70,000 Munster supporters making trip to Cardiff

Plays are likely to be written about it. Songs might be composed in its honour

Plays are likely to be written about it. Songs might be composed in its honour. Who knows, it might even eclipse that match on October 31st, 1978.

An estimated 70,000 Munster rugby fans are due in Cardiff for tomorrow's Heineken European Cup Final against Biarritz.

There have been many heroic Munster rugby weekends - but few to match the sheer scale of this one.

With just 7,500 Biarritz fans estimated to be travelling to the match, Munster will take over most of the Millennium Stadium, while thousands more will be involved in a frantic last-minute hunt for tickets.

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Ferry companies Stena Sealink and Irish Ferries say they will be transporting 18,000 fans on routes from Dublin and Rosslare, while about 30 chartered flights are due to leave Cork and Shannon airports.

There was a note of alarm yesterday when two ferry sailings were cancelled due to rough seas, but Irish Ferries said it had enough capacity to transport fans on its larger all-weather ferries.

"At the moment, it's a case of watch this space," a spokesperson said. "We'll be able to contact all passengers via mobile phone if there are any cancellations."

Early incursions into Cardiff by Munster fans have already resulted in the province taking over one of the city's most popular bars, Kitty Flynn's, which has been renamed The Munster Bar. Munster supporters, Dave and Mary Tobin from Cork, had team flags, banners and bunting flown in from Ireland to transform the bar into an unofficial headquarters for the legions of fans.

The Munster Rugby Supporters' Club, meanwhile, has started distributing 120,000 song cards to fans travelling to the game. The cards have the words to the anthems Stand Up and Fight and The Fields of Athenry.

The supporters' club is asking everyone attending the game to pass them to the few neutral supporters present who may not know the words to help form a deafening "Munster choir" in the Millennium Stadium.

For those unable to travel to Cardiff, Limerick is probably the next best place to be for the game on Saturday afternoon.

The city authorities have erected a giant 45 square-metre television screen which will be situated on the junction of Shannon Street and O'Connell Street.

Carl O'Brien

Carl O'Brien

Carl O'Brien is Education Editor of The Irish Times. He was previously chief reporter and social affairs correspondent