Taking a trip down memory lane with the IFA's new futuristic facility
Unique insight into Northern Ireland's illustrious past
Football fans are going back to the future for a unique insight into Northern Ireland’s proud past.
Thanks to the new IFA Education and Heritage Centre which opened yesterday at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, you can now re-create some of the Green and White Army’s famous moments down through the years.
Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill and goalkeeping legend Pat Jennings cut the ribbon on the futuristic facility.
The Norn Iron story is recounted through a variety of media interactive displays and key artefacts from the 1880s to the present day.
Visitors are able to relive the atmosphere of famous nights and gain insights into the drama on and off the pitch.
You can even take a penalty against a virtual Pat Jennings.
“I’d done the measurements for it about five or six months ago,” he told Downtown & Cool FM.
“So I was really surprised how it worked out. I actually scored a goal against myself there.”
Big Pat also said that football in Northern Ireland was in a healthy state and he said the hard work carried out at grassroots level was now paying off.
As the world’s fourth oldest governing body, the story starts at humble beginnings in 1880 and weaves its way through three appearances at World Cup finals to the country’s first appearance at a European Championship finals in France last summer.
The centre enables fans to relive their favourite moments following Northern Ireland, whether it was that goal in Spain in 1982, the famous win over England in 2005 or Gareth McAuley’s header against Ukraine in Lyon.
Visitors are also able to see behind the scenes during an official stadium tour and pop into the new JD store at the stadium, which is due to open later this week.
Education and Heritage Centre Manager Stephen Garrett said: “We hope that this centre will inspire young boys and girls across Northern Ireland to dream of wearing the green shirt. From schoolchildren to grandparents, people will leave the stadium having understood the achievements of football in Northern Ireland, feeling a sense of pride at our country’s unique contribution to the world’s number one sport and having enjoyed a taste of the beautiful game.”