Former Ireland rugby player David Irwin says talking to the country's current squad about the 1987 bombing he was caught up in while travelling to national team training was "emotional".

Belfast man Irwin won the first of his 25 Ireland caps in 1980 and his career included playing three Tests for the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand in 1983. When his playing days ended, he remained heavily involved in the sport as Ulster team doctor.

In April 1987, Irwin and fellow Ulster players Nigel Carr and Philip Rainey were en route to Ireland training in Dublin as the squad prepared for that year's inaugural Rugby World Cup when an IRA bomb exploded along the Irish border, killing a senior judge, Lord Justice Sir Maurice Gibson, and his wife, Lady Cecily.

Twenty-seven-year-old Carr's rugby career was ended by injuries he sustained with Irwin and Rainey recovering sufficiently to take their places in the Ireland squad at the tournament in New Zealand.

"I very briefly related what actually happened in the bomb incident and obviously the consequences of that," Irwin told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"I said to them that Nigel Carr at that time was one of the best opensides in the world and he unfortunately missed the World Cup because of the bomb.

"I was lucky enough to go on and play in the World Cup, as was Philip Rainey. So I talked really around the incident and how that affected the players from the north but also the players from the south who were involved in the Irish side at that time."

Irwin said that recounting the events of that April day nearly 36 years ago did stir his own emotions and those of the current players as well.

"Obviously in my own case, the bomb was a fairly significant event and but for a split second, I may not have survived that," he added.

"And the consequences of what they would have meant in my own life with regards to family and things like that after that event... it was quite emotional.

"The players particularly picked up on that and it seemed evident on the day of the French game that there was a lot of emotion in and around the Shoulder to Shoulder song (Ireland's Call)."

Irwin's talk led to a 'deeper understanding'

Following Ireland's magnificent win over France, skipper Johnny Sexton said that the involvement of Irwin and O'Driscoll in the squad's preparations for the game had meant it was a "special week".

"It was very emotional and unless you were in the room on Monday night you wouldn't understand why," added Sexton.

James Ryan, who will captain Ireland in Sexton's absence in Rome on Saturday, said that Irwin's talk had given the players the "bigger picture about the uniqueness" of Ireland's Call.

"I knew a little bit about it (David's past) as I had read about it, but it was still fascinating to hear him talk about it," added Ryan.

"We had probably thought about David coming in and having that kind of conversation for a while, but it was great as it gave guys like Mack (Hansen), Bundee (Aki), Rob Herring and some of the other guys that grew up elsewhere an understanding of the jersey, the journey it has been on and the strength of it.

"Even the guys who are Irish, it gave them a deeper understanding of it too so it was good for everybody.

"Then it's just about understanding how sport binds people together and how the last, almost 150 years, the Irish rugby team is one of the only things which has persisted, in unity and solidarity on the island as well as understanding the strength of it and the sacrifices people made to wear the green jersey and the privilege to wear it."

Australia-born Hansen added that the words of Irwin and O'Driscoll had been "so strong and powerful".

"Not only did they get to speak but we got to listen to some guys in our team speak on it as well and give their points of views, which wasn't planned," said the Ireland wing.

"Keith Earls and James Ryan spoke really well about what the jersey meant to them and the song Shoulder to Shoulder meant to them and stuff like that.

"It makes it really hit home and made me really realise how much bother this country was really in at one point."

Irwin touched by Ireland players' reaction

Irwin says he was touched by the reaction of the Ireland players to his words.

"During the Troubles, people down south saw it on the news but they weren't really aware of what we were going through up in the north - both sides of the community.

"I think that hit home with them and certainly after, on the night, every player to a man spoke to me and thanked me for the talk and particularly Johnny Sexton as captain.

"From the comments that I had from players and from the squad in general afterwards, it definitely made them, I suppose, have a bit of a closer look at what the actual song was about and what it meant.

"Hopefully in many games to come, many years to come, it will continue to have that influence on them."