Ciaran shows pride at rugby award

Ciaran Fitzgerald, centre, is presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Irish Rugby Award by Leslie Buckley, founder of Haven, and Stephen Rae, Editor in Chief of INM, at the Haven Six Nations rugby lunch 2015 at the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin. Photo: Damien Eagers

February 28 2015 12:34 AM

It is 30 years since Ciaran Fitzgerald demanded his Ireland team-mates "show some pride" as they defeated old rivals England to claim the country's second Triple Crown triumph in three years.

Fitzgerald was yesterday honoured with the 'outstanding contribution to Irish rugby' award at the annual Six Nations lunch hosted by Irish NGO Haven.

He recalled his infamous war cry as Ireland gears up to face the old enemy once again this weekend.

"I don't know where that one came from. It was typical England on a wet day and they had swamped us physically," he said. "We had tried every play in the book and I was trying to figure what was left in the tank. It just came out of nowhere."

Fitzgerald received the award from Haven co-founder Leslie Buckley, who described the former hooker "as a true rugby legend". Also in attendance were Ronan O'Gara, Alan Quinlan and Damien Varley.