Thousands of American Football fans are touching down in Dublin ahead of the first NFL (National Football League) match in Ireland.
Dublin is no stranger to hosting college football games, with seven staged since 2012, but this is the first time an NFL game has been staged here.
On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings will make history when they compete in Croke Park.
Dublin Castle is hosting 'NFL Experience Dublin' which has been billed as a three-day festival of all things American Football.
There will also be a Super Bowl gallery in City Hall, an NFL merchandise pop-up store, pub takeovers, pep rallies and tailgating parties.
The Government has invested €9.95 million, before VAT, in hosting the match.
It has estimated that 30,000 international fans of the sport will travel to Dublin for the event and said that an economic assessment, carried out by Fáilte Ireland for the Department of Tourism, projected that the event "will generate €64m in additional economic activity for Ireland with a direct Exchequer return on the State's investment of nearly two to one".
The regular-season game is also expected to attract a TV audience in the United States in excess of at least 17 million and will be shown in 200 countries worldwide.
Roughly one third of those who pre-registered for tickets were from Ireland, a third from the US and one third from the UK and Europe.
A crowd of around 75,000 is expected in Croke Park for the match, down from the usual 82,300 capacity, in part because seats have been installed on Hill 16 and the Nally Stand.
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Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Sport Charlie McConalogue has insisted there is no political aspect to the NFL match being hosted in Croke Park.
"Every event like this is assessed in advance in terms of economic activity and the estimate for this event is €60m," he told RTÉ's Drivetime.
"There will be a Government allocation of €10m towards the event and the estimate is that there will be €20m direct tax returns coming back to the exchequer directly as a result of the event taking place," he said.
Mr McConalogue said the country is "providing the Irish welcome" to all tourists coming for the match.
He also pushed back on accusations that event will be used to push the spread of the Trump administration’s agenda in Ireland.
"I wouldn't agree with that line of thinking whatsoever. The reality is here, it's a regular season American football game, we’re the fifth country internationally to host such a game.
"It's great to have them coming and to have so many people coming and our focus this weekend is to make sure everybody feels at home, gets a warm welcome and we see the benefits of it in the years to come as well," he said.
Mr McConalogue added: "I don't agree that there's any political aspect to this match other than the fact we've social and cultural ties [that] can continue to be developed and renewed for the many people that are coming."
'Clear bag policy'
Fans are also being urged to remember that the NFL is implementing a 'clear bag policy' at Sunday's game, with only clear bags that are A4 size or smaller be permitted inside Croke Park.
Henry Hodgson, General Manager of NFL UK & Ireland told RTÉ News that he expects between 20,000 and 30,000 US fans will travel to Ireland to see the game.
"We've been playing international games in different countries around the world since about 2007, but I think (a game in Ireland) has been a long ambition of the NFL's, particularly for the Pittsburgh Steelers to play a game here in Dublin."
The Pittsburgh Steelers are owned by the Rooney family, whose ancestors emigrated from Newry in 1840s.
The late Dan Rooney was US Ambassador to Ireland from 2009 to 2012.
His grandson and namesake has been visiting Newry this week ahead of the game this weekend.
"We're very proud of that, we're looking forward to being there with him (on Sunday) and supporting the whole team, and the dynasty as a whole and hopefully bringing a win back to Pittsburg," Pittsburgh Steelers' fan April Burnell told RTÉ News in Dublin Castle.
Her husband Andrew is not a native of Pittsburg, but is cheering on his wife's home team for the weekend.
They are first time visitors to Ireland and say that they came for the game and to "see a castle!".
"And just to really enjoy the heritage of the people and learn a little bit more about Ireland and the culture, and just to enjoy a new city," Ms Burnell said.
Another couple with divided loyalties attending the festivities in Dublin Castle this afternoon were Elizabeth and Matt Doble.
"We came all the way from Orlando, I'm originally from Pittsburg and he is from Minnesota", the 2017 Florida Rose of Tralee contestant told RTÉ News.
The couple tell RTÉ News that their football rivalry made it into their wedding vows five years ago, and now that that they are expecting a baby, Ms Doble's "busy growing a Pittsburg fan" t-shirt makes it clear where she their child's allegiance will lie.
"I think everywhere you go (in Dublin) its all Steelers' fans" Ms Doble said.
"I've seen a fair share of Minnesota fans" her husband countered.
One of those is Maxwell Fuller, who works for the Minnesota Vikings' Radio Network.
"I'm just such a giant Vikings' fan, the station didn't even send me, I paid for my own way to get here, I was like 'bleep' it, I want to see the Vikings and I want to see it in Dublin," Mr Fuller said.
But he has more on his bucket list for this trip too.
"I want to go to the Cliffs of Moher, I want to go to Belfast, I just want to see the greater Ireland area because it is a beautiful country and a beautiful people, I love it here," Mr Fuller said.
Nicki Ewell, NFL Senior Director of Events flew in from New York this morning on a plane that she said was "full of Steelers and Vikings' fans".
"What's most important to us is that local economic impact, we want to make sure that we are driving heads in beds, (with) all the amazing pubs and restaurants and the amazing Irish hospitality and culture," Ms Ewell said.
