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"I honestly can't believe this is happening" - Robbie Brady's mum is one emotional lady today

Maria Brady sounds like she has been shouting for three days straight.

Italy v Republic of Ireland - UEFA Euro 2016 - Group E - Stade Pierre Mauroy John Walton John Walton

IT’S THE STUFF of most kids’ dreams.

Scoring the winner for Ireland in the closing minutes and sending your country into a mood of ecstasy.

For Robbie Brady, that was last night’s reality, with his 85th minute header against Italy sending the Republic of Ireland into the knockout stages of the European Championships for the first time in the country’s history.

Not a bad Wednesday night all round.

“He made his dream a reality last night,” Robbie’s mother Maria told RTÉ Drivetime this afternoon.

I’m the proudest mother in Ireland today.

Maria sounded like the most emotional person you could imagine in her interview, and who can blame her.

“I watched it at home with my two daughters and neighbours and friends, and when we won we went out to the garden and just started banging pots and pans until the neighbours gathered around,” she said.

Robbie Brady File Photo Chris Radburn Chris Radburn

I’m overwhelmed, my adrenaline is running too much, I’m seeing every emotion under the sun at the minute.

I’m just in awe of what’s happening, I saw Robbie running from his position, and when he put the ball in it was just unbelievable, and then he ran to Kerrie, his girlfriend, and the baby.

Robbie is one of seven children and five brothers, born and raised in Baldoyle in north Dublin.

His father Shay and three of his brothers were present in Lille to see Robbie’s moment of glory.

“I honestly can’t believe this is happening,” said Maria, who didn’t even see Robbie running to his girlfriend and his brother at the end of the game “because we were jumping around and singing songs”.

Her pride at Robbie sticking with his dream of becoming a professional footballer is clear to see.

“He’s achieved his goal, there have been good times and hard times but he stuck with it and it was worth it. Robbie fought it out as hard and all as it was. I’m just so proud and so happy,” she said.

I can’t thank the country enough for being so behind us, I’m so emotional.

Robbie’s family will return from France tonight, which will lead to “quite a party” in Maria’s words.

While talking, some friends pulled the wool over her eyes by suggesting that the Pope had decreed that 22 June should be declared Robbie’s day.

“They’re joking that he should be declared a saint,” she said.

There might be more public approval for that than you might think Maria. 


RTÉ Radio 1 / SoundCloud

Read: Anatomy of a goal: 10 seconds, 3 passes and we were through

Read: Bad news for Ireland fans hoping to attend their Euro 2016 last-16 tie with France

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18 Comments
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    Mute Liz O'Neill
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    Jun 29th 2022, 11:48 AM

    When I used to do ‘Words with Friends’ I was regularly targeted by ‘widowed’ men (who’d all lost their spouse tragically) and also had some high flying job in the army or a multi national oil company. They all tended to look like catalogue models. For added pathos there was sometimes a disabled or dying child in case the heart strings needed that extra tug.
    The dead give away was the gushing compliments based on my poor, pixelated profile pic and their inability to construct any word longer than 4 letters.( If you’re using a word game for your scamming you should at least attempt to appear literate)
    It was fun stringing them along for a few games then revealing that I worked for the police (I don’t). Puffff! They vanished into thin air!

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    Mute Betty O Sullivan
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    Jun 29th 2022, 11:53 AM

    @Liz O’Neill: lol

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    Mute Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown
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    Jun 29th 2022, 11:19 AM

    Why on earth would you give money to someone never met in person??

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    Mute Pablo Rojas Coppari
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    Jun 29th 2022, 11:43 AM

    @Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown: Have you ever heard of the Catholic Church?

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    Mute Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown
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    Jun 29th 2022, 12:10 PM

    @Pablo Rojas Coppari: I am sorry, but this is not an excuse for being gullible.

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    Mute JG
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    Jun 29th 2022, 1:05 PM

    @Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown: marriage…

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    Mute Terri MacDonald
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    Jun 29th 2022, 3:23 PM

    @Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown: it doesn’t happen in one conversation. By the time they’re giving money, thy have developed a bond with the person and want to help them. Loneliness, naivety and kindness aren’t things to scorn. It’s just very sad that they get exploited. And no, I’m not speaking from personal experience as I’m a very cynical and suspicious person. But I do know ppl it has happened to and in all cases it happened because they were lonely, shy and kind and simply couldn’t imagine what kind of person would tell these kinds of lies and steal.

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    Mute Garreth Byrne
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    Jun 29th 2022, 11:04 AM

    Love is not free, in face-to-face encounters or online.

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    Mute E.J. Murray
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    Jun 29th 2022, 12:04 PM

    Facebook is riddled with the chancers, replying to women’s posts and pretending they’re someone they’re not. I saw a real howler a couple of weeks ago, and even kept a screenshot of the profile. It was supposed to be someone called Daven Burr, who was listed as an American army commander in Syria. It said that he lives in Ohio and that he’s from Texas. The photo of the “single” bloke shows an Australian serviceman standing in front of an Australian flag. He did have Burr on his uniform though, so that bit was authentic. It’s as plain as day that these people are scammers, but it must pay off occasionally when some gullible eejit falls for the bs.

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    Mute E.J. Murray
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    Jun 29th 2022, 12:07 PM

    @E.J. Murray: — I can’t believe the page still exists :p https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100029135868007

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    Mute Liz O'Neill
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    Jun 29th 2022, 12:45 PM

    @E.J. Murray: He’s a man of many talents. Fluent in Thai apparently!

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    Mute E.J. Murray
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    Jun 29th 2022, 12:55 PM

    @Liz O’Neill: — Yes, he’s a real catch :P

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    Mute Liz O'Neill
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    Jun 29th 2022, 5:17 PM

    The real guy is, Lieutenant General Rick Burr.
    According to Google, and with a similar photo :-

    Lieutenant General Burr assumed command of the Australian Army on 2 July 2018. He joined the Army in 1982, graduating from the Royal Military College at Duntroon in 1985 to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps.

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    Mute Nora McElhinney
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    Jun 29th 2022, 12:03 PM

    What kind of amoeba would buy into that scam????

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    Mute Dan Broderick
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    Jun 29th 2022, 12:25 PM

    @Nora McElhinney: victim blaming is not appropriate

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    Mute Joshua Walsh
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    Jun 29th 2022, 12:30 PM

    @Nora McElhinney: obviously it’s happening so why make a statement like that? These people target emotionally vulnerable people and are very sophisticated at pulling the right strings. They target thousands of people no doubt and why only need to be lucky a few times for it to be profitable.

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Jun 30th 2022, 4:03 PM

    @Nora McElhinney: Its called being niave. Lots of people believe in god too, but nobody calls them stupid, crazy as that is.

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