(Note: Click on post title to see full video)
After almost a full week in Dublin, the metropolitan of Ireland, we were itching to see some of the countryside. One early afternoon we took the DART train 9 miles north of the city to a small seaside town called Malahide.
It is a quaint and developed area, once influenced heavily by the eccentric Talbot family living in the Malahide castle for over 800 years–but since the last of the Talbots moved away and donated their castle to the county over 30 years ago, the town has prospered. We explored the woods, took a tour of Malahide Castle, and on a tip from a Brunonian friend, we visited the St. Sylvester’s GAA club in Malahide and traveled to their pitch for a late-night game of their senior football team.
This was the first clubhouse we visited, and were impressed (and still are!) but the fine woodwork, full bar, and spacious rooms in the central downtown location. Trophies lined the entranceway, as well as a wood-carved list of the former Chairmans. Ciaran Goen, a former Chairman of the club, met us at the clubhouse, drove us to the pitch, and graciously answered all of our questions about the sport and club. It was an exciting game, and we were surprised by how rough the sport was both in smack-talk and rough-housing! Many members of the town made it out to the pitch despite the rain and cold to support the team. It was a wet and muddy field with no benches and Colleen was unprepared in a skirt and ballet flats, but all in all a successful day for GAA footage– check out the adventure above!
