FANS OF THE Algiers-based football club, MC Alger (MCA), celebrated the 103rd birthday of the team by setting off dozens of flares around Dublin last night.

Ultras on the Samuel Beckett Bridge, and elsewhere around the city, lit up the Dublin skyline red, in an event which left many Dubliners very confused.

Similarly, in London, a few hundred fans gathered by the Millennium Bridge and set off red fireworks.

Londoners were caught off guard by the celebrations last night – so much so that the Globe, William Shakespeare’s open-air theatre, had to be evacuated.

waiting for my train at embankment and a ton of these fireworks started going off by the millennium bridge? does anybody know what that's about?? pic.twitter.com/s5aZYLB9dF

— maddie hindes (@madeleinelily) August 7, 2024

MCA is the oldest club in the Algerian domestic league and has a large number of die-hard fans in Algiers and, obviously, worldwide.

The team was the first Muslim football club set up in Algeria in 1921.

Since, the team has gone on to win eight league titles, eight cup titles and have made their way into major competitions in Africa.

It is a much beloved club among Algerian football fans (depending who you ask).

While a few dozen flares were seen around the city, thousands of fireworks and flares and in Algiers were set off yesterday evening. 

𝕮𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖎 𝕯𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖆 𝕮𝖆𝖕𝖎𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖊 🟩🌟🟥#MCA103 | #TeamMCA pic.twitter.com/kOPlNRPwdn

— MCA Insider (English) ⭐️ (@MCA_Insider) August 7, 2024

In Dublin, a crowd gathered on the Samuel Beckett Bridge and lit their flares at around 10pm in celebration of the club’s official birthday.

A smaller crowd also gathered outside nearby The Ferryman pub to enjoy the celebrations, as captured by Tom Quinn below.

Algerian football ultras. pic.twitter.com/3wk3zrw5J7

— Tom Quinn (@hotline_quinn) August 7, 2024

A similar event took place in April in London after MCA’s rivals, CR Belouizdad, lit up the sky at Finsbury Park with red flares and fireworks after their team had won the domestic league.