Shed End Invincibles

Available from Friday, 3 euro each.

A train has been booked for the game in Thomond Park, Limerick next Saturday.

It leaves Dublin at 3.25 , arrives in Limerick at 5.40 and returns at 10.15 to Dublin.

Price is €30 per person and you can book your place on www.saintsforum.net.

On Saturday morning, with hangovers from the St Patrick’s game on Friday night, we made our way to Dublin Airport. We were off to visit Ravenna in Italy, and to meet up with friends for three days of drinking and football. Ravenna played in Serie B as recently as 2008, alongside clubs such as Bologna, Lecce and Bari, but are now playing in the lower leagues of Italian football. In recent seasons, we have been visited by Italian friends who enjoy life and the ultras culture in the same way we do, and we have welcomed them into Tom Taveys, Block G and our support. Some Pats fans will remember Matteo and Carlo from the Cork game last season, and we promised them that we would soon take in a Ravenna game.

Meeting in Bologna Airport, our friend Andrea who has also been to Inchicore, drove us the short distance to Ravenna, where we met old friends. With us, we had a small banner we made to celebrate 100 years of their football club, and some of our tshirts. What we did not expect though was the beautiful meal that the UItras Ravenna lads would bring us to. Course after course of incredible food and drink, we couldn’t believe it. In the restaurant, our banner hung as we chatted away about our teams. We then went out on the drink, and needless to say true to our reputation we got a bit drunk!

On Sunday, the away bus was a real experience. Ravenna are like a family almost, the way they interact is great to watch. We also thought it was interesting that there were so many women among their supporters, something you don’t see in Ireland. With the flags and the flares, like the SEI, they travelled in numbers and colour to cheer on their team. In Italy, there are huge problems with police repression, but that does not stop ultras supporting their team.

Like the SEI, the Ultras at Ravenna are apolitical, and focused on cheering on their team. Their many banners decorated the front of the away section, but next to their banners was our own. They thanked us during the match into the megaphone for coming, and then chanted SAINT PATRICK’S, and this is something we were hugely impressed by. One of our lads asked to use the megaphone, and said thank you for everything.

After the game we were given a tour of Ravenna’s stadium, before we were presented with gifts from Ultras Ravenna and also older gentlemen who follow Ravenna. The scarf will go up in our pub, and we hope some day more people from Ravenna will come and see it.

Thank you to everyone for looking after us in Ravenna and in Bologna. You have our total respect, and in time we will show you the same hospitality.

WHATEVER HAPPENS, ULTRA! NÍ NEART GO CUR LE CHÉILE!