Tánaiste Simon Coveney had good reason to break out the bubbly yesterday.

Not only was he celebrating the 100th birthday of his grandmother Geraldine Browne this week, he spoke of his delight at being at the Lord’s Cricket Club in St John’s Wood in London yesterday.

There he witnessed a fairytale opening day in the first-ever cricket Test match between Ireland and England.

Posing with his grandmother at his side, and with a signed cricket bat from the Irish team on his lap, he tweeted his pleasure at attending.

“Now there’s a happy face! My grandmother is 100 this week, she’s a big cricket fan and we have brought her to Lord’s to see the first ever Ireland/ England Test.

“And what a start by @Ireland Cricket.”

He made the comments as England were all out for 85 in the first innings. They were trailing by 122 after the first day of the four-day Test match.

Earlier, he retweeted a post from the Irish Embassy in London which hosted a reception ahead of the historic match, saying: “We are reminded tonight how sport brings people together. You realise the power of sport to break down barriers”.

Meanwhile, Sport and Tourism Minister Shane Ross also spoke of being bowled over by Ireland’s impressive start in the cricket.

“Ireland have England on ropes here at a scorching Lord’s,” he tweeted midway through the first day as the mercury soared to 33C.

“With happy Irish cricket boss Warren Deutrom as England struggle to 56 for 7,” he tweeted.

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