Ronan O’Gara has revealed how Munster players old and new laughed through the tears as they came to terms with the loss last week of Anthony Foley.

A crew of up to 30 former players and coaches were joined by the likes of Trevor Brennan and Willie Duggan last weekend in Killaloe’s Lakeside Hotel after the poignant funeral of their friend and colleague, “telling stories about the good old days” and Foley’s part in them.

Writing in his column for tomorrow’s Irish Examiner sports supplement, O’Gara went on to describe the events as a “great rugby moment”.

“We had a brilliant Friday night together with Brendan Foley. He kept asking for those 30-minute extension from his family before he was brought home. Those (great) days might be past, but they felt current and very relevant.”

O’Gara adds: “You move on quickly in professional sport, but just as quickly you fall back into the bond and the being-there-for-each-other mentality that existed for ten to fifteen years with Munster. You step outside the tent and get an alarmingly clear perspective of what makes the province special.

“My ribs were crying from hard laughing. Gaillimh was very tight with Axel. He was extremely upset, but he was front and centre, as ever, Friday night. That was his way of handling the awfulness of what everyone was going through.

“He was still leading, only he didn’t notice it.”

Read Ronan’s poignant column in full inside tomorrow’s bumper sports supplement, only with the Irish Examiner .