Michael McQuaid is host of the Irish Steelers Podcast and reports from the island of Ireland.
It's been just under nine months since the Pittsburgh Steelers made history in Dublin's iconic Croke Park as the first NFL team to play a regular-season game in Ireland.
Last week, they added another chapter to that story, this time in Clontarf, County Dublin, hosting the first-ever Steelers Flag Football National Final.
The event brought together boys and girls from primary schools across Ireland to compete for a national title.
Organised in partnership with American Football Ireland and supported by Aer Lingus and UPMC, the national final took place in Clontarf on 27 May. Eight schools qualified after 24 teams competed in three regional qualifiers held earlier this year in Belfast, Dublin and Cork. It was a true all-island affair, with teams representing every province — Ulster, Connacht, Munster and Leinster.
What made the event and regional qualifiers so special is that, for many of these young athletes, it was their first introduction to flag football. I saw firsthand how quickly they adapted their native sporting skills to the game over the past few months.
The final was attended by several Steelers representatives, including Vice President of Business Development & Strategy Dan Rooney, two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Charlie Batch, and former linebacker Arthur Moats.
"We had an incredible experience on our trip to Ireland," said Batch. "We had a chance to experience the culture and do our part to help grow the game of American football in a place that is so important to the Steelers organization."
"I expected to see some great athletes while we were at the flag football finals, which I did," added Moats. "However, I also saw a good number of young boys and girls who had a strong understanding of the game. They showed real passion and a desire to learn more. The ceiling is high for the sport on the island of Ireland."
U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Edward S. Walsh was also in attendance, engaging with the young participants throughout the day.
This first national final marks the culmination of years of effort by the Steelers to grow American football across the island of Ireland.
Dan Rooney has been actively involved, attending regional finals and supporting previous scrimmages.
"We are proud to have hosted our first-ever Steelers Flag Football Final here in Dublin," said Rooney.
"It was exciting to see young athletes from across the island playing American football in a fun, competitive environment. Flag football has been, and continues to be, an important part of how we connect with young people here, and we look forward to creating more opportunities like this in the future."
On the day, St Marnock's National School from Portmarnock were crowned the 2026 Steelers Flag Football National Champions after a 6-0 victory over St Oliver Plunkett. The win capped an incredible journey for the Portmarnock students, who also represented Ireland at the 2026 NFL Flag U13 International Championships in the San Francisco Bay Area during Super Bowl week in February.
For teacher and coach Harry Barnes, it was a particularly proud moment, as many of his students will move on to secondary school after this academic year.
"Winning the first Steelers tournament — which will also be the last tournament these kids get to play together — was a really cool feeling," said Barnes.
"The journey these children have been on in just one year has been absolutely phenomenal. From throwing a football around the yard in Portmarnock to representing Ireland at the youth flag world championships… These kids have gained a once-in-a-lifetime experience through their hard work, willingness to learn and remarkable adaptability to a brand-new game.
"Myself, and fellow teachers and coaches Robert Cooper, Paddy Spellacy and Michelle Dillon couldn't be prouder of them. We hope they continue to love and grow the game long after they leave primary school!"
The national final left a lasting impression on all the student athletes. Many are now eager to continue playing as they move into secondary school. St Marnock's students Robyn and Max, who also competed at the International Championships in February, thoroughly enjoyed the experience in Dublin.
"It was great to win our last tournament playing together for the school! Flag football has been such an exciting sport for me — I love learning all the plays and even creating our own!" said Robyn.
"We've learned so much this year, especially at the world championships in San Francisco. It was so cool getting my T-shirt signed by former Steelers players, and meeting the mascot Steely was a lot of fun. I loved spending time with him and having the craic!"
For Max, meeting Charlie Batch was a highlight.
"It felt really good winning the first-ever Steelers championship in Dublin. Flag football has been an amazing game to play with your friends and it's perfect for all ages! We've only been playing it for about a year and we've already got to do so much," said Max.
"It was really cool to meet two people who have played with the Steelers for so long — getting to spend the day with them, get their autographs and throw a ball around with a guy who's won the Super Bowl twice was class!"
While the eyes of the NFL world will remember Aaron Rodgers and Cam Heyward walking off the field in Croke Park last September, the Steelers and the NFL continue to invest deeply in Ireland through flag football.
With every primary and secondary school on the island having received a flag football starter kit in the past year, and with ongoing support from various stakeholders Steelers, the Government of Ireland and American Football Ireland, the future of the sport looks bright.
At the end of the day, growing the game — and having the craic, as we say — is what it's all about.
