The year was 1957 and Ireland was in the same group as England in the World Cup in soccer. England won their home game at Wembley and Ireland had to win at home in Dalymount Park to force a play-off in a neutral country if Ireland were to beat the Danes, as they went on to do by two goals to nil.

Over forty seven thousand were packed into Dalymount and it erupted with delight when Alf Ringstead scored for Ireland after three minutes. The team were spurred on to hold out for a win by the big crowd, but this was not to be as England scored a goal in the last minute of the game. John Atyeo headed in from a Tom Finney cross from the right to silence the big Irish support.

But my story today is about what must stand as a world record, because in this team were three men who came from Ringsend. Arthur Fitzsimons, Ronnie Nolan, and Tommy Godwin, all three lived within five minute’s walk of each other. Arthur was transferred from Shelbourne to Middlesboro and played alongside the great Brian Clough. Ronnie stayed in Ireland and played for many years with the great Shamrock Rovers side of his time. Ronnie holds the record of being capped by the league of Ireland, now the Eircom League.

Tommy Godwin went on from Rovers to play for Bournemouth and was considered one of the top keepers in England at the time. Paddy Coad was coach to Rovers during this time and was considered as good a footballer as any English player. Arthur Fitzsimons won a Miller Shield medal at Gaelic football for St Patrick Boys’ National School Ringsend.

Another interesting story of Ringsend footballers and Dundalk AFC is that on three different years when they won the FAI Cup they had a Ringsend man on their team– Leo McDonagh, Paddy Gilbert, and Herbert Gannon. Paddy Mullen from Beggar’s Bush, which is in the Ringsend Parish, also played for Dundalk but I don’t know if he won the cup with them.

The Irish team: Godwin (Bournemouth), Dunne (Luton), Cantwell (West Ham), Nolan (Rovers), Hurley (Mill Wall), Saward (Villa), Ringstead (Sheffield United), Whelan (Man UTD), Curtis (Bristol), Fitzsimons (Middlesboro), Haverty (Arsenal). England: Hodgekinson, Hall, Byrne, Clayton, Wright, Edwards, Finney, Atyeo, Taylor, Haynes, Pegg.
This game was played on the 19th May 1957– 50 years ago