The sheer shimmer of the emerald green grass under lights was probably an augury and a portent of what was to come, writes An Fear Rua …

The flags of England, Ireland and Ulster flew side by side in the steady drizzle. Symbols of the crazy mixed-up world of sport and politics in these islands. Ireland stayed in their dressing room and let the psychological pressure build. The crowd chanted ‘Ireland, Ireland!’ and, eventually, the green shirts emerged from the tunnel, Brian O’Driscoll grabbing the mascots’ outstretched hands as he raced out.

President McAleese arrived at pitch level, resplendent in an almost ground hogging purple coat that would not have looked out of place if worn by his Eminence, Cardinal Cathal Daly. Her Aide-de-Comp was a cavalry officer carrying enough gold braid on his shoulders to secure a runaway Panhard armoured car below in Custume barracks in Athlone. To the music of Gustave Holst’s masterpiece ’The Planets the President walked the red carpet dutifully shaking hands. When she returned to the VIP area she got her reward. Two big smackeroos on each cheek from Bertie, ‘The Biggest Sports Fan of the Them All’ Ahern. The crowd caught a glimpse on the big screens and gave them both a ‘bit of a razz’. Bertie’s old friend Paddy the Plasterer looked on, speechless, and wondered if he had been wise to give this man a ‘dig out’ at all.

Rarely, if ever, has Amhrán na bhFiann been sung more proudly and more emotionally than it was that evening. For the Limerick men, Hayes and Flannery, it was almost too much to take as tears trickled down their cheeks. The English, too, sung their anthem lustily and it was listened to respectfully. Overcoated like a Soviet leader atop the Lenin mausoleum in Moscow on the first of October, Uachtarán CLG, Nickey Brennan, applauded at the end. At number eight, England included a player carrying a name that once graced the Republican bleachers of Fianna Fáil in Leinster House, Martin Corry, and Harry Ellis, a name resonant with rugby history.

As the French referee, Joel Jutge, belatedly threw up the ball, the first strains of ’The Fields of Athenry’ swung over the stadium but an early Wilkinson penalty choked it off. Four minutes later, up stepped O’Gara to equalise by landing the first of his eight-out-of-eight successful shots at goal. In passing, it might be noted that more than any other member of the Ireland squad, O’Gara has taken to Croke Park like the proverbial duck. At nineteen minutes, O’Gara put Ireland ahead 6 – 3, and they stayed ahead until the end. The only time for doubt was some early England pressure at the beginning of the second half when debutant Strettle went over for a try and Wilkinson made a marvellous conversion.

The rest we leave to the rugby scribes and experts to recount and mull over.

For GAA members and followers other troubling questions arise from the day. The overwhelming media and fan consensus was that we had witnessed a marvellous sporting and historic occasion and it would be churlish to dissent from that. Afterwards, the boorish RTÉ studio pundits and the incandescent Joe Stack reporting for the 6TV News seemed ready to relegate Gaelic games to second place in people’s consciousness. Certainly, the international dimension of rugby and singing Amhrán na bhFiann’ against the English, as it were – and in Croke Park too! – is a package that will appeal to many people.
So, from a GAA point of view was the day almost too good, toosuccessful?

Sure, the extra three or four million in rent money that will be spread around clubs and counties this year is a wise and welcome move. A sated media will soon forget the short term, tactical gain to the GAA of being seen to be ‘good neighbours’. And will both those beneficial factors counteract the loss of that special marketing cachet that, up to this year, the only route for a young man – or indeed young woman – who aspired to playing before eighty thousand spectators under lights in Croke Park was the Gaelic road? Now that the rugby crowd have got in and have enjoyed themselves so much, will we ever get them out again? These are searching questions this morning for the GAA.

Dutiful Victorian daughters on the eve of their nuptials used to ask ‘Momma’ how they should react when their soon-to-be husbands exercised their conjugal rights on their wedding night. Reputedly, the reply was to ’Lie back … and think of England’. Perhaps that’s about the best GAA can hope for as well.

Linked articles:
England in Croke Park: 'Sport is not just a matter of life and death...'>
Ireland 32 - England 0 ... or just 43 - 13?