Well, today was another beautiful day in Ireland. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the temperature delightful. We are starting to now question everything Pearse and Mina have said, since we all packed sweatshirts, long pants, and rain gear on their advisement. Meanwhile, we are enjoying what we have been blessed with for now weather-wise and hope that our good fortunes continue.
Today started off with breakfast at 8:00 AM that for many of the chaperones was a difficult assignment to meet given the festivities last evening at the home of our new friends here in Dublin. The boys were up bright and early however and polished off the meal quickly.
Following that it was a brief respite before heading out by double-decker bus to downtown Dublin. Imagine trying to have exact change (in Euros no less) for over fifty people for the bus. Once downtown, each group of boys and chaperone were on their own to enjoy the city and partake in the sights, sounds, shopping, history, and dining that Dublin has to offer. It was truly a great experience for all. Many of the boys came away from their excursion sporting new boots and jerseys.
Then it was game time starting in the early evening and ending later in the night as both teams played matches against St. Kevin’s Soccer Club (game reports follow in separate posts). The games were played at the AUL Complex that the Ireland U-14 through U-17 national teams call home. The boys even had to watch some of the U-17 players in a match on an adjacent field.
Lone last stop for dinner at “The Chipper” for a quick bite of chips and assorted burgers, chicken, etc… An evening meeting followed to prepare for tomorrow.
Finally, it was a late night of packing up as the group tried to get to bed early for a 6:00 AM departure in the morning for the ferry to Liverpool.
That’s all for now.
Quote of the Day
“I don’t think I could have a higher opinion of any footballer than I already had of the Irishman, but he rose even further in my estimation at the Stadio Delle Alpi. The minute he was booked and out of the final he seemed to redouble his efforts to get the team there. It was the most emphatic display of selflessness I have seen on a football field. Pounding over every blade of grass, competing if he would rather die of exhaustion than lose, he inspired all around him. I felt it was an honour to be associated with such a player.”
Sir Alex Ferguson (on Roy Keane after the European Cup semi-final in 1999)
English soccer manager
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
This is so awesome to see these daily reports....thanks Steve for setting this up....have a safe trip to England..and greetings from Hilton Head Island!
Post a Comment