​Gala dinner to celebrate Ulster's landmark 1999 triumph in European Cup

Harry Williams’ side beat the cream of French rugby on their way to lifting the trophy at Lansdowne Road.

After topping a pool that contained Toulouse, Edinburgh and Ebbw Vale, Ulster had home advantage in the knockout stages.

European kingpins Toulouse were dispatched in the last eight at Ravenhill, Stade Francais were beaten in an epic semi-final before a red-and-white invasion of 50,000 fans descended on Dublin to watch Ulster defeat Colomiers 21-6.

The celebrations at the final whistle in Lansdowne Road were mirrored the next day with the streets of Belfast city centre jam-packed as the triumphant team paraded the trophy on an open top bus.

Simon Mason, Ulster’s full back during the campaign, was the tournament’s top scorer in 1999 amassing 144 points including kicking six penalties in the final.

“We were really worried on the bus that there wouldn’t be anyone in town but when we turned the corner at City Hall there were thousands of people lining the streets,” said Mason. “The more I watch rugby these days it does feel like a different game to the one we played but those are some very cherished memories.

“We are in touch regularly and have our own little get-togethers most years, it’s much easier to keep in touch now with social media and WhatsApp.

“We’re still close and I suppose as time passes and you have your own family, you appreciate the achievement and the times together even more.”

To mark the anniversary, the Spirit of ’99 will host a gala dinner at the La Mon Hotel on January 26, will nearly all the squad and manager from the historic season already confirmed attendance for a night of entertaining tales and anecdotes hosted by Jim Neilly.

The standout game for Mason – capped three times by Ireland - was the home semi-final win over Stade Francais. The full back kicked a conversion, five penalties and a drop goal as Ulster prevailed 33-27.

Ulster had earned the right to host the semi-final against the French giants but under competition rules then any ground hosting a last-four tie had to have a 20,000 capacity.

Ulster’s biggest crowd that season had been for the quarter-final against Toulouse when 11,500 passed through the Ravenhill turnstiles to watch Mason score three penalties and David Humphreys slot over two drop goals in a 15-13 victory.

Ulster were able to add extra seating to Ravenhill to reach the required 20,000 for the Stade game.

“For me, the semi-final win over Stade Francais is probably the over-riding memory,” he said. “To do it in Belfast with such a big crowd - and with all the controversy over the capacity of the ground adding to the build-up - was brilliant...it felt like 50,000.

“It was a bit of a second coming for me as I’d not long lost my Ireland place so to do so when no-one had really given us a chance was just massive, we all played out of our skins that day.”

For Mason, now Director of Rugby and a PE teacher in Birkenhead, the memories are still vivid.

“The craic, the banter and camaraderie are always there, rugby is like that, it’s a special sport,” he said. “I try to say to the kids that I teach, to encourage them to enjoy the game while they play it at school but also to go on and play for a club because rugby has an incredible ability to help you create lifelong friendships and contacts.”

Spirit of ’99 Gala Dinner: Early bird price (until end of November), table of 10 - £750 Individual tickets - £80pp (three-course meal, proceeds to IRFU Charitable Trust and the Wooden Spoon), e-mail [email protected].