DUBLIN — As fans carrying Terrible Towels, black and gold jerseys and gear designed specifically for the first-ever regular season game played in Ireland hustled and bustled all around him, Martyn Barnett took a moment to soak in the scene.
Almost like it was another time of year, one defined more by cold and snow than a sun-splashed day in downtown Dublin.
That’s because Barnett, 42, is not only the store manager for the Steelers Pro Shop, but he’s a lifelong Steelers fan, adopting the team as a kid growing up in England.
“This is easy for me,” Barnett said, smiling. “It’s like Christmas Day every day.”
It’s also been incredibly busy, Barnett said, as the two-weeks-old popup shop of sorts has become a hub for Dublin’s many Steelers fans.
Fifteen minutes or so before I arrived, Barnet