Michael Cushen writes:
“This map I made has been getting some interest on Reddit..”
Fight!
Anyone?
The Stade de France this evening.
“Ireland won the Six Nations by a matter of inches. With only 90 seconds to play in this extraordinary match, as thrilling as any in the recent history of the tournament, their players were sure that they had blown it.”
Ireland clinch Six Nations crown after beating France in thriller (Guardian)
Thanks Siobhan F
I believe in BOD, the centre almighty. Master of offload and turf. Of all that is green and ungreen.
We believe in one Lord, Paul O’Connell,
the only Son of BOD,
eternally begotten of the Centre, BOD from BOD, fight from fight,
true BOD from true BOD,
begotten, not made,
of one being with Rugby .
Through him all tries were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from Leinster:
by the power of the Holy sport he became incarnate from the Virgin Keith Woods,and was made man.For our sake he was shafted under Warren Gatland;
he suffered de-selection and was buried.
In 2014 he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into Paris
and is seated at the right hand of Rugby.He will come again in glory to play the living and the dead,
and his try scoring will have no end.Ross Frenett & Dave Coughlan
For the weekend that’s in it.
Saturday, 19 February, 1983.
Ireland led by original captain fantastic, Ciaran Fitzgerald, dragged his men back into a game they trailed. Despite missing six of his 11 kicks, Ollie Campbell was in otherwise sparkling form, Trevor Ringland ripped the leather pill from Patric Esteve on the line while Moss Finn did more than most with two tries to seal Ireland’s first win over the cheese eating surrender monkeys French in eight years.
Speaking to Niall Kiely (Irish Times) a belligerent Dubliner said:
“You know the difference between a culchie and a frog?..
It was 4:10 p.m. on Saturday, France were leading Ireland 16-15 and his fellow-jackeen, Oliver Homer Campbell, had nodded, missing five goal-kicks.
..at least the French go home.”
Meanwhile, in the crowd that day..Inspector Clouseau
Bon times.
Previously: Le Ledgebag
Images: Irish Times Archive and Ebay
Ahead of today’s 6 Nations Championship game between England and Ireland at Twickenham, Tom McGurk gives us a history lesson.
“It was here in College Park that the oval football was first kicked through the 19th century Irish twilight. Trinity College founded in 1854 is the oldest surviving working club in the world. This was the birthplace of Irish rugby football. So, once again, this evening, the red rose and shamrocks will square up.”
Tom’s eau de cologne The strange odour of age?
Previously: Cabbage Patch Kids
For the weekend that’s in it.
Saturday, 6 February, 1982.
Without a Triple Crown for 33 years, Ireland arrived in the allotment that was the then Twickenham having slayed the Welsh a fortnight previous.
Blind side lightening from MacNeill, balletic sleight of hands between Duggan and Slattery and the wrecking ballin’ Ginger McLoughlin.
Maeve Binchy writing in the Irish Times described the Irish invasion:
“FOR DAYS, they had been coming over. Plane loads of supporters, wrapped in scarves, full of hope and occasionally swinging a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream by the neck as a nice communal drink while on the hoof. The young ones came noisily, singing the first three lines of about 20 songs but not being able to finish any of them.”
On the dance floor in Zhivago’s that night? A toe tapper.
Images: Ebay
Previously: Comin’ For To Carry Me Home
The slogan for a new campaign by Australian authorities aimed at deterring asylum seekers. The Guardian is reporting that the campaign has been launched on the country’s Department for Immigration and Border Protection website and on on its Customs and Border Protection website.
Alternatively.
Here’s a video from Pivotal Arts, called Burden Of Proof, about a mother and son’s journey to Ireland in search of asylum.
Watch the video here.
Australian government launches new graphic campaign to deter asylum seekers (The Guardian)
Thanks Mark Geary
For the weekend that’s nearly in it.
Saturday, March 16th, 1985.
An extremley fast, fresh faced Irish rugby side – containing Mick “Kick” Kiernan, Brendan Mullen, Trevor Ringland and Keith Crossan – travelled to Cardiff Arms Park with murmurings of another ‘Tripler’ on the cards. Wales, outpaced, outthought and outskilled rolled over.
Edmund Van Esbeck of the Irish Times said:
Prior to the match on Saturday, there was a very significant gesture by the Ireland side – As they stood for the Welsh anthem, all the players linked arms as a mark of their solidarity. Never was that characteristic better exemplified than this truly remarkable match.
That night, on the jukebox? Yep!
Bonus Thornley wears an ear stud footage
Images: Ebay
Previously: Campbell’s Coup, 1982
A new coach! A new season!!
Conor can’t wait.
The first RTÉ promo for the 6 Nations Championship 2014. The same old faces accompanied by some new buck Ronan O’Gara.
Chill Conor, chill.