matter what their location is.

MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS

Live streaming events are a lot more measurable. Your company can learn what was most popular, how many people viewed your event, how many paid for tickets, where your attendees work and live along with much more information. This makes it easier to see your event’s impact and to build a strategy for your next one to bring in more attendees.

YOU CAN STILL NETWORK

Breakout chatrooms are a great little addition to your event if you want some networking to be done. Social media is also a very powerful tool to create a community online for people to connect and share ideas.

HAVE YOUR AUDIENCE ENGAGED

Engagement is always an important point to consider when it comes to planning a virtual event. You can create a chatbox along with your live streaming event for your audience to ask questions that can be answered towards the end for a Q&A. You can also create polls during your event to help keep your audience engaged.

LIVE STREAMING EVENTS DUBLIN

The Round Room at The Mansion House is now offering clients a brand new audience-free event package. The incredible live streaming service allows for Interactive Q&A to your Facebook or YouTube page.

This package enables you to live stream your event to anywhere in the world, without the need for large groups of people. This package is ideal for presentations, conferences and lectures. Find out how The Round Room can help you create your interactive, audience-free, live streaming events in Dublin now.

E: sales@mansionhouse.ie

T: +353 (0)1 6344 628

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Off The Ball partners with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic to bring American Football to an Irish audience.

 

Off The Ball have today announced a three-year partnership with The Aer Lingus College Football Classic and Irish American Events. Together, Off The Ball, The Aer Lingus Football Classic and Irish American Events will work to grow interest in and develop American Football in Ireland.

The Aer Lingus College Football Classic, returning this August, is well regarded as a major highlight on the Irish sporting calendar and has renewed its fixtures for the next five years.

Following recent announcements of some mouth-watering contests between the elite of College Football coming to Dublin, Navy v Notre Dame (2020) and Illinois v Nebraska (2021), Off The Ball are delighted to announce a new permanent hub for Irish football fans – die-hards and newbies!

The hub will be the home for all things American Football, it will be hosted on Offtheball.com and will include exciting features such as;

  • ‘The Snap’ podcast covering NFL, NCAA and American Football domestically – hosted by Ger Gilroy, Cian Fahey and Ronan Mullen, featuring all the weird and wonderful events on both sides of the Atlantic as well as some sizzling hot takes!
  • Events – Super Bowl parties, community meetups and live podcast recordings
  • Cian Fahey’s Five Takeaways article every Monday morning
  •  Major competitions – opportunities to win match tickets for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, as well as other one-of-a-kind exclusive football prizes

American Football will feature across Off The Ball’s radio, online and social channels, providing our ever-increasing audience with in-depth, behind the scenes action and analysis every week.

Commenting on the three-year partnership, Sabrina Egerton, Marketing & Communications Manager, Irish American Events Ltd. said:

“American College football has had a presence in Ireland since 1988 with several visiting games to Dublin over the years, with the introduction of a 5-game series kicking off in 2020 this presence will further cement Dublin as the European Headquarters of College Football.   Through our partnership with Off The Ball we look forward to creating greater awareness around the sport, not only at a college and professional level but to also shine a light on the American football league in Ireland at grassroots. American College Football is so #MuchMoreThanAGame, we are excited to bring the fanfare to Dublin over the coming years with pep rallies, tailgating, rivalries, community and traditions…these games have something for everyone and we look forward to bring you on the journey with Off The Ball.”

Speaking about the partnership, Ger Gilroy, Managing Director of Off The Ball, said: “We’re delighted to partner with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic and Irish American Events. College games bring a brilliant atmosphere to Dublin city and entice thousands of Americans to travel around the country every year. It’s a brilliant idea and has come to fruition through the vision of a small but dedicated group. It’s a perfect partnership for us as the audience for American football grows year on year.”

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Large Number Of Husker Fans Expected In Ireland

Ireland’s consistently mild, moist climate results in grass that grows 11 months out of the year. Some call it Forty Shades Of Green. In fact, that’s what Johnny Cash named one of his songs after visiting the country.

“Green, we’ve got a lot of it,” Padriac O’Kane said, “even though you guys will try to turn it red when you get over there.

“But we can cope with that.”

O’Kane, representing Irish American Events, was referencing Nebraska fans who will likely cross the ocean in droves for the 2021 Aer Lingus Football Classic between Nebraska and Illinois.

O’Kane and John Anthony, CEO of Anthony Travel, attended a Tuesday news conference at Memorial Stadium to officially announce the game, the second in a five-game series featuring American colleges playing in Ireland. Navy and Notre Dame, who have already played two such games, begin the renewed series next season.

Anthony said the 2012 game drew 35,000 Americans, with 28,000 supporting Notre Dame.

“It’s fair to issue a challenge today to Husker Nation,” Anthony said, “to get to 29,000.”

Of course, we all know how Nebraska fans respond to such challenges.

That’s why Anthony locked in on Nebraska during a meeting two years ago with Big Ten Conference athletic directors and administrators. League commissioner Jim Delany had invited Anthony, who expressed interesting in having the Big Ten play in the Aer Lingus Football Classic, to the meeting, where he would spend about 5 minutes selling the Ireland experience.

CONTINUE READING

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Irish citizen McCourt: ‘Pretty surreal’ UI playing in Ireland

CHAMPAIGN — James McCourt doesn’t sound like an Irish citizen. He gradually lost his Irish accent after he moved to Florida when he was eight years old.

So some on the Illinois football team — head coach Lovie Smith on Monday admitted he was one of them — may not have known that the Illinois junior kicker was born and partially raised in Ireland or that he is not yet a U.S. citizen.

But when Illinois coaches and players learned on Monday morning during a team meeting that the Illini would play Nebraska in Dublin to kick off the 2021 season, it hit home for McCourt.

“Ireland means so much to me,” McCourt said. “It’s near and dear to my heart. Dublin is where I grew up. I have a lot of friends still there. I’m very close with my family back there. I pride myself in my Irish heritage and my Irish culture. It means a lot to me, and it means a lot to my family in general.”

CONTINUE READING

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University of Illinois (Fighting Illini) and University of Nebraska (Cornhuskers) Confirmed for 2021 Aer Lingus College Football Classic

  • Illinois and Nebraska will feature in the second of the five-game Aer Lingus College Football Series on Saturday, August 28th, 2021 at the Aviva Stadium Dublin
  • The fixture is scheduled for week zero and will open the 2021 College Football Season. Both teams are part of the famed Big Ten Conference
  • 25,000 fans expected to travel to Ireland for game week Dublin 2021
  • The five-year series kicks off with the return of Navy vs Notre Dame on Saturday 29th August 2020

Monday, 14th of October 2019: Today at a press conference in the City of Champaign, Illinois it has been revealed that the University of Illinois will take on the University of Nebraska in the Aviva Stadium for the 2021 Aer Lingus College Football Classic on the 28th of August 2021. This will be the first time that either team has travelled to Ireland as Illinois and Nebraska both welcomed the invitation to move this game to Dublin. The game is sure to be a huge draw to sports fans both in the US and Europe as Nebraska is one of the most successful American College Football teams in history and Illinois has significant links with Ireland.

The University of Illinois Marching Band was the first American marching band to perform in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and have made trips to Dublin seven times, including their most recent visit in 2018. The Marching Illini are scheduled to return in 2022.

A core objective of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic Series is to foster academic collaboration and relationships as well as business and sporting links, so Illinois was a natural fit. The university already has strong institutional agreements in Ireland with universities and institutions across the country including Cork Institute of Technology, UCD, NUI Galway, UCC and DCU.

The University of Nebraska fans are renowned for taking over stadiums, home and away, with their famous “Sea of Red”, perhaps most notably turning Notre Dame Stadium red in their last encounter with the “Fighting Irish”.  With this trip to Ireland, natives can expect to see more red at one time in their country than ever before.

The specially commissioned Waterford trophy is the perpetual prize for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. The Keough-Naughton trophy bears the names of two powerhouses of Irish America, Don Keough and Martin Naughton. Business leader and philanthropist Don Keough attended college and began his career in Nebraska. Don was highly regarded by his friend and Nebraska alum, Warren Buffett.

The five-game series, sponsored by Aer Lingus, Ireland’s only 4 Star airline, kicks off with the return of the Navy vs Notre Dame which will take place on Saturday 29th August 2020 and is expected to generate €250 million direct economic windfall for the country over the coming years. Fans are expected to travel in droves to the game similarly to in 2012 when over 35,000 fans travelled from the US to the Aviva Stadium for the Navy V Notre Dame fixture. Limited Hospitality and travel packages are currently available for the Navy vs Notre Dame game, and general tickets will go on sale to the public this coming spring.

Speaking about the announcement, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar T.D. said: “It’s great to see new teams getting involved in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Ten of thousands of fans are expected to make the journey for each game in the series over the next five years, bringing with them a huge boost for the economy. Illinois and Nebraska players and fans can look forward to the best of Irish hospitality. The series will showcase Ireland as a location for international events and tournaments and put our world-leading tourism sector front and centre. The 2020 game between Notre Dame and Navy is fast approaching and now sports fans have another great occasion to plan for in 2021.”

Lord Mayor of Dublin, Paul Mc Auliffe who travelled to Illinois as part of the official Irish party said: “It is a privilege to be here at the University of Illinois for the announcement of the teams for the 2021 Aer Lingus College Football Classic.  I welcome the news that both the University of Illinois and University of Nebraska teams and fans will travel to Dublin in 2021 and I look forward to seeing the colour and energy that they will bring to the city of Dublin.  Dublin and Ireland are ready to welcome you!  This fixture is an important date in our calendar and showcases Dublin as a destination for hosting major international sporting events.”

Speaking at the announcement, Padraic O’Kane from Irish American Events Ltd. said: “This is a milestone moment for the combined Irish American Events team, we set ourselves the ambitious goal back in 2015 when we formed the joint venture company, to establish Ireland as the European headquarters of College Football. Today we announce our first back to back fixture with the news that the Fighting Illini and the Huskers from the Big Ten conference will play Dublin in 2021.

“On or around St. Patrick’s Day 2020 we plan to announce the 2022 fixture which will make it three games of the five-game series confirmed in a row, not to mention the amazing and exciting recent news that ESPN College GameDay is coming to Dublin next summer as part of the 2020 Classic, our ambitious goal is now a reality!

“We are honoured to promote and operate such profile annual events under the umbrella of Much More than a Game, as part of the Aer Lingus College Football Series. It’s a real team Ireland Inc. public / private partnership win – a special note of thanks’ much go to Aer Lingus, Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Dublin City Council for believing in our vision”

Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman commented: “The University of Illinois, our football program, our alumni and fans, and the entire Fighting Illini family are in for a once-in-a-lifetime experience on the Emerald Isle. When first approached about this game, almost two years ago, we had an immediate interest. This game will provide an incredible educational opportunity for our football student-athletes who, because of their schedule, generally do not receive the same international experiences as many of our other student-athletes. For our fans, I hope they will journey with us across the Atlantic for a wonderful trip and a major football game, all set against the beauty of Ireland.”

Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Moos commented: “Playing a game in Ireland provides another way to spread the Nebraska brand, and in this case on an international stage,” Moos said. “We are always looking for new scheduling opportunities, and when this was presented, Coach Frost and I decided this would be an experience of a lifetime for the student-athletes in our program.  This will also be a great trip for our fans, and knowing how Husker fans travel, it will be great to see Dublin, Ireland turned Red.”

Commenting on the announcement, Aer Lingus CEO Seán Doyle said: “With the excitement building ahead of the return of Navy and Notre Dame next August for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic 2020, it is great to see such enthusiasm from other teams to cross the North Atlantic to play in Ireland in 2021.  As title sponsor of the five-game series, we have no doubt that this exciting event will strengthen the important ties, both in sports and in tourism, between Ireland and the US.

“Aer Lingus, Ireland’s only 4-star airline, is undergoing its largest-ever transatlantic expansion, building towards our aim of becoming the leading value carrier across the North Atlantic. We now fly to 14 North American destinations direct from Ireland. The Aer Lingus College Football Classic provides us with a unique opportunity to promote ourselves to this key strategic US audience.”

 

The Aer Lingus College Football Series will have a very strong Irish-American influence. Not only will there be the usual college football fanfare with lots of fun events including marching bands, cheerleaders and tailgating parties, but there will also be a great celebration of the close Irish-American links that are so highly valued. The teams will compete each year for the Keough-Naughton College Football perpetual Trophy, acknowledging the contribution to Irish-American society of Don Keough and Martin Naughton.

 

ESPN College GameDay Built by The Home Depot is bringing its iconic pregame show to Dublin on Saturday, 29th August 2020, kicking off a new college football season and marking the first time in history the travelling road-show will originate from outside the United States. The 11-time Emmy Award-winning pregame show, in cooperation with Aer Lingus and Tourism Ireland, will set the scene for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic between Notre Dame and Navy at the Aviva Stadium.

 

Ticketing / Hospitality & Travel Packages

Hospitality packages for both the 2020 and 2021 games are on sale now through the official corporate hospitality game partner Corporate.ie.

Travel packages are on sale through official travel partner Anthony Travel in partnership with Abbey Group Ireland.

General ticketing information to be released in due course, with a pre-sale sign-up option available on the official site.

For exclusive information see www.collegefootballireland.com and follow College Football Ireland on

 

The University of Nebraska football program began play in 1890 and is one of the winningest teams in college football history. Nebraska is one of seven schools to have won 900 or more games, reaching the milestone during the 2019 season. The Cornhuskers are the winningest team in college football over the past 50 years and have captured five national championships—1970, 1971, 1994, 1995 and 1997. The school has produced three Heisman Trophy winners, more than 100 All-Americans and leads the nation in CoSIDA Academic All-Americans for both football and across all sports.

 

The University of Illinois program’s inaugural football season was in 1890, prior to the University becoming a charter member of the Big Ten Conference in 1896. The Fighting Illini were named National Champions five times in 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927 and 1951, while also winning 15 Big Ten Conference championships. Illinois boasts two of the most iconic names in the history of football with Red Grange and Dick Butkus among the all-time great players of the game. The College Football Hall of Fame lists 17 former Fighting Illini as members, while six Illinois alumni are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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