Categories: uncategorized
Date: 14 March 2008 12:37:31
The BIG day of the weekend. Wales v Ireland with us chasing the Triple Crown and a first win at Croke Park. To say that I was excited seriously under describes my emotions.
We were going to watch the match in Clohessey's Bar in central Limerick - a real sporting bar, owned by a former Irish international player with photos on the wall and 2 of his caps above the main door. We were expecting to be an island of red in a sea of emerald green.
The first person we saw at the bar was.... our next door neighbour. Yes, you walk into a bar, in a foreign land, 120 miles from where the match will be played and meet your neighbour. Then the bar beganto fill up. Red jersey after red jersey filed in and even a party in black Welsh jerseys from Merthyr were there. As was the Welsh Ladies team resplendent in red tops with skirts made from Welsh flags.
By kick off I had a seat right under the screen inthe centre of the bar. The Guinness was flowing like Mother's Milk and the tension was building. Listening to several hundred Welsh people singing Land of My Fathers was a stirring sound. Then we had the Irish post anthem song, the name of which I know not, but, to the bemusement of the Irish nearby I sang along to and knew every word. Me singing: Ireland, Ireland/Together standing tall/Shoulder to shoulder/We'll answer Ireland's call - seemed to impress them though.
At one point I went to the bar for another Guinness and turned around to watch the screen from behind. The sight of all those Welsh jerseys actually left a lump in my throat and feeling of pride.
The rest is history really. We won!! They played badly but we seemed to know exactly what was needed and never really looked like losing.
FW left me after the match to wander around Limerick so I stayed to watch the England/Scotland match. To see the English lose just made the day even better.
The evening saw us relax in the hotel and just go to the bar for our meal. I think that the feeling of walking on air was still with me until I went to sleep.