The Aer Lingus College Football Classic was a rematch of last year's season opener between the Tar Heels and Horned Frogs. But for UNC officials, the significance of the game extended beyond the field.
"Athletics is the front porch of the university, and it's easily the most recognizable, visible thing that we do. It's not the most important thing we do, but it has an outsized impact," Chancellor Lee Roberts said.
Roberts said the university hopes the international exposure from the football game will introduce UNC to new audiences and highlight its broader mission.
"We are one of the world's great research universities. And the more people who know about that, the better," Roberts said.
UNC football had never played a game outside the United States before Saturday's matchup. Roberts said the university wants to use the visibility surrounding the football program to promote other areas of UNC-Chapel Hill.
"So let's use that visibility from football to make sure people know about all the other great things that happen here at Carolina every day, starting with our research mission," Roberts said.
Rick Steinbacher, UNC's senior associate athletics director and a former Tar Heels football player, was among those involved in organizing the weekend in Ireland.
The university's activities began with a women's soccer exhibition Friday before the football game Saturday. Steinbacher said the trip included members of the football and women's soccer teams, the marching band, students, faculty and staff.
"We're going to have not only the football team, the women's soccer team, and the whole band. We're going to have lots of other students over there. We're going to have lots of faculty. We're gonna have lots of staff. It's really going to be a great opportunity for the university, to really promote and brand itself on a global stage," Steinbacher said.
The weekend also gave UNC an opportunity to face TCU again after losing to the Horned Frogs in last year's season opener.
"It is a game. We're going there to win. So we'll make sure the guys get enough of an Irish experience, but also keep them focused on winning that football game," Steinbacher said in the leadup to the game.
Roberts also said university leaders see opportunities to strengthen relationships with Irish institutions and businesses.
"And we do think there's a lot we can do with partnerships with Irish universities, but also with corporate development and economic development," Roberts said.
Roberts said Irish companies already have a presence in the Triangle and that he hopes the visit leads to additional investment.
"There are a number of Irish companies already located here in the Triangle. Hopefully what comes out of this visit is that we get more Irish companies relocating here to the Triangle, or setting up U.S. operations here," Roberts said.
The Triangle and Ireland were recently connected by a nonstop flight, and UNC officials say the regions already have economic ties.
Barbara Stephenson, UNC's vice provost for global affairs, said the trip provided an opportunity to bring university and industry leaders together.
"Our Dean of Pharmacy will be there. Our vice chancellor for research will be there. Well, I, as the chief global officer, can never round up that powerhouse team. And so I'll have them all already made the flight," Stephenson said ahead of the game.
Stephenson, a former U.S. ambassador and longtime diplomat, said Ireland's life sciences sector makes it a natural partner for North Carolina and the Triangle.
The Triangle is home to offices for major Irish pharmaceutical companies, including ICON. Other major pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly and Pfizer, have a presence in both Dublin and Research Triangle Park. The North Carolina Chamber of Commerce traveled to Ireland in the spring to explore strengthening economic ties, Stephenson said. She also pointed to legislation moving through the state General Assembly that would create a trade commission focused on trade with Ireland.
"North Carolina Chamber of Commerce traveled over in the spring on one of the earliest of those direct flights to explore tightening ties. There's a bill moving its way through the Assembly to create a trade commission for trade with Ireland. So our side sees the same thing as the Irish side sees this, that we're kind of a match made in heaven," Stephenson said.
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic coincided with the American Irish Medical Summit in Dublin, where UNC leaders served as panelists and doctors and medical executives will discuss opportunities in the medical field.
"Life sciences is a huge strength for us here at Carolina. It's an important part of the Triangle economy. It's crucial to the future health of North Carolina's economy. And it's not coincidental that Irish companies are some of the best in the world when it comes to the life sciences," Roberts said.
Kim Brouwer, Dean of UNC's Eshelman School of Pharmacy, said the trip could also create opportunities for students and faculty.
"As a unit, working together, they can really drive innovation and enhance partnerships," Brouwer said.
Brouwer said potential partnerships could provide exchange opportunities for pharmacy and doctoral students.
"Providing exchange opportunities for our professional students, our Pharm.D students, as well as our PhD students who want to learn more about global regulatory science and global medicines development," she said.
UNC already has partnerships with universities in Ireland and Northern Ireland, including University College Cork and Queen's University Belfast.
Brouwer said collaboration could allow faculty and doctoral students to work together on research and workforce development.
"We would have faculty and, PhD students partnering together to really drive innovation and drive workforce development," Brouwer said.
Stephenson added that UNC's existing research collaborations in Northern Ireland have already produced results, including work involving cystic fibrosis.
"Our early cystic fibrosis, research we did in Northern Ireland, it produced a real breakthrough in cystic fibrosis. There's seldom cultural distance. There's no linguistics difference," Stephenson said.
She said the existing connections between the Triangle and Dublin could help create additional opportunities for research and investment.
"We have a track record of just being able to triangulate the strengths of the partners to produce much accelerated research gains. I think if we come back a year from now or two years from now, we will be able to talk about some real improvements in human health," Stephenson said.