England go back to School

The English are set to get an Irish history lesson before the game at Croke on the 24th. For nearly a century the GAA has refused to allow “foreign sports” such as rugby, soccer and cricket to be played at the ground but decided in 2005 to allow the Irish rugby and soccer teams to play there while Lansdowne Road is redeveloped.

The Rugby Football Union and the England squad are aware of the sporting and political significance of Croke Park in Irish history,” the RFU said in a statement on Friday.

“Former Irish rugby international (35 caps) and now RFU national academy director Conor O’Shea, whose father Jerome won three All-Ireland final medals with Kerry (1953, 1955, 1959), will address the England squad on Monday.

“The RFU feel it is appropriate that every English player who has the privilege and honour of playing in front of the Hogan Stand next Saturday hears from Conor about the stadium’s place in Irish culture and history.

“We would like to add our thanks to those of the Irish Rugby Football Union in appreciation to the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) for allowing rugby union to be played at one of the best sporting venues in Europe.”

The Hogan stand is named after Michael Hogan, a Tipperary player who was one of 14 people killed in the stadium on “Bloody Sunday” in 1920 when British-led forces fired on the crowd attending a Gaelic football match.

Tags: History, Six Nations
February 17th, 2007 | Posted in History, Six Nations | 1 Comment »