Football Special - why the Donegal soft drink is a fizzy pop culture icon

The Donegallian is a rare, wild, and wonderful breed.

There are certain universal truths you'll have to accept when you engage in conversation with us North-Westerners; Yes, we’ve met Daniel O’Donnell; we have more cousins in Glasgow than you could have on your own street, and you need to try Football Special.

You’d be forgiven for thinking we were all getting a cut of the profits, like a sugar-filled Ponzi scheme.

It used to be hidden away at home, behind that wall that Goats Don’t Shave built over 30 years ago. The phenomenon has breached containment, however. Bottles of the "nectar of the gods" have started popping up in Lidl supermarkets up and down the island as part of their "Class of Kickstart" campaign.

You knew that already though; your friends from Donegal won’t stop going on about it. What exactly is this mysterious drink, though? Why has it captured the minds of Donegal people and the wider diaspora? And is it really worth the hype?

There’s no better source of information than the Football Special bottle itself, which tells the story of how the drink came to be. The drink was developed in the 1940s to serve as a non-alcoholic alternative to beer to put into a trophy after winning a football tournament. If you pour it in a glass, the drink is almost visually identical to Smithwicks, which can alarm the uneducated when they see young kids in pubs sitting with an iPad and what looks like a half pint.

The connection to local sport has never changed in the 80 years of Football Special. From day one, the mascot has shared his jersey colours with Swilly Rovers in Ramelton, the birthplace of the drink. On a rare occasion, the player will be replaced by someone playing county football, to celebrate successes in our national sport, which are unfortunately few and far between.

Part of its mystique is literal in nature; no one can quite agree on the flavour. I’ve spent thousands of Euro over the years on bottles, both plastic and glass, and I still couldn’t put my tongue on what exactly it tastes like. Some argue it’s like a frozen Mr Freeze, others like fizzy caramel, some even as far as rum and coke. McDaid’s are well aware of the debate; the bottles themselves say they’re "mixed flavour", and they’re currently running a competition to see if anyone can pin down the taste.

The prize being, of course, a year’s supply of Football Special.

Why are Donegal people so passionate about it? For me, it’s indicative of our spirit of winning against the odds. There’s a reason we have the nickname "The Forgotten County" - in many aspects of public life, Donegal is often left to fend for itself. But through it all, Football Special - and Donegal - has prevailed.

Four generations of North-Westerners have enjoyed the "winning taste", and now the rest of the country finally gets to join in. Talk about fizzy pop culture. Up Donegal!

Imagery via Football Special