Np-anb-mnber: Qome Bugbp ate$ ne golden afternoon With rugby journalists frpm all over in the late spring of the world, this writer waq among the 1980 the train linking privileged who saw th/e inaugural 's Glanmire Sta- World Cup competition in tion and forgotten by all those lucky enough to and last summep;To see this Junction was crowd- have been present on that wonderful first global event was a memorable ed by a singing, late April afternoon. experience; to meet local colleagues cheering, jubilant mass of people, vary- Australian readers might care to note was to meet again old friends; and to ing in age from youngsters to near- that Munster is one of four lrish pro- read the names in the Australian and octogenarians. Girls and boys, women vinces, the others being Connacht, All Blacks squads was to be given a and men had one aspect of dress in Leinster and . The provinces reminder of the chain of history which common -they wore scarves, rosettes have no administrative or political links our countries. and even hats of black-and-amber; and identity, apart from being historical In the Australian camp were names they were not shy to wear their hearts and traditional entities. But, in rugby like and Mike Lynagh, in the on their sleeves, as well. The young terms, each province forms a regional New Zealand squad , Ber- ruck-sacked American tourist and his branch of the lrish nie McCahill, , Kieran girlfriend were bemused and puzzled Union. The four regions oppose each Crowley and , their Lon- by the gaiety of the happy, pulsating other every season in the Interprovin- don-born fullback, whose grand- throng. cial Championship, play matches mother lives in Limerick. And here in 'What's happened?", the young against visiting or overseas teams (of Limerick, with the 1984 traveller enquired of one elated elder. which more later) and provide players Australian team - regarded as one of 'Why the celebrations?' 'It's Young with a stepping stone to the national the greatest to ever tour these islands- Munsters, of course!', the man replied team. The IRFU administers the game were players such as Ross Hanley, Tim in the distinctive tones of Limerick, in the entire island and the lrish team is Lane, Chris Roche and Ross Reynolds. looking faintly surprised that anybody chosen from players from both the Almost a year on, memories of the could be so unaware and out of touch. Republic and Northern . World Cup quarter-finals and semi- 'We won today, and we're in the final!'. Cork is the capital city of Munster, the finals at Ballymore in and at Indeed they had and were, overwhelm- southern province, and fully justifies the come crowd- ing the Cork opposition in a match at this title in terms of size, population, ing back. Most vivid in the mind's eye which visiting Limerick supporters etc. But the rugby capital of Munster action replay is that magnificent semi- were in a massive majority. And a few (and one of the great heartlands of the final between Australia and . weeks later, on another sun-kissed game in Ireland) is Limerick, home of One special memory of thisspectacular afternoon at in Limer- the afore-mentioned game stands out-the sightofthe mem- ick, Young Munster went on to win the and other famous clubs, one of which - bers of a local Sydney club, seated Munster Senior Cup for the first time in Garryowen - has given its name to the together in the row in front of the press forty-two years, to crown an emotional vocabulary of international rugby box, rising in unison to applaud the sporting occasion which will never be through the hoisted up-and-under kick. French off the field at the end of it all, in

The 1950 Lions team, captained by . Tom CIHord is at the far right of the back row start. And they kept it up long after the game had ended, too, boys and girls swaying together in the long bar areas under the stand, singing songs of joy and hope and home. Only a game? Don't you believe it, as the followers of the Limerick clubs, and the worship- . pers of the Wallabies, know well. That night a group of us dined in a/ pleasant and atmospheric restaurant in ,,, Sydney's historic Rocks area, where,"'^ two centuries before, convicts from the First Fleet had been landed. The young man who waited at our table was a rugby enthusiast. When we stood up to leave, he sympathised with the Irish, and meant it. And we wished Australia good luck in their remaining World Cup games, and meant it aswell. I wondered could his forebearers have come from Limerick; some day he deserves a trip to a Munster Senior Cup final at Thomond Park to see a contest of passion and no quarter, played before a knowledgeable and frenetic crowd, against the back-drop which takes in St. John's slender, dreaming spire and the ancient tower of St. Mary's Cathedral, rising above the streets of the old city. Yet, the start of rugby in Limerickwas slow enough. In I867168 Sir Charles Barrington of the family whose name is still indelibly linked with the city, was captain of University FC, founded in 1854 and generally regarded as the club where the game had its genesis in Ireland. He is acknow- ledged to have been one of the first to introduce the emergent game to the city, where the first club to be estab- Tom Cliffordgets to grips with the Australian prop forward Nick Shehadie. lished was Limerick County, in 1876, Rathkeale (in west ) having two years earlier been rep- a spontaneous gesture of sportsman- reason that he often speaks the truth. resented at a meeting of what was then ship. 'Today a rooster, tomorrow a feather the lrish Football Union. And there are memories not con- duster', Jones had said a few years ear- By the early 1880s the game was nected directly with rugby. Like the pre- lier. With the lrish team all but beginning to gain a foothold, and by match barbeques atthe Brisbane home humiliated and already preparing for a 1886 Munster's premier competition, of Margaret and John Reese, who had homecoming certain to be somewhat the Senior Cup, had begun. The Gar- been the liaison man for the Ireland less than euphoric, we knew exactly ryowen club was founded in 1884, and party on their 1979 tour of Australia. Or what he meant. won the Munster Senior Cup for the the breakers at Surfers' Paradise, But then we thought of the hordes of first time in 1889, and retained it for the unforgettable despite occasional flic- young lrish at the Sydney Concord following six years. Garryowen is kering mental recollections of the film Oval that day. Thousands of them had Limerick's oldest senior club. Shannon 'Jaws'. And there was the glory of the completely filled o& end of it, turning RFC also dates from 1884, but did not Opera House and the inevitable tour of the terraces into an ocean of green, gain senior status until the season Sydney Harbour, and my own personal white and orange, holding aloft a forest 1953154. Of the other three Limerick pilgrimage to out-of-season Sydney of banners, many of them bearing clubs, Young Munster take seniority, Cricket Ground, to see the turf where devices strange indeed; like 'Hugo dating its foundation to 1895; Bohe- once walked Bradman, Larwood, Millar Scores Down Under', as indeed he did, mians came into being in 1922; and Old and Lindwall and all the other gods when MacNeill, the indomitable Ire- Crescent in 1947 (being accorded who gave such joy to my cricketing land fullback, raced in for one of Ire- senior ranking five years later). youth. land's two tries, for him a record eighth Through the 1880s sides from Britain Perhaps my deepest memory of in international rugby. And though Ire- and New Zealand had been visiting Australia in 1987 is of the 7th June, the land was being badly whipped, those Australia, playing matches against day when Ireland's World Cup cam- young supporters (yet another batch of New South and Queensland. But paign was brought to an abrupt halt by their country's traditional export) these were often scratch teams, and Andy Slack's superbly athletic Wal- didn't mind; they sang and chanted though Rothmans Rugby Yearbook labies, master-minded by the voluble and waved their flags and cheered their confers the touring party of 1888 with Alan Jones, the man that so many team on louder and ever louder, even - -h_Lions status, it was not at all rep- sports journalists and rugby establish- when the cause was well and truly lost, resentative, having been put together ment figures love to hate fpr the good as it had been virtually right from the by two Test cricketers, Alfred Tom Cliffordis chairedfrom Limerick Railway Station on his return from his triumphantLions tour of NewZealandandAustralia.

Shaw and Arthur Shrewsbury, and Records, 'steadfast commitment to the the season 1927128, the team known as indeed not all its members were rugby passing game gave rugby in Australia the Waratahs (drawn almost entirely footballers. All the tourists' matches a tremendous boost'. from the Sydney suburbs) came on were against State teams (for The next Lions' side to tour Australia tour, under the captaincy of threequar- Australia's first international game was arrived in 1904 and was captained by ter and former international not played until 1899) and their visit 'Darkie' Bedell-Sivright, an experi- A.C. ('Johnnie') Wallace. They played was marred by the death of their - enced Scottish international. The side Ireland on 12th November at Lans- tain, R.L. Seddon, who was drowned in was managed by a playerwith the Irish- downe Road, the first meeting between a boating accident. Curiously, the co- sounding name of A.B. O'Brien, a the two countries, and won the game organiser and manager of the touring threequarter from Guy's Hospital, Lon- courtesy of a try by Wallace and a con- party, Arthur Shrewsbury of Nottin- don. Three lrish players were in the version kicked by outhalf (first five- ghamshire (the Jack Hobbs of his day - party - C.D. Patterson and R.W. eighth) . Right wing J.B. he scored a total of 26,439 first-class Edwards from the Malone club in Bel- Ganly of Monkstown kicked Ireland's runs, including 59 centuries), took his fast and B.S. Massey (Hull and East Rid- penalty goal; no Limerick players were life at age 47 in 1903 because he feared ing). Again Limerick was not rep- in the side. In 1986 the Australian that he was suffering from an incurable resented. retrospectively granted disease. But in the event, no Limerick- Four years later, in 1908, an Anglo- international status to the games or indeed lrish players - were involved Welsh combined team toured played by the Waratahs against the in that tour. Australasia, playing threeTests against four home countries and France. The first official British and lrish team New Zealand (but none in Australia), Three years later the Lions were back to tour Australia arrived eleven years where they won seven of their nine in Australia, losing by five points to six later, in 1899. It was the first - and the games. The Jrish and Scottish Rugby to Australia on 30th August in Sydney, last - Lions' side to visit Australia only; unions declined to support this tour. the only Test played against the Wal- subsequent tours were to include New Later that year in the domestic season labies. There were five lrish players in Zealand on their itinerary, while the 190811909 the first Australian touring the touring party - Paul Murray (Wan- tours of 1977 and 1983 have been to team arrived in Britain, playing in Eng- derers), M.J. Dunne (Lansdowne), G.R. New Zealand only. Three lrish players land and Wales only - the lrish and Beamish ( and RAF), J.L. Far- (none of them from Limerick) were Scottish unions resenting the English rell () and H. O'H. included - E. Martelli (Dublin Univer- RFU's attitude to the invitation to the O'Neill (Queen's University ). sity), E.P. 'Blucher' Doran (Lansdowne) Australians. This team became known Once more, no Limerick player was and Tom McGown (NIFC). as the Wallabies (though their shirts selected on the touring team. Australia won the first Test, played at were blue and emblazoned with the But twenty-seven years and another Sydney on 24th June, 1899, in some Waratah, the NSW emblem) and in- World War later came a notable style. 'The pace of our forwards killed terestingly, the captain was Dr H.M. Limerick breakthrough. The Third Wal- them', commented H.A. Langley of the ('Paddy') Moran. labies toured Britain and Ireland in Australian committee afterwards. But With the Great War intervening, it 1947148 under the captaincy of Bill the tourists won the four-Test series, was to be almost twenty years befora McLean, and played matches against and, accordina to John Griffiths in the rugby contact was resumed between ' -both Ireland and Munster. On 6th phoenix ~ookof lpternational and these isles. But then, in December, 1947, the tourists defeated This Munster team, beaten by a last minute Australian try at the Mardyke in 1947, contained six Limerickplayers: Paddy Reid, Jackie Staunton, Hugh de Lacy, Con Roche, Tom Reid and Tom Clifford. lreland by 16-3 at , a (Victoria), D.H. Keller (NSW) and P.A. He was described as 'the virile Clif- game in which Paddy Reid of Gar- Hardcastle (NSW) in the pack; the team ford' in a report of the Lions' victory ryowen made his international debut, was captained by outhalf E.G. Broad (22-6) over . A report to become the first Limerick man to (Queensland). Another member of the of the Brisbane Test said: 'All the for- play against Australia. Reid, a centre, pack was Nick Shehadie (later to wards played particularly well, and the was a gifted player, who that yearwent become a Knight and Lord mayor of best were Stephens (Rhys Stephens of on to share in Ireland's first Triple Sydney), destined for an illustrious Neath and Wales) and Clifford'. Crown win since 1899 and the only career as a rugby administrator, and Another press report stated: ...'there Grand Slam ever achieved by the coun- manager of the Seventh Wallabies' were few better men than the captain try. tour of Britain and lreland in 1981182. Karl Mullen, Doug Hayward, John Three days later, at the Mardyke in Tom Clifford is a living rugby legend Robins and Tom Clifford'. Yet another Cork, Reid was one of six Limerick in Limerick. Like Paddy Reid, he shared journalistic testimonial said: 'Tom Clif- players in a Munster team which came in an lrish Triple Crown victory, his turn ford proved himself a tremendous within a whisker of succeeding where coming in 1949 when Karl Mullen led scrummager, with a rare ability for lreland had failed; the others were his the team to a second consecutive suc- going through from a line-out. Hefitted Garryowen clubmates Jackie Staun- cess, an achievement yet to be equal- in perfectly with his hooker and was ton, Hugh de Lacy, Con Roche and his led. Mullen had the honour of leading one of those iron men who could keep cousin Tom Reid, as well as Tom Clif- the first post-War Lions in New Zealand going hammer-and-tongs, from startto ford, the mighty prop from the Young and Australia, and to Clifford went the finish in the most gruelling encounters. Munster Club. That day Australia distinction of being the first Limerick He and John Robins were the best scored two tries to one to win 6-5 (the Lion as he was chosen among the band props in the tourists'team'. try then being worth three points), but of nine lrish playws in the party. And a letter to the Limerick Weekly only a late rally, when one of their for- By modern standards it was a very Echo from a compatriot also sung Clif- wards, P.A. Hardcastle, forced his way long tour; the party travelled by ship, ford's praises. John McMahon, of Pon- for the winning score, saved them. Ear- and were away from home for nearly dage, Via Upper Mount Beauty, Kiewa lier, wing J.W.T. McBride had scored six months. Clifford loved every minute Valley, Victoria, and formerly of 4 the tourists' first try. But in between of it and had an excellent tour, playing Upper Catherine Street, Limerick, those scores Reid, as if celebrating his in five of the six Tests, missing only the wrote: '... our old friend Tom Clifford of call to Ireland's colours three days ear- fourth in New Zealand. Thus, he played Young Munster fame caused quite a lier, scored a try for Munster and con- twice against Australia for the Lions - stir in rugby circles with his terrific verted it himself. Munster seemed at Brisbane on 19th August, 1950, touch-finding and kicking, also with his headed for a famous victory until where the tourists won by 19.6, and at tough forward play. The first game bet- Hardcastle's late, match-winning Sydney a week later on 26th August. ween the Aussies and the effort. This time the Lions won by 24-3; the took place in Brisbane. It was a very Six of the team which had defeated five tries scored by the Lions that day hard and tough forward battle and the lreland lined out against Munster. They still stands as their record number in an brave Tom was in his element. Evi- were - M.L. Howell (NSW) and J.W.T. international game. Australian press +tly, he likes it like that. It was a McBride (NSW) in the backs, and R.E. reports of the day paid notable tributes granLb sight for myself and a couple of McMaster (Queensland), E.H. Davis to Clifford. Limerick friends, since I was captain of the first Young Munster team that Tom played on'. In both Tests, Clifford came up against his old adversary, Nick Shehadie, against whom he had first played in Cork almost three years before. Shehadie played at lock in the first Test, and moved to prop in the sec- ond, a switch which brought the two into even closer contact! After his tour success, Clifford returned to a tre- mendous welcome. Wrote Barry Coughlan in his 1983 book, The lrish Lions: 'When Tom Clifford arrived home in Limerick after his lengthy trip, a crowd took to the streets to welcome him. Marching bands appeared and the Young Munster prop forward, who had brought fame to his club and city, was feted lavishly'. Nearly eight years went by before rugby rivalry between Australia and Britain and Ireland was renewed. The fourth Wallabies were captained by Bob Davidson of New South Wales and were much less successful than their predecessors, losing all five interna- tional matchs. But in an lrish context, the tour of 1957158 can hardly be more important, for it marked Ireland's first- ever victory over a touring team while Munster became the first Irish province to draw with such a side. On 18th January, 1958, in Dublin, Ire- land won by 9-6. Australia had tries by wing R. Phelps (NSW) and outhalf (NSW). The lrish had tied the scores with a try by Ronnie Dawson (later to captain the Lions) and a penalty goal by Cecil Pedlow. Then the young lrish centre, David Hewitt, playing in his first international, inter- cepted and sent off on a long and thrilling run for the winning try. There were three Limerick players The Rathkeale, Co. Limerick-born (left), with Tony O'Reilly. in the lrish side -fullback Paddy Ber- kery ( Irish), the late Gordon Wood (Garryowen) in the front row and record books as an historicoccasion for towed on Tom Clifford in 1950 - they in the second row, Bill 'Wigs' Mulcahy Munster. Right wing A.R. Morton were all chosen on the Lions tour to (UCD, Bective Rangers and Bohe- (NSW) scored a try and Munster New Zealand and Australia, Injury cut mian~),also playing his first game for fullback Ray Hennessy (deputising for short English's tour, and, of the three, Ireland. Though born in Rathkeale, Co. Berkery) landed a penalty goal to leave only Mulcahy played against Australia Limerick, Mulcahy played all his inter- a 3-3 final scoreline. Seven Limerick in the first Test at Brisbane, won by the provincial rugby for Leinster. players were involved - Mick English Lions 17-6. Thus, Mulcahy is the last Came 21st January, and the touring (Bohemians) shortly afterwards to be Limerick man to have played for the team had arrived in a near snow-bound capped for teland as the successor to Lions against Australia; the city had no Limerick. As Charles Mulqueen wrote the great , Gordon Wood representatives on the touring sides of in The Carling Book of : (Garryowen), who captained the team, 1966 or 1971, the last time the Lions l... the weather conditions ... will not be Dermot Geary (Bohemians), Tom Nes- played Down Under. quickly forgotten, especially by the dale (Garryowen), Mick Spillane (Old Though a truly great player, Mulcahy Australians, who made their headquar- Crescent), Martin O'Connell (Young was always regarded as rather short in ters in Cruise's Hotel, in the middle of a Munster) and Tim McGrath (Gar- stature for a lock forward. On tour he is blizzard. None of them had witnessed ryowen). said to have been described by a team- this phenomenon previously, and they Of the Australians, Bob Davidson, mate as 'crouching in a private trench quickly became involved in running Terry Curley, S.W. White, N.M. Hughes in the middle of a line-out!. And the snowball matches with the locals'. and Nick Shehadie (all NSW) had man himself, when asked how he This was Australia's first visit to played against Ireland. At outhalf would like to have the ball thrown ro Limerick, and the first of only two occa- against Munster that day was Ron Har- him said 'low and crooked'. But for all sions when they have played at the vey (NSW), a brother of the renowned that he managed to get more 'ball' in city's famous rugby ground, Thomond cricket , Neil. A year later Mik the line-out, than many of the towering Park. In the event, it was not a great English, Gordon Wood and B~ll MU^ -giantsaround him. match, although it went down in the cahy earned the distinction first bes- The Australians were disappointed This Munster team, captained by the lrish international and Lions prop forward, Gordon Wood, drew with the 1957Australian touring side in the snow at Thomond Park, Limerick. The Munster team includedsevenLimerickplayers: Mick English, Dermot Geary, Tom Nesdale, Mick Spillane, Martin O'Connell, Tim McGrath and Gordon Wood. at the heavy defeats suffered in the two . For Australia, John Brass Young Munster winger, Tydings, Tests they .played against the 1959 kicked a penalty goal, Alan Cardy had a though he was a fine player, strong and Lions. But they had some excellent try, and P.F. Ryan converted it. Of that very fast. Outhalf J.P. Ballesty (NSW) players in those sides, all the same, Australian team, Brass, Cardy, Cathch- kicked a penalty goal for Australia. among them fullback Jim Lenehan, pole, R.B. Prosser and R.B. Weming (all Moroney and Tydings also played for Arthur Summons and Peter Johnson, of NSW) had been in the sidewhich had the Combined Provinces side - the hooker, who went on to become his lost to lreland the previous Saturday. Moroney this time at outhalf - in the country's most-capped player, lining Later that year lreland became the Australians' first match, when the out in 42 Tests in all. first of the Five Nations to win a Test tourists lost by 3-9 at Ravenhill on Limerick had no direct interest in the match away from home. On their short 19th October. Lions tour of 1966. But in season 19661 tour to Australia that year they beat the As we have seen, Limerick was not 67, the Fifth Wallabies arrived in Britain Wallabies at Sydney on 13th May by represented on the Lions touring side and Ireland, and won much admiration 11-5, in whatwas described as 'a dreary to visit Australia in 1971. So it was not for the quality of their incisive play, Test, dominated by unimaginative kick- until the season 1975/76 that contact master-minded by an outstanding ing'. Still, it was an historic day for Ire- was resumed, with Hipwell back cap- scrumhalf, , and his bril- land, though sad to relate from the taining the Sixth Wallabies. They had liant outhalf partner Phil Hawthorne, point of view of this narrative, there mixed fortunes but achieved their only who kicked six drop goals in the five were no players from Limerick to share international success of the tour Tests, three of them against England at in the success! against Ireland, winning by 20-10 on Twickenham. The following year, 1968, Australia 17th January at Lansdowne Road. But the side had mixed fortunes, and undertook a short4our of lreland and Once more lreland crashed to defeat on 21st January, 1967, at Lansdowne Scotland only, with disappointing without the help of any Limerick men; Road lost to an lreland side in which no results, as they lost both Tests, and but some satisfaction had been derived Limerick players were included. Wow- won only two of the five games, played. three days earlier at Musgrave Park ever, history was to be made at Mus- The team was led by Peter Johnson, when Munster went under by only two grave Park in Cork four days later when and included that great scrumhalf John points (13-15)to the tourists. Munster became the first lrish province Hipwell, as well as the experienced Eight Limerick players were in the to defeat an overseas touring team, John Brass. On the lrish part of the tour Munster team - Larry Moloney, Sea- winning by 11-8. Four Limerick players they had beaten the lrish Universities mus Dennison, , Pat Whe- - outhalf John Moroney (Garryowen), (15-3) at Musgrave Park Cork, when lan, Eddie Molloy and Shay Deering (all forwards Bennie O'Dowd (Bohemians) they went on to meet lreland at Garryowen, Deering captaining the and Mick O'Callaghan (Young Muns- Lansdowne Road on 26th October. side) and Gerry McLoughlin and Bren- ter) and scrumhalf Liam Hall, then at Two Limerick players - the versatile dan Foley of Shannon. This was Ward's University College Cork, and later John Moroney and Jim Tydings-were first game for Munster, and he contri- to move to Garryowen - were in the on the wings for lreland that day, buted two penalty goals and a drop Munster team. Munster's points came Moroney contributing a conversion to - TjM,-while Deering scored a try. from a try by Moroney and two penalty Ireland's 10-3 victory. This was to be Fullback Paul McLean of Queensland goals and a conversion frem the great the sole appearance for lreland of the landed three penalty goals and a con- I ond a version for Australia, while J.R. Ryan goals, a and a conversion. In the event, lreland gave the tourists side, (NSW) scored a try. Ward's near-miss Other Limerick players in that victori- what by their own admission was by far whicl- conversion attempt of Deering's try ous side were Eugene Griffin (Gar- the hardest game of their four Tests. ous S would have given Munster a draw. ryowen), Pat Cross (Young Munster), They won 16-9, of their points com- (no st Since then rugby contact between Gerry McLoughlin, Brendan Foley and ing from the incomparable at two s Australia and lreland (including of Colm Tucker, all of Shannon. outhalf (first five-eighth), who dropped behin course Munster and Limerick) has been Tucker deserves a special mention, two goals and also scored a gem of a . Jone: constant. The first Australian Schools even if this was the only time he played try. Ella had scored a try against Eng- 5 his p side to tour these isles played the lrish against Australia. He was -and still is- land already, and went on to score tries / Rodrl Schools at Thomond Park on 18th an outstanding and was most against Wales (28-9) and Australia (37- ,. Simo December, 1977, winning a superb unfortunate (throuah., a combination of 8), an unprecedented achievement and "7 Stew game by 12-10, the closest they came injuries and poor selection) not to have a record certain to stand for a very long Un to defeat on an unbeaten tour. Included won more than the three lreland caps time. Lime in that lrish side were current interna- he has to his credit. But he showed his Writing on Mark Ella in the 1984 Ire- the c tionals , Mick Moylett (now a worth with the Lions in in land-Australia match programme, Jim Hill \ Shannon stalwart) and Philip Matth- 1980 when his superb form won him a Webster of the SydneyMorning Herald Park, ews. Australia included the three Ella place in the third and fourth Tests. stated: 'Very seldom in a lifetime does blanl brothers, Gary, Glen and Mark, as well even as another future international, Mike conj~ Hawker. Briti! And a little over a year later, in 1979, Ball) Ireland's most successful overseas to kl tour ever brought victory in-the two then Tests against Australia. Limerick's sole cod representative on the winning sides B( (Brisbane 3rd June, 1979, won 27-12 dou: and Sydney, 16th June, won 9-3) was torg tight head prop Gerry ('Locky') Will: McLoughlin of Shannon, one of his whi native city's real characters. Three and years later, McLoughlin scored a fam- nod ous try for his country against England had at Twickenham, as lreland were en yea route for the Triple Crown. The pundits and remarked on the great work of the Irish 0's pack, who drove McLoughlin over. ~n 'They didn't drive me over', said Locky. "1 'I pulled them over the line after me!'. Limerick's other players on that 1979 VJ Australian tour were Tony Ward and The great Australian outhalf Mark Ella relaxing with after a game. and Pat Whelan (both Garryowen) and 1 Brendan Foley (Shannon) who failed to Au make the Test sides. Ja( The Seventh Wallabies arrived in Bri- Soon afterwards, of course, the con- a player come along with the enorm- M? tain and lreland in the season 1981182 troversial, voluble but astonishingly ous, breath-taking skills of this man. and once again lreland was the only successful Alan Jones took over as One of twelve children, ofwhom two of in ? one of the home countries to lose a Australia's coach. But before his reign his brothers (Glen and Gary) have also M Test, going under by 12-16 at -which ended earlier this year (today a represented Australia, he is not only a 91 Lansdowne Road on 21st November. rooster, tomorrow a feather duster?) - great ambassador for the Aboroginal tiq Limerick's representatives were Tony the Wallabies undertook a short tour in people, but a great sportsman. The lat! Ward (restored at outhalf in the France in 1983, enjoying mixed for- scrumhalf Nick Farr-Jones tells of f0( absence of ) and Bren- tunes. The following year, with approaching Ella before this tour in( dan Foley, reinstated to the second row 'Jonesy' in full cry, they were back, as began and he asked him how he would tal after the 1979 tour. Ward kicked all Ire- 's Eighth Wallabies like the ball passed to him, e.g. slightly ti! land's points with four penalty goals. In returned to win thg Grand Slam, a feat ahead, or maybe a little to the side, or nLI the Australian team were many players achieved by one of the best (and in the whatever. "Just toss it anywhere and R destined for great things in the 1980s, eyes of many, the very best of all time) I'll catch it", came the nonchalant reply. S among them Roger Gould, Andy Slack, touring sides ever seen in this part of Not conceit, just a simple statement of d and . the world. fact', concluded Webster, and nobody lr Michael O'Connor scored Australia's They had already annihilated Eng- who knows Ella, a Rugby Grand Master try, Gould had a drop goal, and Paul land (19-3) at Twickenham when they if ever there was one, will disagree. McLean kicked three penalty goals. arrived to play lreland at Lansdowne On the following Wednesday the But four days earlier had come Road exactly a week later. They were to Australians lost to Ulster in Belfast, that another great Munster triumph, as the meet what was then a very much new- province's first success against a tour- province again defeated Australia at look lreland side, on the selection of ing team. The game was won for Ulster Musgrave Park, Cork. Admittedly, this which the new coach (just with a last-minute penalty goal, after was a much weaker side than that as outspoken in his own way as Alan that superb player, , which beat Ireland; still it included Glen Jones) had exerted considerable influ- had been somewhat controversiall~ and Mark Ella, Peter Grigg, Brendan ence. The team included five new caps, penalised for throwinq the ball into Moon, and Simon Poidevin. But Muns- among them flanker Willie Sexton of touch. And on the follo%ing Saturday, ter won easily (15-6), their top scorer Garryowen, the only Limerick player in - >h--November, the tourists played being Tony Ward, with two penalty the side. Munster at Thomond Park, their sec- and last visit to Limerick. In the they had named ten of the team which had beaten Ireland on the previ- ous Saturday. They were Andy Slack (no stranger himself to Irish rugby, with two seasons with Wanderers in Dublin behind him), Roger Gould, Nick Farr- Jones, with the dazzling Mark Ella as his partner, and, in the pack, Enrique Rodriguez, Tom Lawton, , Simon Poidevin, Steve Tuynman and ~teveWilliams. Unhappily, on that last visit to Limerick, the Australians saw little of the city, and even less of that Keeper Hill vista from-the stand at Thomond park. More or less impenetrable fog blanketed everything, making the events on the field of play a matter of conjecture for everybody. One visiting British pressman elected to stay on the side of the pitch to attempt to keep track of what was happening there; later, we all got together and compared notes. But fog or no fog, there was no doubting the merit of Australia's vic- tory by 31-19. The tourists had tries by Williams, Farr-Jones and Poidevin, while Gould kicked two conversions and five penalty goals. Tony Ward - now an honorary Limerick man, for he had returned to his native Dublin a few years previously - landed a conversion and three penalty goals, while Eddie O'Sullivan and John Barry scored tries. The outstandingAustralianplayer, David Campese, in fullflight. Apart from Ward, the Limerick players in action that foggy day were Willie Sexton and Eddie O'Sullivan (Gar- ryowen), Ted Mulcahy (Bohemians) and Mick Moylett (Shannon). another penalty goal in the second pictured leaping in the air, just at the That was the last time Munster and period and converted a second try by end of their famous 'Haka'. Crowe's Australia met at senior level. But on 8th Burke. For Ireland, Hugo MacNeill caption read! 'New Zealanders rejoice January, 1986, at Thomond Park, scored a try, as did Michael Kiernan, at Young Munster's Cup victory'. And it Munster Schools lost heavily (0-25) to who converted both and also landed a was a victory that will be celebrated the Australian Schools, having also lost penalty goal. and savoured in Shannonside pubs, in the first-ever such match (6-18) at 'We won the second half!' said Ire- clubs and canteens for a long, long Musgrave Park in Cork on 6th January, land's coach Mick Doyle at the after- time. 1982. Since that memorable interna- match press conference. Doyle was Undoubtedly that defeat of the All tional at Thomond Park in late 1977, Ire- once a Garryowen player and those of Blacks was Munster's and Limerick's land and Australia have met a further us present were glad to note that, finest rugby hour. It is now part of local four times at schools' level in matches seemingly, he had acquired a Limerick lore, just like all those epic tussles with in which several Limerick boys have sense of humour along the way, which Australia down the years. But the one taken part. Australia have won each enabled him to smile in the wake of lingering regret is that, in 1984, that time - at Sydney, 1980 (10-7), at Don- such destruction. But in Limerick, pea-soup fog prevented Limerick nybrook, Dublin, 1982 (24-O), at despite the fierce rug,by pride and pas- rugby supporters (and that's most of Ravehill, Belfast, 1986 (13-9) and at sion, a sense of fun IS never far away, the population) from getting a proper Sydney again in 1987 (20-11). This last and it always helps to keep matters in chance to watch Andy Slack's Eighth defeat was the only loss suffered by the perspective. Wallabies in action - for many, the Irish Schools on their tour of Australia. In 1978, Munster won a famous vic- greatest touring side ever seen on this And so back to the Sydney Con- tory at Thomond Park when they side of the world. But we know the cord Oval on 7th June last and to a resoundingly defeated Graham Australians will be back to provide World Cup quarter-final in wh~chIre- Mourie's All Blacks, thereby becoming sterling opposition, great games, thril- land were trounced (15-33). Limerick the first - and so far only - Irish team to ling tries and many more memorable was marginally represented - Brian beat New Zealand. Two years later, as moments to add to Limerick's rugby Spillane, Kerry-born, like Willie Sexton, we've seen, Young Munster won the history. but playing with Bohemians atthe time Munster Senior Cup aftera gap of forty- A time will come, a time will come, -came on as a replacement early in the two years. To celebrate that win, When the people sit with a peaceful second half. Australia led 24-0 at Michael Crowe, a former senior rugby heart, halftime, Andy Mclntyre, Brian Smith player and staunch supporter of the Watching the beautiful, beautiful and Matt Burke scoring tries, with Mike club, placed a huge blown-up photo- Lynagh converting all three and kicking graph of an All Blacks team in his - *r~attle and service and sport a Penalty goal as well. Lynagh added sports' shop window. The team was and art.