Blog: Our shared bond with Celtic

There's a shared bond here, an old silver one with big ears, and it's being carried through Murrays Bar and Grill on Dublin's O'Connell Street to rapturous applause.

Because there, in the reach of a sea of arms and hands belonging to red- and green- and white-shirted bodies, is the European Cup.

It's not the real one, of course, the one that Celtic won when the famous 'Lisbon Lions' team became the first British outfit to win it in 1967, or the fifth one that Liverpool got to keep after the incredible events of Istanbul in 2005.

No, the trophy held aloft by the currently most popular and photographed man in Dublin is a pretty convincing replica. It's all there bar the Milan Baros-made dents in the handle.

There is, though, a real sense of occasion building up as fans of two famous clubs join together to have their photos taken with a trophy which means so much to them.

Through the back of the vast bar there is a large beer garden packed with Celtic and Liverpool fans, their banners, their songs and their good nature.

Stories of Kenny Dalglish, of Ian Rush's testimonial and of Bill Shankly and Jock Stein's friendship are being swapped in a lively, chatty manner, before things suddenly start getting louder.

The two sets of supporters compete with each other and the sound system in order to get their chants heard, but all of them come together when the more modern chart music stops and a familiar intro starts.

The first strains of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' are piped into the outdoor area and suddenly everyone is singing as one.

Watch the video here »

Some of them are arm in arm, a swaying visage of red and green and white moving from side to side as their favourite song - their favourite hymn - rings out. It won't be for the last time today, either.

There are images like this all over Dublin, a city almost 200 miles from Glasgow and 135 miles from Liverpool respectively, not that you'd know to look at it now.

The streets are heaving with replica shirts and half-and-half scarves for what is quickly becoming the friendliest of friendlies. In among the now familiar colours is the black of a young boy's Manchester United away shirt. He's grinning from ear to ear as he drinks the atmosphere in.

A little away from the city centre, the Gasworks bar on Grand Canal Street is doing a roaring trade, the sight of the distinctive Aviva Stadium in the distance adding an octave of excitement to each voice.

Inside and outside the bar, those voices are talking about the game.

Will we see Daniel Sturridge get his first minutes of pre-season? Will Philippe Coutinho sparkle again? How will Celtic's summer signings Steven Mouyokolo and Amido Balde fare? Just how loud can Neil Lennon shout?

All of those questions and more will soon be answered; this is the 'Dublin Decider' after all.

The decision has already been made for many, though. This is one of the more enjoyable away trips they've ever experienced.

They call this the 'Beggar's Bush' area of the city, and there are plenty of requests for tickets on the walk down Canal Street, onto Shelbourne Road and ultimately towards the stadium. Fans filter in from Lansdowne Road perhaps mindful that they are on the site of so many iconic Irish sporting moments.

In all honesty this was never going to be another one, but the real moment of the day was always going to be before kick-off.

Just as in the beer garden at Murrays, that familiar song starts in the stadium and everyone stands to attention.

There's smiling, laughing but most of all singing as the two sets of fans come together in unison to belt out their favourite tune; a song they've sung hundreds of times all over the world and will sing hundreds of times again - not often like this, though. It's spine-tingling.

That's the moment that many will take away from the day; that shared passion, pride and proof that these are two special clubs who can put on a special show in a special city.

Nice one Dublin. Same again next year?

You can follow Mark on Twitter @Mark_Jones86.