Divided loyalties in Ballinacree as Barrett boys start for All-Blacks!
The whole country is firmly behind Andy Farrell's Green Army ahead of tomorrow evening's Rugby World Cup quarter-final clash with New Zealand in Paris, but the small community of Ballinacree in north Meath will be happy too if the All-Blacks were to prevail.
Such heresy is understandable given the village's links to the Barrett brothers who will take the field in Paris against Ireland.
Beauden, Jordie and Scott became the first trio of brothers to represent New Zealand at rugby union and tomorrow evening they will be seeking to dash the dreams of a nation they called home for over 16 months.
In 1999 Kevin Barrett, himself a very accomplished rugby player, and his wife Robyn moved to Ireland and took up a two-year farm swap opportunity in Ballinacree - a long way from Pungarehu, a small town in South Taranaki in New Zealand.
While living in Ballinacree Kevin played rugby with Buccaneers, the Athlone club where Graham Geraghty and David Beggy also played, while four of their six children enrolled at St Fiach's NS in Ballinacree.
Beauden, Scott and Kane Barrett played for the school team in the Cumann namBunscol competitions and lined out in the blue jersey of St Brigid's GAA club.
Their father Kevin also tried his hand at Gaelic Football, lining out for the club's Junior B team.
The Barretts returned to New Zealand in 2001 and went on to make history. Beauden Barrett made his debut for the All-Blacks in the 60-0 win over ireland in 2012
Beauden along with his brothers Jodie and Scott became the first trio of siblings to start for New Zealand in the World Cup this year.
It will be only the second time three brothers have started a World Cup game, after Tonga's Fe'ao, Elisi and Manu Vunipola against Scotland in 1995.