Though Ipswich have struggled in the opening stages of their maiden campaign back in the top flight, a highlight for Irish fans has been the form of Dara O'Shea at the heart of their defence.
O'Shea was signed in the summer alongside fellow Ireland internationals Chiedozie Ogbene and Sammie Szmodics, while Jack Taylor has also been capped since Ipswich's promotion. There is an Irish feel to the Tractor Boys' side and O'Shea and Szmodics in particular have been among Ipswich's most impressive performers.
Fermanagh man Kieran McKenna is at the helm, bringing yet more Irish energy to the setup as they adapt to life back in the top flight. They remain just outside the relegation zone, though Saturday's dramatic win over Wolves may yet prove a vital shot in the arm for their hopes of staying afloat.
The tenacity of Ipswich's work off the ball has been one of their most notable traits on returning to the Premier League and has already earned them big results against the likes of Spurs and Manchester United.
In an interview this week, Dara O'Shea said that the aggressive style favoured by Kieran McKenna suits him perfectly - due to his past days playing Gaelic football.
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Dara O'Shea credits defensive strength to days playing GAA
Dara O'Shea's GAA roots are well-known among Irish sports fans. The 25-year-old lined out for his local club of St. Jude's in Dublin until his departure for England to begin his soccer career.
By all accounts, O'Shea could easily have made it as a Gaelic footballer. Earlier this year, Kerry's star forward David Clifford spoke about his experience playing against the Ireland international at underage level and ending up completely bamboozled.
In an interview this week with the UK Independent, O'Shea spoke about the demands of playing for Ipswich and said that his experience playing Gaelic football with Jude's had helped him embrace the "battle":
I love the battle most. My mentality as a player is that I just want to win my battle and I don’t want to let them get one better than me. I’ve had it a lot in recent weeks where we’ve gone a bit man to man and stuff like that.
I think that is the Gaelic in me coming out; you have your man, you stick to him and that’s that. A huge part of how I play is that front-foot mentality, wanting to get to the ball first, not being afraid to put your body there. It’s definitely helped me.
Now a Premier League regular, it's unlikely Dara O'Shea harbours many regrets about deciding against pursuing a career in Gaelic football.
For Ipswich, his GAA experience at underage level could prove vital if they are to "battle" their way to Premier League survival.
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