A VISIT by an Oxfordshire youth football team to Northern Ireland went ahead on one of the blackest days in the province’s history.

The 35-strong party of boys and family members from Grove Challengers heard of the assassination of Lord Mountbatten and the massacre of 18 British soldiers just hours before they were due to arrive.

But they refused to give in to violence and the trip, in August 1979, took place as planned, much to the delight of their Irish hosts.

More than 100 Belfast lads had travelled to Grove for a six-a-side competition in each of the previous three years, thanks largely to Caesar Doyle, landlord of the Bay Tree pub in Grove.

As we recalled last week, he had fled the troubles in Northern Ireland to start a new life with his wife Lorna and sons Justin and Reuben in Oxfordshire.

He said at the time: “I wanted to take the team to Northern Ireland so they could see for themselves there are a lot of good people there, despite the daily news of death and violence.

“The Irish boys were determined to repay the hospitality they had received at Grove.

“We arrived on that blackest of Mondays, but the children were perfect ambassadors for England.”

The Challengers Under-12s team had won a league title and two cups the previous season and maintained their impressive record during the visit, winning their three games 7-3, 7-2 and 5-2.

A highlight of the trip for club president and founder Ruth O’Hanlon and a group of parents was meeting the Lord Mayor of Belfast at the City Hall.

While they were there, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher passed through on a whistle-stop tour in the wake of Mountbatten’s murder, and acknowledged the Oxfordshire visitors.

One of the families on the trip were Wantage CID officer Dave Hill, his wife Carol, daughter Michaela and footballing son Nigel. Mr Hill said: “We were given a marvellous welcome.”

Apart from the football, discos were organised for the youngsters, and the party visited Portrush, a popular seaside resort, and the Giant’s Causeway.

* Any memories of the trip to Northern Ireland? Write and let me know.

* Lord Mountbatten was killed when the IRA blew up his boat off the fishing village of Mullaghmore, hours after 18 soldiers were killed in two booby-trap bomb explosions in Warrenpoint near the border with the Irish Republic.