Ireland / England 2024

What a trip!  I finally was able to get to Ireland, which has been a bucket list item for me my entire life!  My Dad’s family came from County Donegal so to get there was a dream!  I scheduled the trip in January which isn’t the best time weather wise, but the quarterfinals were in Cork the first weekend so I was able to see most of my players in the same place.  Early January also allowed me to take Connor and Chandler with me as they were on Christmas break from TCU!  We honestly had the trip of a lifetime…just wish Dave (hubby and kids dad) could have joined us!

We landed in Dublin at 9 am, rented a car (driving in Ireland warrants a story of its own but I will leave it to your imagination) and drove to Donegal.  We did a little pub hopping and met a bunch of characters:-)  The next morning Karen Corr, “The Irish Invader”, who is a BCA (Billiards Congress of America) Hall of Famer drove to meet us for breakfast!  I represented Karen back in the day and it was so nice to re-connect!  We had an amazing Irish breakfast but she couldn’t get us to try the blood pudding.

From Donegal we went to Galway where we stayed 2 nights…a great university city.  Amazing drive along the countryside and coast, met many more locals and learned that apparently Jameson Whiskey is shiiite.  Killarney was our next stop after a diversion to the Cliffs of Moher, which is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.  The boys got a bit close to the edge which still makes me sick to my stomach but great pics!  Later Coach Pat Price (Fr Mathews)  informed me that they lose tourists every year to a gust of wind at the Cliffs:-(  We stopped for dinner in Limerick and got to meet Mikayla and Sami…always so amazing to meet my girls.  It’s pretty common to have worked with athletes for years and never get to meet…so it is really special when I get the opportunity!  After dinner we were off to Killarney for a couple nights where we were treated like royalty by James Fleming (owner and coach of St Pauls Killarney).  My girl Khia played there so we had lots of time getting to know her and seeing this great city!

On to Cork where the semifinals took place…was great to meet Ariel, Jiselle & Allie and get to watch them play, meet Amaya and all the coaches and clubs that I have worked with for years!  Finally putting faces to names!

Dublin…could spend at least a week there but we did all we could in 3 days with our tour guide Brynley!  From the Guinness Storehouse to the Jameson Distillery…the Temple Bar area, all the amazing churches and great food!  Jiselle and Brynley met us for our last  Irish dinner @ Slattery’s!   We were hoping to make it to Belfast and see my girl Trinity Oliver but we ran out of time and I was a bit relieved to be done with the Irish driving!  It was hard to say goodbye to the boys, but I saw them off to Texas and then I was off to London:-)

London is another city I have not been to and it did not disappoint!  I was in awe of the architecture…took in 3 plays (I’m not that much of a play goer, but when in London!)  I saw Wicked, The Book of Mormon and of course Mama Mia, which is my all time favorite!  I did all the touristy stuff…Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, The Eye and all the beautiful churches!  McKenzie Johnston who played for Leicester was playing in Essex against Darcy Rees so I ventured on “the tube” with help from Coach Krumesh Patel and made my way to Essex!  It was great to see them play and spend that time, then Kenz took me out on the town with the crew!  (I didn’t last long)  Allison Day who played for Oaklands came to London the next day and she and Kenz showed me more of the city as we walked to the London Bridge and back.  Definitely got our steps in that day!  Only disappointment was not getting to see my girl Myah Pace who plays for Manchester🙁

Great trip with my boys, seeing my girls and meeting new and old friends / colleagues!  It is always wonderful to get home to my husband and puppies but excited for next seasons adventure!