2023 Dublin Tour Report
Dates: March 14-19, 2023
Location: Dublin Ireland
Number of Tourists 30
Quick summary…you will all have your own pieces to insert for your own records but at high level here is the run down.
Coming from all ports we defended on Dublin and gathered on Tuesday Afternoon. Some lead reconnaissance work from some early arrivals led us to THE Temple Bar in Temple Bar. Guinness (go figure?) was the beverage of choice and would remain so for most of the Week…only giving way on the night of the Team Dinner to Dublin Buck! Temple Food at Temple Bar proved to be a great pit stop en-route home most nights.
Wednesday morning 17 set out to brave the Wind and Weather at The European. It didn’t disappoint and we shared our sleeves of For the Love of the Game Balls with the rough…amazing some made a return trip to their owners thanks to the names. Paul wowed the locals with his best impression of Apres ski rather than Apres golf! We charged the travellers and boarded the bus for a return trip and were thankful for our travel cups as well as accommodating driver Derek who was Safe, Reliable and Courteous! Dinner was at the Church.
Thursday brought sunshine and a beautiful day at The Royal Dublin. We were all grateful for the free lifts out of the bunkers and will lobby the RCGA for allowing such at all courses. The second wave arrived on Thursday adding the final 6 to the group and injecting some fresh energy. We made our way to the Wollen Mills around the corner from the Hotel.
Friday was St. Paddy’s day….can you say BUSY! The parade proved itself to be log jammed and unpassable/watchable due to numbers and we made our way to the RDS Arena to watch the Leinster Sr. Schools Final between Blackrock and Gonzaga…what a game! 10,000 fans for a high school game and it didn’t disappoint…down to the wire with Gonzaga pulling the upset.
We made our way back and largely gathered at the hotel before heading out to find the smallest Bar in the World (Dawson’s Lounge) and finished off the night with some friendly faces from the World of Rugby (Georgian Murphy, Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallagio).
Saturday was SHOWTIME. Ireland’s Historic day of Rugby was on the cards with eh Grand Slam at home and Johnny Sexton’s opportunity to become the all-time scoring leader in 6 nations…Success on both fronts and the hospitality at the Wanderers Clubhouse was top shelf. We walked back from the Stadium and had a cleansing ale at the hotel.
Departure was early for many and late for some of the lucky ones.
Tour By the Numbers.
Tourists 30
Rugby Games 2
Pints of Guinness…+1
Pubs Many
Rounds of Golf 2 for most…3 for the keeners (Smitty x 2 & Timmy)
Golf Balls Lost 153
Weather…3 seasons a week!
Privateers
** Denotes Rookie
Dave Lougheed
Richard Stone
Gregg Delcourt
Phil Beck
Paul Beck
Gregg Jardine
Ryan Smith
Cam Peckham
Craig Smith
MikeWoofter
Karen Woofter
Larry Jones
Mike Wayman
Brad Wayman
Cam Webster**
Tim Matthews**
Rick Powers**
Dana Lougheed
James Stone**
John Morgan
Matt Woofter**
Tatum Lougheed
Taylor Lougheed
John Mendham**
Tom Adair
Rob Lloyd**
Dave Spence
Chris Mitchell
Tim Kearns**
Ross Kearns**
Tour Awards
Favorite Evening Snack Shop – Temple Food
Favourite Bar – THE Temple Bar
Longest Drive – Tim Matthews (whether
Longest Put – Rick Powers (18th at The European from 60 feet)
Most Unsportsmanlike Golfer(s) (Stone & Peckham at Royal Dublin for consistently hitting through group ahead)
Most Sportsmanlike Golfer – Lady Bing Trophy goes to Smitty 2 for finding and retrieving balls left for dead.
Honorary MVP: Matt Poole for securing 30 great tickets, hotel, 2 dinners, Dublin Buck and pre-post match hospitality
Favourite Drink – Dublin Buck pronounced Dooblin Boook (Guinness is a Staple so was not eligible)
Most Improved: Smitty 1 for getting home on Time and not having to spend 2 weeks in Dublin…Although I know it crossed his mind!
Rookie of the Tour: Hot competition this time around as we had a record number of rookies on this year’s tour. Their enthusiasm and see less integration into the natural flow of the tour was impressive and bodes well for future tours. When the dust settled and the selection panel was one clear winner. Following his motto “if you’re not early…you’re late” Cam Webster led the charge start to finish. Arrived a few days early. Booked tours for fellow tourists. Attended all (and extra) outings. And never turned down a pint of Guinness or a Kebab. Also not bad on the links and took home some skins. All in all a very impressive first outing. Honourable mentions - John Mendham. Sr. Statesman on tour. Led by example and inspired out belief that we have lot’s of tours left in us.
And with that we look forward to seeing y’all on a trip sometime soon!
For the Love of the Game.