The Irish and English teams will not be the only ones warming up at Croke Park tomorrow in advance of the rugby match. Daniel Moloney will be at the stadium at 3.30pm, two hours before kick-off to prepare for his role as mascot to the Irish team.
The seven-year-old from Youghal, Co Cork, was chosen last week by the Irish Rugby Football Union to lead the Irish team on to the pitch for the Six Nations clash. In full Irish rugby kit, he will head out with his heroes and will also get to shake hands with President Mary McAleese.
Daniel is one of only three children in Ireland to have a rare illness, cystic hygroma, which causes cysts in the face and neck, and has undergone several operations since his birth to alleviate the condition.
His mother, Anne Moloney, said he is thrilled and excited about taking part.
The family heard the news through a phone call from the IRFU last week.
"They just asked if he would be interested and we said of course he would. I was very worried the last time he did it, I was afraid he mightn't come out on the pitch, but he did. This time he seems to be taking it in his stride," she said. He did admit yesterday to being a bit nervous about the event but said he'd be alright. His whole family will attend the game on Saturday.
His parents were given two tickets to accompany Daniel, and yesterday an anonymous donor offered the family a further two tickets so that Daniel's brother and sister, Gary (13) and Niamh (16), could also attend.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/a9b6339a-a538-4f7e-a503-ba0e7effa6ec.png)