2023 - Update 23:

Broadstone's AV441 is seen in plain green, with the exception of the Aer Lingus/OnLocation sticker, having recently had its Pride AOA removed operating the Open-Top Hop-On Hop-Off tour on Parnell Square North on the 25th August 2023 (click on photo for larger version).

Dublin became the home of American College Football for the weekend as the Aviva Stadium hosted the Aer Lingus College Football Classic between Notre Dame University and the American Naval College, a match comprehensively won by Notre Dame. Notre Dame has a long association with Ireland, with the college formed by Irish and French Holy Cross brothers in the 1840s, and their football team is known as the "Fighting Irish". Some 39,000 fans travelled from the US for the game with no less than 32,000 in support of Notre Dame bringing an incredible buzz to the city.

City Sightseeing also carried the logo for OnLocation with Dennis Trident 03-D-121607 seen operating their tour on St. Stephen's Green North on the 26th August 2023 (click on photo for larger version).

With such an influx of tourists it was all hands on deck on tour buses, with many of the lesser used tour buses being brought out for the weekend, such as AV441 as shown above which has not been used on tours for quite a number of years. It has recently been taken out of its Pride AOA and appeared in plain green with just a sticker for OnLocation events which all Dublin Bus and City Sightseeing tour buses carried. OnLocation, a travel agency, offered package tour experiences for the match many of which included an open-top tour of Dublin City hence the buses carrying their logo on their side as well as a special display.

Broadstone's lesser spotted AV176 is seen on a diverted tour heading up Winetavern Street on the 26th August 2023 (click on photo for larger version).

On the day of the match, Saturday 26th August 2023, College Green and part of Dame Street was closed off for a Notre Dame tailgate. A tailgate is a pre-match party that occurs before American Football matches where fans bring their pick-up trucks and cook and drink in the car-park. It wasn't exactly the same on College Green, but food and drink could be had, and with the street closed off for traffic, fans could mix. This necessitated a number of diversions, primarily buses heading to South Great Georges Street using the south quays and Parliament Street onto Dame Street before rejoining their route with a usually outlawed right turn. In reverse buses used Dame Street, Lord Edward Street, Winetavern Street to the North Quays. For buses heading to Cork Street, Clanbrassil Street or Thomas Street, Winetavern Street was used in both directions, the G-Spine contra-flow bus lane proving very useful.

Summerhill's SG187 is seen on a diverted 15B on Parliament Street on the 26th August 2023 (click on photo for larger version).

With a capacity Aviva Stadium expected, the 4 and 7 would generally need a helping hand. Dublin Bus organised a relief service on Route 7 from O'Connell Bridge to Ballsbridge operated with extras from Donnybrook, Harristown and Summerhill. A 5min service was expected but in reality it was overkill even though the weather was very bad. The taxis did a roaring trade and otherwise the crowds walked to the stadium. At least one inspector went above and beyond to advise fans of the bus service but utimately the standard Merrion Road service would probably have sufficed, unusual for a match day at the Aviva.

Harristown's PA33 is seen helping out with a short Route 7 to Ballsbridge on Nassau Street on the 26th August 2023 (click on photo for larger version).