A psychological disorder that goes by the name Paris Syndrome has been well documented over the last decade.
Marked by symptoms such as hallucinations and feelings of persecution, it is linked to Japanese tourists' culture shock when they visit Paris.
Five years ago today, an entire Irish soccer team, its fans and a nation could be forgiven for experiencing Paris Syndrome after the events at the Stade de France.
Initially though, I was suffering some form of Stockholm Syndrome for the first few hours after witnessing Thierry Henry's handball kidnap the Boys in Green's chances of taking France to a winner-takes-all penalty shootout for a place in the 2010 World Cup.
It was only the following morning that my brain stopped trying to tell me 'C'est La Vie' (fortunately it wasn't saying that to the tune of the B'Witched song of the same name) and started effing and blinding at Thierry Henry, the referee and the French national side - and then at that bastion of goodwill called FIFA President Sepp Blatter.
And it was only earlier this year that there was some sort of closure as our Newstalk show Team 33 took its name indirectly from the events which started with Henry's GAA skills.
So let's traumatize ourselves once again...
Andy Gaynor from Naas and Eoghan Buggle from Sallins supporting the Irish soccer team in Paris ahead of tomorrow's FIFA 2010 World Cup Qualifying Play-Off 2nd Leg match
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
It is easy to forget now, but Giovanni Trapattoni's first qualifying campaign in charge of Ireland was a breath of fresh air after the farce (you can suggest other stronger words) that was the Steve Staunton era.
Bringing a level of organisation to a shambolic mess, the Boys In Green had reached a major tournament playoff for the first time since the two-legged Iran ties in 2001.
Due to the seedings system decided by FIFA quite late in the day, it meant we would face a tough draw in the playoff and that turned out to be France. Shay Given was not happy about the way the seeding was done, mind you:
"It’s totally unfair on us smaller nations. If they say that before a ball is kicked then at least you know the picture, you know exactly where you stand but to change it now is absolutely ridiculous and I don’t think it’s right at all."
Deep down, we can all guess the scientific reason why teams were seeded i.e. to keep the big boys like France in with a good chance of qualifying.
But we had no choice but to roll with the punches. However, the first leg did not go to plan as Ireland succumbed to a Nicolas Anelka goal in Dublin. As the photo shows, Henry was one of the first to celebrate...
France's Thierry Henry and Eric Abidal celebrate with Nicolas Anelka after he scored the opening goal ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan
By the final whistle of the first game, I had shared a bleak shrugging of shoulders with the oul' lad and given up on qualification.
So I have to admit that when the second leg came round, I did something I never normally do and chose not watch most of the first half of the now infamous second leg in Paris as I thought it was a formality that France would extend or at least hold on to their one goal advantage.
Ireland's Robbie Keane alongside Theirry Henry as they lead their teams onto the field ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
How wrong I was. By the time I had been lured to the pub with the news that Robbie Keane had put Ireland in front just after the half hour mark, the Irish team were playing with spirit and verve.
Robbie Keane celebrates his goal with his hands ©INPHO/Donall Farmer
I made it in time to see an Irish side really taking the game to Les Bleus in their own backyard.
And crucially a second goal really should have come during that period of dominance with this Keane chance a great example...
Ireland's Robbie Keane rounds French 'keeper Hugo Lloris but fails to score ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
As the game made it into extra-time, penalties were on and France did not look like scoring - legally speaking at least.
Then it happened. It was hard to catch on TV in full flight. And clearly not for referee Martin Hansson or the other officials. Irish hands pierced the night sky on the pitch. Vociferously. In the midst of it, one almost forgets that William Gallas was the man who actually applied the coup de grace.
A videograb of Thierry Henry's handball that led to France's goal Sky Sports
The TV replays are damning. Not just one touch with the hand, but a second so that Henry can bring the ball under control.
"If it was down the other end and it was going out of play, I would have chanced my arm. You can't blame him," is Damien Duff's assessment.
But that is no consolation for Richard Dunne who must share a patch of turf with the transgressor, which he would later open up about on Off The Ball.
France's Thierry Henry and Ireland's Richard Dunne after the game ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
While Dunne resisted the urge to confront Henry, the morning papers did not hold back by which time my Stockholm Syndrome had turned to Paris Syndrome and the thesaurus in my head had converted Henry into a swear word that I cannot repeat here.
"Yes, there was hand, but I'm not the referee" was Thierry Henry's view of the incident. Trop tard, Thierry, trop tard!
France's then-manager Raymond Domenech even praised Henry in his new book recently for the personal "sacrifice" he made.
In the days and weeks that followed, the reaction and calls for justice were defeaning with players, media and the likes of former Taoiseach Brian Cowen and ex-Justice minister Dermot Aherne among those calling for something to be done.
Sympathy was limited in some areas however.
As his feud with the FAI had not died down by that point, current Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane had very little sympathy for the team...
As he batted away calls for a replay and FAI pleas to be the 33rd team at South Africa 2010, FIFA president Sepp Blatter inadvertently baptized Team 33 like a latter day John The Baptist. As always Seppy Blattz would have the last laugh...
But in some ways there was some justice as one of the most farcical episodes in French football took place in South Africa, with fallouts and strike threats. What's French for karma?
South Africa's Bongani Khumalo celebrates after scoring against France in the third group game ©INPHO/Action Images/Scott Heavey
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