07 March,2011 06:50 AM IST | | Manjunath L Hanji
Fans following their home team share similarities with their country and India and propose to return again after the World Cup matches
A group of Irishmen visited the city to cheer their countrymen at the World Cup match at the Chinnaswamy stadium yesterday. The uncanny similarity shared by India and Ireland is that both countries were ruled by England and now hold prominence on the world map.
United colours of Cricket: Irish Neil Horgan and his friend wave Indian
and Irish flags. Pic/Manjunath L Hanji
The four Irishmen have been in India for the past four days and will remain here till the World Cup ends. They have been following their home team and encouraging their players to show their power in the world of cricket.
They said they are worthy competitors and the best example is the England-Ireland match last Sunday. Neil Horgan, a software engineer from Dublin shared a few similarities he was aware of between his country and India.
"Both countries were ruled by the British for many years, but finally succeeded in getting freedom. They fought using various techniques like India used the peace mantra and Ireland used home rule, which evoked a huge response from the people, ultimately resulting in independence from the oppressors."
Horgan was confident and said that the Irish are bit stronger than the Indians because they got freedom 25 years earlier than India. Peter Orourke, an Irish Airline pilot added one more interesting similarity between India and Ireland, i.e. in flags. Both countries have the same colours in their respective flags.
Saffron, White and Green lie horizontal in the Indian flag, while the same colours are used vertically in the Irish flag, minus the Chakra. Orourke was impressed by Indian culture and wanted to stay in India after the World Cup was over. He said, "I am amazed by India. Other countries should learn from India. I will visit India again in the future."
