The House of Waterford Crystal, home of the iconic Waterford Crystal was proud to be Associate Sponsor of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic which was held at the Aviva stadium in Dublin on September 3rd 2016.
Waterford designed and crafted two trophies for the game; the Keough-Naughton College Memorial Football Trophy and the Coach’s Award. Two teams from Boston College and Georgia Tech travelled to Dublin to compete for the trophies. The Georgia Tech captain Patrick Gamble was presented the Keough-Naughton trophy by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
The coach of Georgia Tech Paul Johnson collected the crystal Coach’s Helmet Award from David McCoy of House of Waterford Crystal. For over 60 years The House of Waterford Crystal has created bespoke trophies for multiple sporting events including the French and German Grand Prix, the golf Irish Open and the tennis Masters Series.
“From the initial design to the finished product, a significant amount of craftsmanship is required for us to create these unique sporting trophies” explains David McCoy, Sales & Marketing Director of House of Waterford Crystal. “Our ability to do this, is inherent in the heritage of our brand and is the reason why The House of Waterford Crystal is chosen to create these exclusive one off pieces and awards.” The Keough-Naughton College Football depicts an American football mounted on three individual sculpted pillars of crystal, resting on a beautiful base and plinth. The concept for the trophy is a ball in flight while the pillars represent the players’ arms catching the ball.
The Coach’s Award is a masterful replica of an American football helmet. The instantly recognisable shape, sparkle and quality reflect the unique craftsmanship of Waterford Crystal.
The organisers estimated that over 40,000 visitors arrived from USA and Europe for the game. Many of the fans who attended were also holidaying in Ireland, taking the opportunity to visit the House of Waterford Crystal and to experience the factory to see how the trophies were crafted for the event. The House of Waterford Crystal recently celebrated its 1 millionth visitor to its factory and brand experience in Waterford City.
