'Memento of outstanding achievement'

THE CHOICE of Jack Kyle to launch The Irish Times Grand Slam 2009 – A History In The Making, could not have been more apposite.

The man who inspired the Ireland rugby team to their first Grand Slam in 1948 was in the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on Saturday, March 21st, as Declan Kidney’s charges stood on the threshold of bridging a 61-year gap.

Kyle’s anxiety, materialising in close-up on the stadium’s big screen, represented the feelings of tens of thousands of Irish supporters in Cardiff and a nation riveted to televisions back home.

One particular picture among the post-match Irish celebration beautifully bookended the two Grand Slams, capturing a handshake between the 83-year-old rugby icon and Ireland’s captain, Brian O’Driscoll, Kyle’s modern- day incarnation in terms of his prowess and importance to a team.

Kyle was on hand in The Irish Timesoffices in Tara Street to last night launch a book that chronicles the Ireland squad's epic journey from an Enfield hotel to the end game in Cardiff.

“It is wonderful to have this book as a memento of what was an outstanding achievement. I remember the late Karl Mullen saying in relation to our Grand Slam that no one was going to take it away from us. Well, now they have and we are delighted for them,” Kyle said. “There are wonderful players in the current team and it’s lovely to be able to celebrate their achievement. It gives me great pleasure to be here as part of this book launch.”

Irish Times sports editor Malachy Logan pointed out that he had done a little research on last night’s launch date in this, the 150th year of the newspaper.

“I Googled November 3rd to see if there were any significant happenings on this day in past years. Interestingly, it’s almost a year to the day since Barack Obama won the US presidency and made the famous ‘Yes We Can’ speech.

“Well, Declan Kidney and his team took that mantra on board in bucketloads. We believe this book reflects that success and recaptures the essence of the campaign through the words and pictures of The Irish Times team of writers and photographers.

“As most of you know, this is the 150th anniversary of The Irish Times and I can’t think of a more fitting book to celebrate that milestone than this publication.”

Irish Times Editor Geraldine Kennedy, managing director Maeve Donovan, colleagues from the newspaper and figures from the political, business and sporting backgrounds were at the launch.

The book is available from most bookshops and select retail outlets priced at €20 (£16.99).