John O'Sullivan talks to Paddy Reid who, in 1948, was a member of theonly Irish team to achieve the Grand Slam.
His memory remains sharp, the anecdotes self-deprecating and tinged with humour. On St Patrick's Day Paddy Reid was 80 years young and a cherished belated present would be to watch Ireland claim a second Grand Slam when they face England at Lansdowne Road on Sunday.
Reid is perfectly placed to understand the magnitude of the task that faces the current crop of Ireland players, a celebrated member of the only team in the history of Irish rugby to achieve that accolade.
One of Limerick's finest ever sportsmen, he won three of his four caps - the other came in a debut against Australia the previous year - in the campaign of 1948 when under the captaincy of Old Belvedere hooker Karl Mullen, Ireland beat France, England and Scotland before making history at Ravenhill on March 13th, 1948, in beating Wales 6-3.
Reid was one of Ireland's try scorers in their opening match against France at Stade Colombes as the visitors prevailed 13-6. Modestly side-stepping his try-scoring exploits, the former Garryowen and Munster centre begins his recollections of the 1948 season with the second match, against England at Twickenham.
"I suppose my abiding memory is of Barney Mullan hitting the crossbar with a penalty and a Jack Kyle pass being intercepted by England's Dickie Guest who scored down the other end of the pitch. We suddenly found ourselves from being comfortably clear to ending up in a nail-biting finish at 11-10.
"We had won in Paris and Twickenham, beat Scotland at Lansdowne Road and then it all came down to the Welsh match. I remember on the morning of the game being taken to Bangor Golf Club along with some of the other players. We didn't know it but it was meant as a calming distraction.
"Wales had been a Waterloo for Irish sides in the past and this game represented a colossal challenge. Their team contained great players like Bleddyn Williams, Haydn Tanner and Olympic sprinter Ken Jones. I had a great chance of a drop goal but missed.
"Ernie Strathdee got knocked out at one stage and I had to go in scrumhalf for a few minutes. The atmosphere and enthusiasm of the crowd was unbelievable."
Reid chuckles when told of the quote he was alleged to have uttered about that day - "If all the people that claimed to have chaired me off the pitch had actually done so my feet still wouldn't have touched the ground today."
John Christopher Daly, Ireland's Cobh-born prop scored the winning try in a 6-3 victory and literally had the shirt torn off his back at the end of the game amid scenes of euphoria, as he returned to the dressing-room. Asked whether he suffered the same fate Reid laughed: "I couldn't have afforded the 30 shillings for a lost jersey."
Ireland captain Mullen would subsequently pay Reid the following tribute.
"There is a widely held belief that apart from (Jack) Kyle our back line was not that good. It is an opinion I do not subscribe to. Kyle was certainly the master outside the scrum but the defensive qualities of the backs were excellent and that day in Belfast Paddy Reid and Des McKee were magnificent in defence and did not give Bleddyn Bowen an inch."
It was to be Reid's last cap for Ireland, quite a swansong, as he headed for Huddersfield and a couple of years in rugby league. - "It was most enjoyable and I made a lot of good friends but I missed home, didn't like being away and returned to Ireland."
The friendships from that 1948 team is best encapsulated by the presence at Reid's 80th birthday of former team-mates Jim McCarthy, Jim Nelson and Bertie O'Hanlon.
The octogenarian still retains a keen interest in rugby and will be present at Lansdowne Road for Sunday's showdown.
"The tension in the Welsh match was unbearable and I really felt for the lads. They were playing for their lives in the end. It was marvellous when they came through.
"The French game was a bit like that and I'm not a person to sit still; I was on the edge of my seat. Having gone through the purgatories of France and Wales it would be shocking if they missed out (on the Grand Slam). They are good enough to win it and I hope they do.
"Games can come down to something as simple as a refereeing decision. Goodness knows they have about nine different reasons for making decisions. I think that it is about time, long overdue for another Irish team to win. It will be a wonderful occasion for the country in terms of sport."
