'If you missed being in the GPO in 1916, being in Cardiff on 20 May makes up for it'

Sixty minutes into the game Biarritz were just a point behind. They had dominated the previous 15 minutes in possession ...and territory. A neighbour high up on the stand behind the goal line Munster had defended in the first half, said: “They will never hold them out”. He reflected a despondency in the crowd. Then, during a pause in the play the cheering waving throngs on the streets of Limerick were flashed on the large screens behind both goal lines. It was electric. The 70,000 Munster supporters in the Millennium stadium stood up, applauding, cheering, many of them crying. The electricity flashed back to Limerick and excited them more. Delirium chasing over and back across the Irish sea on the airwaves. It changed the atmosphere of the game and the stadium.
The players didn't seem to know what was happening. Some of them said later they saw the Limerick crowds on the screens but that was a later flash – Paul O'Connell had just come off and he pointed to the screens. But during that first time they must have wondered. For many of us in the stadium it was the highlight of the match, until the final whistle of course. The match itself was too tense to be enjoyable.

The first try by Biarritz was sobering but not dispiriting. A mistake by the Munster back line let the huge Biarritz winger, Sereli Bobo, in for a try in the first few minutes. Munster had made a mess from the kick off, conceded possession and territory and then a try, followed by a huge conversion. Seven nil down before they had really started. Not to worry, this team had the mental strength not to let an early mistake disturb them. And so it proved in the remainder of that first half. O'Gara kicked his penalties. Trevor Halstead barged over for a try and then that piece of exquisite opportunism by Peter Stringer.

The fields of Athenry were in full bloom.

It was different in the second half. Biarritz had much of the play and the territory. The Munster line-out, its strongest feature, went array. Paul O'Connell came off, shortly after Anthony Foley had done so. But they steadied and kept Biarritz out. Just. We were hugging strangers, albeit Munster strangers, now several dragging their sleeves across their eyes to wipe away the tears.

Earlier in the day we heard of a Ryanair pilot from Rathkeale, Co Limerick, who had sung Low Lie the Fields of Athenry on the aircraft intercom as the flight touched down in Bristol on the Thursday. The song was ringing from every pub along Mary St in Cardiff in the hours before the match. There didn't seem to be any Biarritz supporters around. There didn't seem to be any locals around, or if they were they were all wearing Munster jerseys.

In the stadium the tiny pockets of Biarritz supporters became evident when Biarritz scored. There seemed to be only a few hundred of them, certainly no more than a few thousand.

At Bristol airport on Saturday evening the Munster crowd took over, as flights were delayed. Again Low Lie the Fields of Athenry and again and again. And then a fellow from Finglas sang There is an Isle, with others from Finglas doing the harmony.

The match was being re-shown on Sky Sports on the screens around the departure area. Silence was demanded again while Ronan O'Gara lined up to take the penalty kicks and conversions. More delirium as Munster scored and won.

Someone said “If you missed out on being in the GPO in 1916, being at Cardiff on 20 May 2006 made up for it”. Someone else said it was the greatest sporting achievement for Ireland since Ronnie Drew won the 1,500 metres in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 – someone else stupidly corrected him that it was Ronnie Delaney.

In Limerick on Monday evening, Charlie St George's pub, near the train station, festooned with paraphernalia of Young Munster rugby club, was thronged around 7.30pm. Highlights of the match were on RTÉ Two. Down in Gerry Flannery's pub on Catherine St the place was thronged – this was around 7.40pm. The fields of Athenry were lying low again. Later on Anthony Foley was to arrive there with the cup.

The players had been “on the piss” from 11am but many of them had remained coherent. 

Frankie O'Flynn, who had sung “There is an Isle” from the victory podium in Lansdowne Road in 1993 when Young Munsters won the All-Ireland League, sang the song again and yet again, this time the whole crowd harmonising. One fella said he had come through Dublin on the Thursday night before the match and had gone to a pub off Grafton St. The Leinster players were there for a stag party for Keith Gleeson. He had enquired of them: “What are you doing for the weekend, lads? We are off to Cardiff.”

Down the street to the Granary where the team was saying goodbye to Mike Mullins the New Zealander who has been with the side for years. A huge cavernous nightclub, thousands again thronged together in celebration. Paul O'Connell again towering above the throng.

vincent browne