Seán Moran On Gaelic GamesSunday's denouement, typical as it was of French involvement in our affairs down the ages - late and greatly disappointing - reminded us that key events in Irish history frequently turn out for the worse. Still, we soldier on.
Maybe the "historic day" routines were overdone. It was a great occasion to attend, but in the end the centrepiece of the afternoon was a straightforward match up for grabs until the end and in the tension of which it was easy to lose all the portentous trappings of the event.
And that's as it should be. The GAA voted to open up Croke Park to other sports so that they could play fixtures there and pay rent. The rest of the baggage, however inevitable in the circumstances, didn't matter.
There were two fleeting sentiments before the match started. One was satisfaction that ordinary members of the GAA had finally seen their wishes respected. Had it not been for clubs challenging the conservatism of certain county boards the 2005 vote wouldn't have succeeded.
The other was a sense of admiration for the various individuals who during nearly 20 years had helped the redevelopment project to its conclusion and in so doing provided the only world-class stadium on the island.
In a way, that vision and perseverance cut a stick to beat themselves, because when the decrepitude of Lansdowne Road became insupportable there was obviously going to be a single focus on the only other suitable facility.
When the Wembley redevelopment project was launched on its erratic course there was no comparable pressure on the RFU to yield Twickenham because of the availability of Cardiff and various soccer grounds around England.
Officially, the rugby headquarters was unavailable because of stiff restrictions on its use insisted on by the Richmond local authority and the certainty that local residents would have resisted any suggestion that those conditions be relaxed.
But there is an edge to relations between rugby and soccer, as tends to be the case with competing sports and, especially, competing demographics.
Ireland isn't unusual in that. I remember being surprised at the studied indifference of senior AFL figures in Melbourne during the 2003 International Rules series, which coincided with that year's rugby World Cup.
They were a little resentful at what was seen as an intrusion into footie's citadel in Melbourne (a needless concern: local interest levels led Fox, who had the television rights to the World Cup, to broadcast films instead of any rugby internationals that didn't involve Australia).
That inter-sport rivalry was on full parade here last week. From the interminably tedious twittering about southsiders crossing the river to the rest of the hoopla there was irritation among some GAA people that it was as if Croke Park didn't exist until a rugby match had been played in it.
Afterwards there was plenty of comparative analysis on the atmosphere and the competing merits of the different games.
Those accustomed to attending big match days during the championship remarked on the lack of colour and scarcity of children. At 80 spots a twist, perhaps the latter phenomenon was understandable, but the price of All-Ireland tickets aren't so much cheaper that cost could be considered a factor.
Weather might explain the other point, in that it's easier to turn up in a shiny, polyester replica jersey in August than in February.
Now that the first match is out of the way, the slight awkwardness might abate and the future internationals become more a matter of routine. How routine is up for decision this Saturday when Central Council deliberate on approving the availability of Croke Park for 2008.
It's hard to see why if 12 months ago it was all right to approve the 2007 deal it shouldn't be equally acceptable to repeat the process now. As GAA president Nickey Brennan said earlier this week, nothing has really happened to alter the landscape - literally as well as figuratively.
It is suspected that the president was thinking more about the lack of progress on Lansdowne Road than anything else, but there is a counter-balancing argument that everything is proceeding according to plan and that nothing has arisen to cause a review of last year's decision.
If anything, it can be argued that the development has actually been granted planning permission even if that is subject to a current appeal. One way or the other the views of An Bord Pleanála will be known in a few weeks.
In as much as planning permission impinges on the decision of Central Council, it should only cause a problem when the project is definitively turned down. While the matter is still in process there are no good grounds for refusing to renew the current arrangement for 2008.
Should the appeal succeed, or should the permission be freighted with major conditions that make the redevelopment unfeasible, the issue will need to revert to Congress. In the event that the IRFU are forced to sell up at Lansdowne - a fairly likely consequence of the permission not being granted - the alternative will be a green-field site.
In those circumstances the rationale behind the acceptance of the 2005 motion to relax Rule 42 will still be intact - offering the IRFU and FAI facilities while their new ground is built. A new motion would be needed but the arguments would remain exactly the same. And on what grounds would the outcome be any different?
Finally, it was a pleasure to meet again former GAA president Paddy McFlynn at the match on Sunday. He was in excellent form and looking well. His first visit to Croke Park, he said, was in 1933 for Cavan's - and Ulster's - first All-Ireland win.
This was less than a decade after the Free State government had contributed £10,000 towards the cost of building the first Hogan Stand in time for the 1924 Tailteann Games. In all, Paddy has seen the four sides of Croke Park redeveloped not once but twice over those 74 years.
Amidst all the hype, an impressive historical perspective.
smoran@irish-times.ie
