Murray Bird recently had a couple of weeks in Ireland. He was so taken and moved by the people, their sport and their music, their friendliness and their likability, that he just had to get his thoughts on the page. This is an Almanac classic. It’s travel, observation and understated commentary. It’s wholehearted participation and engagement. Please, pour yourself a Guinness or a whisky, and immerse yourself in a superb account of a hurling game and what happened along the way in getting there. This is the story of a grand people and their rich history and culture.
Almanac (Gaelic) Football and Golf – The Lowry’s Eyes are Smiling
July 24, 2019 by 8 Comments
Peter Baulderstone knew about the British Open golf win of Irishman Shane Lowry at spectacular rainswept Royal Portrush on the weekend. This is the less known story of Shane’s father Brendan and Uncle’s Sean and Michael winning the All Ireland Gaelic football title in 1982 for minnow Offaly against the might of county Kerry going for a historic fifth successive win. Great video highlights of the best football you will see all week.
Almanac Hurling (and Travel): An Australian on Tour (in search of kulcha)
April 11, 2018 by 4 Comments
Matt O’Hanlon and G-Squared are on tour in Ireland. Matt is having trouble with the language but he’s loving the kulcha. [Classic O’Hanlon and a great travel yarn – JTH]
Dion Fanning – Farewell the GAA summer and all the things I learned
November 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Dion Fanning returns to Dublin after 20 years, to find comfort in the Gaelic games of his youth. [Great piece on the place of sport in lives – Ed].
From Croke Park to Vicarage Road is a one hour flight with Ryanair
March 18, 2013 by 6 Comments
Like a buzzing beer garden in twilight, All Ireland Football Championship quarterfinal day at Dublin’s Croke Park is fantastic. During our family tour of Ireland, France and Italy, we see a conclave of cathedrals but with O’Keefe ancestry in County Cork, this becomes a special pilgrimage. And while it’s Dublin and Roscommon clashing, a vivid [Read more]
The Queen to visit Croke Park
May 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Yes, you read it right. Check out this piece first published in The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/08/queen-britain-croke-park-ireland
Irish news: Ricky Nixon kicks tyres in the Emerald Isle
July 22, 2009 by Leave a Comment
by Peter Lenaghan For the past three weeks, Australian Rules football has been prime-time television viewing on the emerald isle. The focus? Not St Kilda’s outstanding form, or Jimmy Stynes’s cancer battle, nor the many suitors trying to woo Nathan Buckley. Instead, a documentary team has told the story of the young jewels [Read more]
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