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Paris to honour Ireland's two sets of 'wonderful' fans

The Local France/AFP
The Local France/AFP - [email protected]
Paris to honour Ireland's two sets of 'wonderful' fans
Photo: AFP

UPDATED: Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo is to award a medal to Ireland's "Green Army" and Northern Ireland's "Green and White Army" for the fun and support they have brought to Euro 2016.

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The Republic of Ireland's and Northern Ireland's fans are to be awarded the City of Paris medal for their "sportsmanship" at Euro 2016, the French capital's mayor announced on Tuesday.

Mayor Anne Hidalgo told reporters on a visit to the city's fanzone that she had sent a letter to Ireland's president Michael D. Higgins and northern Irish officials to tell them of her decision.

Hidalgo said the two sets of supporters deserved the honour after displaying "exemplary sportsmanship" and for the "good atmosphere" they generated as they followed their sides through the first round and to last 16 where Ireland lost to France and Northern Ireland went down to Wales.

The Republic's 'Green Army' have been a feature of the tournament, winning over French locals as they passionately supported their team.

The Local has already ranked them the best fans in the tournament, you just have to watch some of the videos of their fans in action to see why.

They have sung lullabies to babies on the Metro, shown vocal support for French police, changed the tyre of an elderly couple's car in Paris and serenaded a nun on a train.

 
And the Northern Irish fans were not far behind in our rankings.
 
Ireland's manager Martin O'Neill paid tribute to the Republic's supporters after his side's closing game in Lyon last Sunday.

"The fans have been wonderful in our four games and I believe they gave extra energy to the players throughout the tournament," he said.

"The players mentioned their support in the warm-up against Sweden, before our first game, and that's continued until the end.

"They (the fans) have behaved themselves brilliantly and been a credit to the country."

A date for the medal ceremony will be announced at a later date.

READ ALSO: And the best fans at Euro 2016 are?

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