Polish eyes are smiling for Ireland

10 June 2012 13:46

Hitching an Irish flag to the baggage rack, the green-shirted fans take their seats in the express train to Poznan, where Ireland take on Croatia in their opener on Sunday.

Supporting two teams in a football tournament may be common among fairweather fans, but for Poles, the sentimental pull of Ireland means it's about far more than hedging their bets.

"We support Poland and we support Ireland too," 35-year-old Tomasz Nawrot told AFP.

"The Irish have great support from Poles. It seems like half of the Polish nation has relatives in Ireland!"

Ireland is home to tens of thousands of Poles, including Nawrot, who had travelled over specially for Euro 2012.

Source: AFP