“So Ireland’s remarkable World Cup journey is over, but all they’ve lost is a match. Along the way so much has been won, the respect of all countries on the playing field, and the respect of the populations of the cities visited by the Irish supporters. The legacy left behind will survive long after this World Championship has been committed to the record books” – Jimmy Magee
Twenty-five years on from Italia 90, we’ve gathered together footage of the television coverage surrounding Ireland’s remarkable maiden World Cup voyage under Jack Charlton, from the heady days of Italia 90 qualification through to the finals themselves when RTE’s pioneering coverage rewrote the manual on football punditry.
From small noteworthy points such as the old adverts indicating simpler times, to the lump-in-throat opening montage of Ireland’s quarter-final clash with Italy, to the sheer joy of the moment overcoming RTE’s presenters; these videos are a journey back in time to some of Irish sport’s greatest memories.
The original
Video: EastTerracer
ESPN Classic Ireland vs England
Video: gr8footy
RTE studio floor? Meet flying pen
Video: Mare Footage
RTE Coverage: Ireland vs Holland, World Cup 1990
The pre-match, half-time, and post-match analysis from the RTE panel with analysts, Johnny Giles and Billy Hamilton.
Video: Irish History Show NEAR FM
RTE’s Coverage: Ireland vs Romania, World Cup 1990
The half-time, and post-match analysis of an historic match and nail-biting penalty shoot-out from the RTE panel with analysts John Giles, Eamon Dunphy, and Shay Brennan.
Video: Irish History Show NEAR FM
The penalty shoot-out set to Rocky music? Step this way
Video: HattrickTV
Official Italia ’90 film: Ireland vs Italy, World Cup 1990 Quarter-Final
Video: DannyWhitten
RTE’s Coverage: Ireland vs Italy
Current Republic manager Martin O’Neill was an analyst for Ireland’s historic World Cup quarter-final in 1990. The pre-match, half-time, and post-match coverage from RTE includes snippets of Jimmy Magee’s commentary and wonderful musical montages at the beginning and end.
Videos: dzg189
Video: Irish History Show NEAR FM