James Nesbitt has told The Ray D'Arcy Show on RTÉ Radio 1 that in attending the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final between Clare and Cork in Croke Park on Sunday, he witnessed "the heartbeat of a nation that I hadn't been part of before".
The actor was part of the BBC's coverage of hurling's biggest day of the year.
"I was invited first of all two years ago to my first hurling match - an All-Ireland semi-final between Limerick and Galway - by Neil McManus, the great Antrim hurler," the Co Antrim man recounted.
"And then the BBC, dare I say it, were doing it this year and they were covering it in Britain and he asked me down again. I was there along with people like Dara Ó Briain and David O'Doherty and Siobhán McSweeney just to kind of like... well, A) to go and watch it, but maybe also to cast a wee eye on it and try and make some comments for those that were watching across the water."
"And it was astonishing," Nesbitt continued. "It was as good a sporting event as I've ever been to in my life."
"And you've been at a lot," said the host.
"Listen, I grew up watching Ballymena [United], so I've been to some good ones and some bad ones! And then I supported Coleraine for a few years when they were doing a bit better!" the Cold Feet star replied.
"I've been to the San Siro. Obviously, I've been to Old Trafford a lot. I've been to the Nou Camp. But it was amazing - you almost have to see it twice to really get imbued with it.
"And, you know, it didn't take an eejit who was from a different background to understand what he was witnessing was something rather special. And not only the fact that there were young boys who were going back to work on a Tuesday, but also that the skill and the stamina and the speed - the completely non-let-up of the thing, you know?!
"But also, you couldn't help but feel as you were looking at the different colours - the red of Cork, the Rebels, and the yellow of the Banner County - all sitting beside each other. It was glorious.
"It certainly felt in a way that I was witnessing the heartbeat of a nation that I hadn't been part of before. It was sensational."
"Did it give you pause for thought?" asked D'Arcy. "Because as you say, you're from a different tradition, so hurling wasn't part of your childhood. But isn't it amazing that Croke Park was full with 80,000 people, over a million people watched it on the telly and we're such a small island - and yet a whole community don't pay attention to it, if you like?"
"I think maybe they had the belief that they shouldn't pay attention to it," answered Nesbitt.
"You know, small steps. There have been some major steps, big steps, taken in the last number of years, particularly where I come from. But also, small steps help.
"And I absolutely think that this is part of evolving the full nation, North and South. It doesn't matter what you call yourself. You can call yourself Northern Irish, you can call yourself from the North, you can say you're Unionist, Nationalist, whatever. Nevertheless, this is a sport which is played in every county in Ireland. And I think for the people in every county that weren't aware of it, maybe they'll start to take a wee bit of notice of it.
"Honest to God, it was really a remarkable day. I felt hugely privileged to be there."
Nesbitt is now turning his attention to a different game - he is taking part in the Marie Keating Foundation's pro-am golf tournament at the K Club in Co Kildare on Thursday to raise funds for cancer support and awareness.
"I've been involved with the Marie Keating Foundation for years," he said. "It's a great thing to be involved in."
The Ray D'Arcy Show, weekdays, 3pm, RTÉ Radio 1
