Italia ’90 Ireland squad’s heroics remembered at Áras an Uachtaráin reunion

Team’s heroics gave us ‘a memory that informed the spiritual confidence of a nation like no other’, says President

President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina at Áras an Uachtaráin with the Italia 90 Ireland team. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina at Áras an Uachtaráin with the Italia 90 Ireland team. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

“So, you were the redhead, were you?” asked Sabina Higgins, demonstrating in one line just how effectively a President’s wife can unintentionally weaponise the passage of time.

Steve Staunton, to be fair, took it well but then none of the Italia ’90 Ireland squad who attended the reception staged in their honour at Arás an Uachtaráin with their partners were under any illusions about just how long it’s been since their glory days. They just looked glad to be together again.

Some, like the former Liverpool players who still live in that city are still in regular contact, bumping into each other at games. Others have drifted apart, though, and seemed startled by just how it could have happened.

“I roomed with Chris Morris for years up until 1993 and hadn’t seen him since until this,” said Niall Quinn with a slightly bewildered shake of the head. Football’s like that, though. When you’re gone, you’re gone.”

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President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina with Mick McCarthy and his wife. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina with Mick McCarthy and his wife. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Sabina Higgins with Niall Quinn and his wife Gillian. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Sabina Higgins with Niall Quinn and his wife Gillian. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

There was talk here of those are missing from this squad reunion, and missed, with the President paying particularly warm tribute to Jack Charlton and Alan McLoughlin.

A few key figures had also been drawn away after Friday night’s appearance at the RDS and The Late Late Show with Ray Houghton, Andy Townsend and Packie Bonner fulfilling media obligations at games in Britain.

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There was the makings of a decent team in those that attended, though. The current manager would surely like to have a spine to his starting line up that included the likes of Mick McCarthy, Kevin Moran, Ronnie Whelan, Frank Stapleton or John Aldridge. There was 12 in all, so a full team, one sub and, in Charlie O’Leary, a 101 year-old physio.

President Michael D Higgins with Charlie O'Leary, a 101-year-old former physio, at Áras an Uachtaráin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
President Michael D Higgins with Charlie O'Leary, a 101-year-old former physio, at Áras an Uachtaráin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

They’d never been up to the Aras back then, with most under pressure to squeeze in a few quiet days with family or friends before returning to their clubs by the time the mayhem of their homecoming was over. The current President looked happy to be putting that right.

The team’s heroics, he said, gave us “a memory that informed the spiritual confidence of a nation like no other”, he said, it was “a defining moment in our history”.

That month had its educational value too, he joked, with just about every Irish person “learning one Spanish word: Olé”.

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McCarthy, responding on behalf of the players, and their partners who were there too, spoke of how honoured they were to be invited by any President of Ireland but how it meant a little bit more, because this President was a such football man.

“Galway’s your team, isn’t it?” he said, before adding with a grin, “well you win some, you lose some”.

The only people in the room who seemed to be enjoying it more than President Higgins were his grandchildren, Finn and Fiadh. The players weren’t far behind, though. Football’s like that, though. At least, for a special few teams, when they get back together again.

John Aldridge, Bernie Slaven and Ronnie Whelan at Áras an Uachtaráin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
John Aldridge, Bernie Slaven and Ronnie Whelan at Áras an Uachtaráin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill