Tragedy brings together Seminoles and Gators fans on trip to Ireland for FSU opener

Ireland will host thousands of Florida State and Georgia Tech fans on Saturday.

Two Gators fans, too, and the reason why is touching.

On March 3, Florida State Seminoles fans Mike and Connie Smith went for a walk at J.R. Alford Greenway park in Tallahassee. The Smiths, who were married for more than 43 years, were both hit by lightning.

Mike Smith, 73, died instantly.

Connie Smith, 69, was not seriously hurt, although her left shoe and sock were singed by the lightning strike.

“It was so tragic,” said C.L. Conroy, who is Connie Smith’s sister. “It was a fluke thing, so unjust.”

Connie Smith said she and Mike had planned to go to Saturday’s FSU-Georgia Tech game in Dublin.

With Mike tragically gone, the trip seemed to be out of the question.

However, Conroy and her husband, Patrick Borden – who are both fans of FSU’s bitter rival, the Florida Gators – made a promise.

They said they would accompany Smith to Dublin, and it worked out perfectly because Borden – whose mom is from Ireland – could also attend the wedding of one of his cousins.

“I’m so excited, especially because (Borden) knows Dublin,” Smith said. “I know that I will be in really good hands.

“It’s also great because a lot of my friends will be there.”

Said Conroy of her sister: “She deserves to go.”

Smith, who had never been to Ireland before hopping on a crazy Orlando-to-Minneapolis-to-Dublin fight on Monday evening, said she is looking forward to seeing the “cliffs and everything.”

But it will be more than just sight-seeing for Smith.

She’s a huge football fan.

“I want to see what we’ve got,” she said of the Seminoles. “We lost so many good players from last year.

“But (FSU coach) Mike Norvell knows how to work the (transfer) portal.”

Meanwhile, Conroy and Borden – who live in the Pinecrest area of Miami – have been to Ireland many times.

Conroy, despite being a Gators fan, will wear a Seminoles shirt at the game.

“I want to support my sister,” Conroy said. “I want her to feel good about the experience and also show her Ireland.”

Borden, however, will not wear an FSU shirt.

“My husband has to draw a line somewhere,” Conroy said. “He bleeds orange and blue.”

Les Pantin Jr., meanwhile, bleeds garnet and gold.

Pantin, who graduated from Florida State in 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in History, is already in Dublin for Saturday’s game.

A lobbyist with his own firm in Coral Gables, Pantin is a life-long Seminoles fan who attends most – if not all – of his favorite team’s games.

Pantin, who had never been to Ireland before, is in Dublin with five friends/family members.

On their Ireland agenda are visits to cities such as Killarney, Kilkenny, Dingle as well as trips to Galway and the Cliffs of Moher.

But Pantin is also focused on the game, which is a 45,000-seat sellout.

“FSU is expected to have two-thirds to three-fourths of the crowd,” Pantin said by text from Ireland. “I’m confident in our players and coaches, and I know they will be ready to play on Saturday.”