Ireland won the Triple Crown amid remarkable scenes at Twickenham as England collapsed to a 28-24 RBS 6 Nations Championship defeat.
Wing Shane Horgan's brilliant 78th-minute try - his second of the match - sneaked Ireland ahead before fly-half Ronan O'Gara slotted a touchline conversion to finish England off.
It left Ireland celebrating a second Triple Crown in three seasons, while England could only reflect on another Six Nations campaign of crushing under-achievement that saw them equal last season's miserable fourth-place finish.
The lead changed hands five times, with Horgan, who crossed twice, and number eight Denis Leamy claiming touchdowns for Ireland as they completed a hat-trick
of victories over England for the first time in 30 years.
They could also reflect on a highest-ever points total against England, with the world champions managing tries for centre Jamie Noon and lock Steve Borthwick.
Fly-half Andy Goode slotted 14 points during a rip-roaring contest, and it looked as though his 75th-minute penalty had edged England home.
But it was not to be, and the pressure has now intensified on head coach Andy Robinson. England have lost eight of their 15 Six Nations Tests post-2003 World Cup.
Ireland's thrilling win ensured that France - conquerors of Wales in Cardiff earlier today - were crowned Six Nations champions.
Robinson reacted to England's Paris drubbing by making more changes for a championship game than any other red rose boss since Martin Green wielded the axe following a 33-6 defeat against Scotland in 1986.
World Cup winners Josh Lewsey, Mike Tindall, Matt Dawson, Steve Thompson and Danny Grewcock were all dropped from the starting line-up, but prop Julian White won a late reprieve when he was recalled instead of shoulder injury victim Matt Stevens.
Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan had no such worries following back-to-back victories over Wales and Scotland, results that set up his team's Triple Crown charge.
But their title hopes received a huge dent following France's win against Wales in Cardiff, leaving Brian O'Driscoll and company needing to triumph by 34 points or more and smash their previous highest victory margin at Twickenham.
All the pressure was on Robinson's misfiring team, and Goode swung the game into motion, setting up a dream start as England struck within 80 seconds.
They had fallen behind after just 43 seconds against France last Sunday, but there was no repeat as a solid scrum gave Goode the platform to move possession wide and send Noon powering over for his fifth Test try.
It was simple, dynamic rugby, and they immediately put Ireland on the back foot, with England claiming their first try since James Simpson-Daniel's injury-time effort against Italy five weeks ago.
The Irish response though, arrived within two minutes and it had controversy written all over it.
O'Driscoll's innocuous kick into the English 22 caught out Ben Cohen, who slipped before the ball rolled past him, and he failed to react quickly enough as Horgan hacked on and beat his opposite number to the touchdown.
Television replays showed the ball brushed the line as Horgan booted it forward, but Scottish touch judge Rob Dickson failed to raise his flag.
Ireland's forwards soon began to assert themselves, and O'Gara slotted a short-range penalty after Joe Worsley was punished for pulling down a maul.
Goode had two chances in three minutes to haul England level, but he was wide of the target on both occasions, giving him a goalkicking return of nil from three midway through the opening period.
England's problems intensified when Noon went off nursing a nasty head wound on 28 minutes, handing Tindall his 49th cap, and Ireland kept up the pressure as the home side began to display fragility.
Ireland blew a gilt-edged scoring chance when an O'Driscoll pass failed to find his midfield partner Gordon D'Arcy, but O'Gara put them six points clear after lock Simon Shaw was sin-binned for deliberate offside.
With England temporarily down to 14 men, Goode at last found his range, leaving England 11-8 adrift approaching half-time.
O'Gara's second penalty gave him 600 Test points in his 60th appearance, and Ireland had shaded the battle as England trooped off with plenty for Robinson and his players to contemplate.
Noon did not reappear after the break, and Ireland were immediately back into their stride when O'Gara completed his penalty hat-trick following a Lewis Moody
infringement, only for the visitors to fall offside at the restart and hand Goode an easy three points.
England laid siege to Ireland's line, with Shaw and skipper Martin Corry prominent, but a brilliant lineout steal by Lions lock Paul O'Connell gave the visitors an escape route.
They could not shrug off England off though, and the home side's incessant pressure was rewarded when Goode sent Borthwick through a huge gap for his first try in 27 Test appearances.
Goode converted for an 18-14 advantage, with Ireland suddenly showing worrying signs of indiscipline as substitute lock Donncha O'Callaghan avoided a yellow card after punching England prop White.
The O'Callaghan incident was immediately followed by another contentious score.
England conceded advantage after a wayward lineout throw by hooker Lee Mears, and Leamy pounced to score.
An angled O'Gara conversion gave Ireland a 21-18 advantage entering the final quarter.
Goode tied the scoreline with a penalty 11 minutes from time amid an increasingly fractious contest which saw Ireland flanker Simon Easterby sin-binned for a high tackle and hooker Jerry Flannery protesting he might have been gouged in a scrum.
Goode then booted England back in front before the unforgettable late drama that saw Horgan cross wide out - the score had to be confirmed by video referee Watkins - and secure the Triple Crown.
