Irish rugby’s oui embassy problem

THE storming of the Bastille was nothing by comparison with the invasion of Paris by Irish rugby fans for internationals against France.

A letter from the Irish Ambassador to France, Hugh McCann, to the secretary of the IRFU in relation to the upcoming match in March 1980 revealed the diplomat and his predecessor felt besieged by supporters trying to crash the traditional embassy reception for the players and invited guests.

“The pressure for invitations from the ever-growing number of rugby fans who come to Paris for the match is a source of embarrassment,” he wrote. “The reception which we held in the embassy on the occasion of the Franco-Irish match in 1978 was marred by the extent of “gate-crashing” which took place.

“The impersonation of others to whom invitations had been issued and the excessive breakage especially towards the end of the evening long after the reception was scheduled to have ended.” Mr McCann stressed he was not blaming the teams but asked for understanding if that year’s event, scheduled for February 29, was strictly limited to the players and their accompanying officials, a list of whose names he requested, together with some important trade representatives.

The IRFU responded with their full support for the ambassador, promising to send on the full list of 54 guests they would like invited, once the team had been named.

Two weeks before the reception, it is clear the ambassador was still nervous about the event. He wrote to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the guest list now stood at 450 people but if needs be he would fit in the odd guest that the minister wanted added.