Well, didn't get to do much sight-seeing in Cork. Still did a bit, but it basically turned into a drink-a-thon. The plan was to fly into Cork Friday night, see some Hurling on Saturday and then fly home Sunday. The original plan was to play a game of Aussie Rules, but the Leeside Lions didn't get back to us to organise it. Apparently they were short of players.
Anyway, what really happened is this. Hendo (who is Irish) was keen on playing the game after Kat (President) said it was a possibility. So we decided to go regardless of the status of the AFL game. There was a half hearted attempt to get a combined rules game going, but that didn't happen as the Gaelic boys weren't keen to come. So it morphed into a cultural drinking tour.
To start off with, the flight was delayed 2.5 hours. So we sat and had a couple of jugs at the bar at the airport, and watched 'Anal Amy' and her mates get ready for their flight to Magaluf. Note to self, never ever every go to Magaluf. Since their flight was leaving around the same time as our revised plans we got to see the class of people heading off for a holiday in Magaluf. Less said the better.
On our flight though, we had a hens night. From North Wales. Who were very drunk and having a good time by singing. Which I personally found hilarious, but I can understand others not. Especially when there are 6 of them in the row behind you. Very loud. Got to the hostel about 1230, and after a brief thought about going out for a drink, we decided not to as their wasn't a pub close by, and we'd just have a big night Saturday.
So Saturday, we thought about being cultured and headed down to the Tourism office to find out what we could do before the Hurling game. That was at 5pm, and we were up early so there was quite a bit of time. We thought about the Jameison tour, but didn't want to get out of town. Castle Freke is on the tourist map, but since we were only there for a day Cork was a better idea. Kinsale also looked good for a day trip...next time! The open bus tour only took an hour, and was great value. Saw all the major sites, and if we were feeling more cultured we could have gone the Gaol tour. Once that was done, we wandered through the English market (so called because it's covered and you had to swear allegiance to the Queen to have a stall there). Then it was meet up with Hendo and his mate Bill. They'd gotten in the day before and had had a big night out, which is why we were only now meeting up with them. Anyway, 1230 is when the drinking started...it finished at 2am. In between was a game of hurling, which is an incredible sport. They sprint while balancing the ball on the stick. Watch some highlights on You Tube, but it was great live. Good crowd, and we already had a nice buzz from all the beer we'd drunk. So then it was back to a pub, drink some more and watch the Limerick game, last year's All Ireland champions. Who lost by a lot. And then drinking. Then dinner. Then more drinking. The Saturday night is censored....you had to be there for more of it to be funny, but I'll just say that toothpaste is very hard to wash off someones ear. Great night out on the town, then deal with the hang over (I wasn't too bad, but I would have been better without the shots). Fly back to Manchester, and the weather was just so good that I had to go for a bike ride.
It really is the perfect English day, sun is out, the temperature was just right and it was beautiful, postcard like. Shame it only happens a couple of days a year, but it really was very pretty. And that's all really... or at least all that I'm going to post on my blog. I've ended up with a new nickname of Back Draft Benny (don't ask and I won't have to refuse to tell you) which has been done to death. I'm trying to get it done to death anyway, so that I don't have to put up with it for too long. Not having much success, so we'll see how it goes.
Have a good one all! Two big weeks coming up, home games and then down to Londonium for Aussie Rules, which given it's the same crowd as Cork will mean lots of drinking. And playing Aussie Rules, which I'm really looking forward to, been over a month since I played last and I'm missing it. Work is busy, as they've given me a bit more responsibility as 1 of the other guys is away. Hasn't been that good to be honest, as it really just means more work on top of what I was already doing, but it is teaching me how to be better organised, as I've had to be. Silver lining, that's what I'm telling myself.
I'll put some photos up on Flickr later. By later, I mean today, but it could very well be next week at the rate I'm going.
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