University of Richmond Athletics
Ireland Blog
03/09/2014 | Field Hockey
Saturday, March 8 - Limerick City and the Barry Residence
After a long night on the plane, the Spiders got their passport stamped and was met in the airport by Ryan and his parents. He had already flown in the day before. The team gathered in the lobby and then headed for the bus. Stepping outside, the weather was breathtaking. It was felt so clean and refreshing after a seven-hour plane ride. It was about 50 degrees and overcast, much different from snowy Richmond, Va.
The crew stopped for lunch about an hour into the bus ride – a cute little dive bar in a shopping center in Portlaoise and watched a half of a soccer match before loading the bus again for another hour or so. We finally arrived at Rebecca's Camogie club and had a quick lesson with her local team and friends. The Spiders then checked into the Absolute Hotel in Limerick, approximately 20 minutes from where Rebecca grew up. The rooms are very nice but different. In a double room, there are single beds placed right next to each other and to access any electricity, you have to insert your key by the door. Something we all learned a little bit later.
After getting settled in, we all loaded the bus again and headed to Rebecca's household. Her parents hosted a wonderful evening for us, preparing food as we mingled with her family and friends. A few of the Irish girls then capped off the night with amazing entertainment, singing and playing instruments, even Rebecca got up and showed off her vocals.
Sunday, March 9 - Cliffs of Moher and Match 1 vs. Connacht
We were able to sleep in this morning, which allowed us to recover from such a long first day. The Spiders enjoyed a hot breakfast at the hotel – a buffet that included: sausage, scrambled eggs, ham, muffins, sliced bread, yogurt and a cereal bar. We then loaded the bus and were off to start our day. The first stop, Cliffs of Moher.
After an hour bus ride, we unloaded and were off to explore the cliffs. It was amazing – we have never seen anything like it. Despite the misty rain, the views were breathtaking. We walked up both sides before enjoying a preordered lunch in the exhibit. Soup and salad was the perfect combination.
Before our first match, we stopped in Galway to pick up pre-game snacks at the local shopping center where many of us took exchanged our money for our first Euros. We arrived to the pitch at about 5:30 p.m. and quickly warmed up for our first competition of the trip. The field was a bit different then what the Spiders are used to, a sand-base turf that seemed a bit harder that effected the movement of the ball. But the Spiders picked up right where they left off this fall, beating the local team, Connacht Select 3-1. Paige Venables scored her first-career goal in the victory.
After gathering with the team for a quick meet and greet at a near by hotel, we are back at the Absolute Hotel and will be off to Cork tomorrow.
Monday, March 10 - Blarney Stone, University College Cork and Match 2 vs. UCC
The Spiders got up bright and early for another great breakfast at the Absolute Hotel Limerick and then got straight on the bus. We headed to Rebecca Barry's high school where the school choir amazed us. The school choir that consisted about six or seven girls dressed in their maroon floor length skirt uniforms, all playing different instruments put on a fantastic performance.
After the short stop, we go back on the bus and headed to the Blarney Castle for a chance to kiss the Blarney Stone. Stepping off the bus to find that the day had turned in to what we though was spring! We couldn't believe it – everything was just beautiful. After walking through the gardens, we came upon the castle and made our way to the top. Kissing the Barney Stone is not as simple as it sounds. An elderly man was waiting at the stone, sitting at the edge to hold you up as you lay on your back and hold onto a railing above your head and slide yourself off the edge of the castle.
After all the Spiders kiss the stone, we headed back to the bus to depart for Cork. We met the coach for the University College Cork's team and he provided us lunch and a quick tour of the beautiful campus. The sunshine made it a unique day as all the students were gathered at the center of campus promoting class elections.
The Spiders then had a free hour or two after checking into the hotel that was a 15-minute walk from campus where they could choose to either rest or go explore the city before the match. The team was back to what they were used to a water-based turf for a 7 p.m. match against UCC. The Spiders took on a tough squad as fell 3-2.
Following the match, we gathered in the clubhouse for a team dinner with both squads. Then enjoyed watching the UCC Irish dancers perform, before everyone getting lessons.
Tuesday, March 11 - Rock of Cashel CastleToday was a much laid back day compared to the others. We got up for another great breakfast and then were off for a three-hour drive to Dublin. The drive wasn't too bad as we broke the trip up stopping at the local Cork City Gaol, a prison known as one of “the finest in three kingdoms”. Finest used very lightly.
The Gaol was opened in the early 1800s and accepted men, women and children until 1870 when it became an all female prison. The prison's living conditions were very poor, having no heat and making all prisoners sleep naked to prevent breakouts.
We then packed the bus and headed for lunch about an hour away in a town called Cashel where we ate lunch at a small Irish café and took pictures in front of the Rock of Cashel Castle. The Spiders were lucky again with the weather as it was a beautiful sunny day. Ireland doesn't see many sunny days apparently.
After about two hours, we finally got to Dublin, Ireland's capital and most populated city. Today is our day off so the Spiders had a team session with Richmond's Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Paul Achter. He led a team discussion for about an hour talking about various topics on traveling overseas and what to expect.
Following the session, the team got dressed up and enjoyed a fancy dinner at the Farm Restaurant. It was a nice getting to all dolled up for a change. After dinner we were led by our fantastic tour guide, associate head coach Ryan Elliott. Ryan took us through all the popular streets, picking up ice cream on the walk home to the hotel.
Wednesday, March 13 - Aviva Stadium, Match 3 vs. Three Rock Rovers
So it's day four here in Ireland. The Spiders got up for an early breakfast, it's been the same routine everyday since we have been here – 8 a.m. wake up call, eggs, sausage, yogurt, muffins – you name it. Following breakfast, we backed the bus and our fantastic bus driver took us down the road to tour the Aviva Stadium, the home of the rugby union team and the Republic of Ireland football team.
The stadium is beautiful. The team learned about the history and toured the pressrooms, locker rooms and even got to see a few rugby players walk out and warm up for practice.
After the stadium tour, we loaded the bus again, got dropped off in the middle of Dublin and received per diem to buy lunch and explore the capital. Groups of girls scattered off to different pubs for lunch and shopped throughout the very busy streets.
A couple hours later, the Spiders met in the lobby for pre-match dinner at a Italian restaurant about 30 minutes away from our hotel near the pitch. Richmond faced a great Three Rock Rovers team and picked up its second win overseas. Northern Ireland native Amy Cooke put the Spiders on the board first off her signature corner stroke early in the contest.
After a Taylor Deitrick score, Kelly Quinn scored back-to-back goals late in the first half to cap off the scoring drive for the Spiders to eventually secure a 4-0 ball game with Caroline McCabe and Kelley Wentling sharing time in goal.
The team then enjoyed a brief meet and great with the Three Rock Rovers and packed the bus for a lively bus ride home to celebrate the win with pizza and music.
Thursday, March 13 – Belfast, Northern Ireland, Match 4 vs. Ulster Elks
We made our final stop on Richmond field hockey's spring break trip overseas. The Spiders packed the bus after, again, a very nice breakfast and headed up the road two hours for Northern Ireland.
Thinking we were just going to stop for lunch, the bus ended up in a rural neighborhood and stopped in front of a beautiful house and out comes Kerri McDonald. The third Irish Spiders who left the team this here to come back overseas.
We unload the bus in excitement and walk in to her house and smell a delicious meal being cooked by her brother, a well-known chef. Following lunch we had a delicious cake and headed back on the road.
After a quick bus tour through Belfast City by our fantastic bus driver Sam, we unloaded at the Stormont Parliament Buildings. We were blown away by the beautiful architecture of the building, a white marble columned building.
Following the tour we checked into a fancy hotel in the city and by fancy I mean, we have white plush robes and slippers waiting for us in the bathrooms. At 6:45 p.m., we were off to the University of Ulster for our final match. We played a different style, four 17:30 quarters at an approximately 8 p.m. start.
The match was very competitive and you could tell the Spiders were a bit tired after playing three matches, but it ended on a 1-1 draw. After a quick goal off a corner from the Elks, the Spiders put on the pressure the next three quarters and finally evened the score in the final 5 minutes from a flick in by Kimberly Sportack.
Now the Spiders will continue to enjoy the trip with the final two days off.
Friday, March 14 – Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Giant's Causeway
Time is running out here in Ireland as we completed day seven! We had an action-packed day as we loaded the bus at 10:30 a.m., after the ladies had an hour session with Dr. Achter. And we were off to the North Coast.
Once again our bus driver Sam gave us a narrative tour on the way as he guided us down a winding road along the coast. The shoreline was beautiful, as we gazed at the ocean and could even see out and see an outline of Scotland.
At our first stop, we unloaded the bus for the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. After about a half-mile walk to the bridge, all the Spiders stopped in awe about what we would have to cross. The bridge looks exactly like what it sounds – A bridge made out of rope – and not to mention it is 98 feet above the rocks below!
All the Spiders made over and back safely and we trekked back to the bus. We ate lunch on the bus and we were headed off to the Giant's Causeway. Oh, and forgot to mention how lucky we have been with the weather. It was a beautiful brisk day. The high winds helped us keep comfortable with all the walking we had to do today!
A tour guide that gave us these nifty radios with headphones so we could all listen to him clearly met us at the Causeway. We made our way down listening to very thorough information about the tail of the Giant and the history of the Causeway. The natural rock formation was just astounding! They looked like little columns stacked next to each other.
After about a 1,000 pictures we headed back on the bus and went to a fancy dinner at the Wine Bar about 30 minutes up shore, before heading to the Cooke's residence for homemade Irish desserts.
Saturday, March 15 – Titanic Tour, Exploring Belfast
Well today is the day, our final hurrah. We spent our last day overseas touring the City of Belfast and the highly anticipated Titanic Belfast Exhibition. Ryan's dad was gracious enough to take us on a bus tour of Belfast and explain its history, including the division of religions and the battle against the people.
After the tour, we unloaded at the Titanic Exhibition. It was amazing to see the history of the cruise ships and what it took for the people and the city to build these structures. We sat through a short movie of the wreckage and spent time in the amazing gift shop.
Following the Titanic tour, we were given per diem and were off to explore Belfast on our own for a couple hours before dinner. We all separated in groups and went straight to grab something for a small lunch and to shop around the beautiful city.
We will now return to the hotel to get all dressed up for our final dinner at a fancy restaurant. Next stop, the States!
