Terrible Towel Tour is underway: A contingent from the Steelers has already touched down in Ireland, and are making their way across the island, visiting various cities as part of a Terrible Towel Tour, presented by Aer Lingus.
Throughout the multi-day tour, which touches all parts of Ireland, the group is stopping along the way and visiting with local celebrities and dignitaries, in a Steelers branded Terrible Towel van.
The main reason for the tour is to visit the different areas of Ireland, something late Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney Sr. did while he was the United States Ambassador to Ireland and visited every county. The trip is also an opportunity to learn more about the Irish culture, while also distributing Terrible Towels to the locals in advance of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park.
Led by Max Starks, the former offensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl champion, getting the towels twirling along the route was first and foremost.
“I have to teach the twirl. That’s the first thing,” said Starks. “It’s about getting a group together. It’s almost like a yoga class. Warm up the elbow, get the shoulder rotator cuff going, and then you make sure you have a good grip on the towel.
“You have to pick a corner to hold the towel. You have a lucky corner or whatever corner. You bunch it up and then you just make sure that twirl is consistent. Almost like a lasso. You got to get it done.”
The tour began in Dublin, which will be the main point of activity for Steelers Nation this week. Starks stopped by the Steelers Pro Shop in Dublin to pick up a supply of Terrible Towels to take along with him on the tour.
“It’s amazing,” said Starks. “You would love to say it’s a dream come true, but I don’t even think I could have that dream. So, it’s something of fantasy to be able to do this.”
The next stop on the first day of the tour was in Kilkenny, where the group visited the Kilkenny Castle. The Castle was founded after the Norman conquest of Ireland and rebuilt and adapted to suit ‘changing circumstances and uses’ over a period of 800 years. The castle, which is open to visitors, is a Victorian remodeling of the 13th century defensive Castle.
It was then on to Killarney for the final stop of the day, where they met and toured the city with Gaelic football player Paudie Clifford. Clifford, a lifelong Steelers fan, announced one of the Steelers draft picks in 2024 from a draft party in Ireland and was the perfect tour guide.