Stag parties are often one-night affairs – but an Irish groom-to-be travelled to France for Euro 2016 with a one-way ticket for the “dream” do.
Richard Deegan, 37, from Dublin, is having an open-ended stag party at the football tournament ahead of his wedding in November.
First stop was Paris last weekend where the Republic took on Sweden, before the group moved to Bordeaux ahead of the team’s clash with Belgium, and Lille has not been ruled out either – a tour which would become an almost fortnight-long party.
Asked about his choice of destination, Mr Deegan told the Press Association: “I was trying to convince the lads that we would qualify. But when it materialised we all had to go.”
He joked: “They’ve used me as an excuse to go to the Euros.”
The group of friends, which is set to grow to about 35 people, are wearing Argentina jerseys.
“We wanted something that would stand out from the crowd,” he said.
Asked about what his fiancee thinks of his trip, Mr Deegan said: “She didn’t believe we’d qualify but when we beat Germany and the dream became a reality against Bosnia, what could she say?”
Reflecting on his time so far, he said: “Jason McAteer says that his experience of going away with Ireland was that he went away and it was like a huge stag do with all of his mates and they had to play football as well.
“My experience has been that I’ve got to see the best teams in the world and I’ve got to do it all with a drink in my hand.”
Mr Deegan said his fiancee, Katrina Kelly, is probably going to go to Spain for two or three days for her hen party.