This coming Friday the Republic of Ireland begin their qualification campaign for Euro 2012 with an away trip to Armenia and while many football fans will have looked at the draw and marked the games against Russia into their diaries, precious few will have taken any real heed of this opening match. In fact, it would be an interesting experiment to stand on Grafton Street for an hour or two and ask any passers by wearing football tops if they even know who we are playing on Friday afternoon.

“Uh, Albania. No, wait... Azerbaijan... some eastern lot, begins with an ‘A’... I think.”

Of course, for many, it doesn’t really matter who they are. It’s enough that they are from a small, far away country that we should be able to beat with one prawn sandwich tied behind our back and come Friday the bars of Dublin will be full of suited football chaps who find Joan from accounts a good deal more alluring than the green shirts flickering about on the big screen. Armenia just aren’t that interesting.

Of course the main obstacle to passionate engagement with this opening fixture (Joan’s cleavage aside) is a crucifying lack of context. We don’t know who they are or where they come from. In fact we don’t know anything about them at all. So, in a week when the nation is going back to school, it is perhaps a timely opportunity for a spot of homework.

Where is it?
Good question. If I told you that Armenia is on the western border of Azerbaijan would that help? Thought not. Armenia is one of those former Soviet Republics that skirts the border between Europe and Asia. It has Turkey to the west, Iran to the south and is just below Tbilisi (which is in Georgia).

Things we have in common
Like ourselves the Armenians have spent a good deal of time being subjugated. Apart from a spot of bother with the Vikings we have mostly only had to deal with the English. The Armenians, on the other hand, have been invaded by the Assyrians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Mongols, the Persians, the Ottomans. Though they declared independence in 1918 this only lasted until 1920 when the Russians decided it was their turn to have a go.

Religion
Armenia is essentially a Christian country and is the home of Mount Ararat, where Noah beached the Ark at the end of the Flood.

Famous Armenians
Atom Egoyan Though born in Cairo, Egoyan is of solid Armenian stock. The two times winner of Canne’s Palm D’or also made a tv version of Samuel Beckett’s ‘Krapps Last Tape’ and, in a nod to his homeland, also made a film called ‘Ararat’ in 2002.
Sirusho A 23 year old pop star, this Yerevan born beauty represented Armenia in the 2008 Eurovision song contest and is currently studying diplomacy at Yerevan University.

Sport
If you are traveling to the game don’t get suckered into a bar-room chess match. Apparently the Armenians are quite good at it. They also excel at weightlifting and wrestling. You have been warned.

Football
Up until quite recently Armenia’s handy footballers played for Russia, but in 1992 Armenia played their first official international match against Moldova which finished 0-0 and was played at the Hrazdan Stadium in Yerevan. They have never qualified for a major finals but did manage to beat Belgium and draw with Estonia during the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup

Among the current squad Shamrock Rovers fans might recognise forward, Yeghia Yavruyan, who played against them for Bnei Yehuda in the Europa League just a few short weeks ago. We might also keep an eye on fellow striker, Arman Karamyan who, with 49 goals, lies fourth in Armenia’s all time international goal-scoring charts.

The most famous club team in Armenia is Ararat Yerevan who won the Russian league and Cup double in 1973.

Hopefully this will help to put Ireland’s game on Friday into some sort of perspective and provide some basis for impressing Joan from accounts with your in depth knowledge of Armenian culture. Enjoy the game.