I was studying in Trinity at the time and for internationals we used to volunteer as stewards. It was about the only way to get access to the ground and there was very little work involved; it just meant standing around like Dad's Army.
And the best part of it was that you got to watch the match from the touchlines. The fact that the Scots and Welsh had refused to travel the previous year meant that there was a general gloominess about the place, so that the English had decided to fulfil this fixture did generate a lot of excitement.
I was stationed near the Lansdowne changing rooms where the teams came out and I clearly remember seeing the English players and I reckoned that there was a degree of uncertainty among them as to how the crowd would react to them. And there was a lot of nervous tension building up. But from the moment John Pullin appeared on the field, well, I don't think I ever heard a reaction like it since. It seemed to keep going and going and I think it took the English players by surprise.
But it seemed very natural; it was one of those cases of sport rising above a political situation and there was a real desire among people to show their gratitude. Obviously, this was a time when the country was in turmoil and the Provisional campaign was raging.
When the British Embassy was burnt in Dublin, I was actually over in Cambridge playing a game with Trinity. And it was a relief just not being there when that happened.
But it was a dark time. And I suppose the fact that the previous games had been cancelled did highlight how isolated we were in this country.
I remember the early phases of the match most clearly. Ireland put up a very high Garryowen with the express intention of testing one of their wings - I think it was (Alan) Morley. England knocked on from that. Their players were a bit unsteady, to say the least. Maybe they were still recovering from the warmth of the reception.
And it seemed that Ireland just took control of the match from there and won it very comfortably.
It was a very solid Irish team. I think I was actually called in for a quick trip to the substitutes bench the following season.
Dick Spring was the leader of the Labour Party from 1982 to 1997. He served as Tánaiste during three administrations. He won three caps for Ireland in 1979.
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