They met at a dance and sparks flew. He was a young English rugby player on tour, and he fell for a local lady by the name of Bridie Fortune. More than fifty years later, at the age of 79, Michael Freer is searching for Bridie once more. Speaking to national radio station Newstalk this morning, Michael told the story of how he headed out after a match at the capital’s Lansdowne Road stadium and met “a very nice girl…. small, dark-haired, very attractive, very present and very easy to get on with”. The pair wrote to each other when Michael returned to the UK and by 1961, they had arranged a date. Unfortunately, on the night they planned to meet, Mr. Freer was called away suddenly on urgent business concerning his work with the London Metropolitan Police. Bridie had purchased tickets for the pair to attend the theatre, and Michael told of his sadness that he never had the opportunity to pay her back or apologise. After that failed outing, the letters ceased and the pair haven’t spoken since. Michael doesn’t know where in the country Bridie was from, but he assumed Dublin. He does know that she has a brother who was a priest. Mr. Freer later married, but his wife passed away some time ago and he admitted that he is “quite lonely”. He said this morning: “I have always thought about her, over the years. I feel I let her down quite badly.”   Hat Tip: Listen to the audio from Newstalk here. Pic via Newstalk.