Residents in several south Dublin suburbs thought they were hearing and seeing things due to the roar from a low-flying airplane overhead shortly before 5pm on Saturday. Some may have thought something was wrong with the Aer Lingus passenger plane operating far from its usual flight path. But the aircraft turned out to be performing a planned fly past for the airline-sponsored College Football Classic 2024 between Georgia Tech and Florida State.

The Irish Aviation Authority issued a Temporary Restricted Airspace notice for the vicinity of the Aviva Stadium from 3.45pm to 4.15pm. Flight-tracking data showed the plane taking off from Dublin Airport, flying south across Dublin Bay, then turning over the Dalkey area and tracking northwards through Dublin’s southside suburbs to the stadium in Dublin 4. Flight EI-EIL, an Airbus A330-300, then returned along the same pattern.

One social media user said the flight “just flew over the garden and scared the life out of the wife”, while others remarked on its low trajectory in Ballinteer, Ranelagh and elsewhere.

College Football Classic Brings Big Bucks To Dublin

The much-anticipated game kicked off at the Aviva Stadium at 5pm. Thousands of fans, decked out in the colours of gold and white for Georgia Tech and maroon and white for Florida State, have descended on Dublin and in particular at Lansdowne Road for the annual event. The Aer Lingus College Football Classic director and co-founder, Padraic O’Kane, has estimated that about 25,000 Americans have travelled to Dublin specifically for the occasion and that 47,500 people will attend the sold-out game with another four million people set to watch the teams globally.

Mr O’Kane explained: “It’s not just the 25,000 people that are in town with a huge economic benefit in Ireland – we’re also on mainstream TV for nine hours in the US, and that can’t be bad for Ireland. The sport of American football is hugely growing here, both in participation and viewing.”

A History of the College Football Classic

The first of the college classic games was held in 1988 between Boston College and Army. Iowa State are scheduled to play Kansas State in 2025 while, in 2027, Pittsburgh will take on Wisconsin. Both games will be held at the Aviva.

Security and Logistics for a Big Event

A strict traffic operation has been in place along all approach and surrounding roads around the stadium. A colour-coded entry system is in operation for match-goers while Garda Supt Timothy Burke of Donnybrook Garda station stressed that the most “important consideration” is that everyone gets in and out of the stadium and the general area “safely” and that everyone enjoys the event.

Garda Supt Burke added: “An Garda Síochána would like to stress that all patrons should be aware of the colour-coded entry routes to the stadium which will be clearly identified on their tickets and will be strictly enforced. After the match everyone will also have to exit the stadium by the route they came in. Again, the directions are issued with a view to making the stadium environs a safer place during patron exit from the Aviva Stadium.”

A Flyover for the Ages

The Aer Lingus flyover, while a spectacle for some, also served as a reminder of the growing influence of American sports in Ireland. The College Football Classic, with its impressive economic impact and growing popularity, is set to continue attracting American fans and showcasing the Emerald Isle to a wider audience.