By Pamela Reynolds
Davis, Sept. 10—Bolting to our feet, we hold our breaths in anticipation while craning our necks to look over the mass of people crowding the screen at the back of the pub. Someone behind me screams colorful encouragement for the home team. A bartender passes around small cheese sandwiches and there is a bout of jostling as members of the crowd weave back and forth from the bar. I see someone moving behind me with a full pint in each hand—I know what’s coming and I quickly give way as trickles of the cold, dark liquid splash onto my shoes as he passes.
It seems like everyone in the entire town of Belmullet is in this pub. Wearing the green and red Mayo jerseys, residents staunchly display support for their home team, which has unexpectedly made it to the semifinals. Even young kids hover at the entrance of the pub, clutching little red and green flags that make it feel a little bit like Christmas. Fortunately for Mayo supporters, Christmas comes a little early and the Mayo team wins over Fermanagh by two points. Mayo will now play in the final championship game later this month.
Gaelic football is my new favorite sport. Combining elements from American football, European football (i.e. soccer), and even basketball, this brutal and high-speed sport keeps you at the edge of your seat!
But, it wasn’t the gameplay that made watching a Gaelic football game so much fun—it was the atmosphere and the interesting people I met along the way who made my experiences in Ireland so memorable.
There’s nothing like a good, old Irish pub. Aside from the lure of cheaper pints, the pubs (short for public) are the places to be on the weekends to experience Irish culture and music.
Folk music one night, rock the next
One Friday evening we listened to live traditional Irish folk music performed by a local band resplendent with fiddle and flute. On a Saturday night we attended a live performance by a U2 and Blink 182 cover band. Only the singers’ Irish accents reminded us that we were in a pub in Ireland and not at a concert back home.
Sunday morning we heard the cool beat of an Irish jazz band, and we were amazed that the music was still smooth this far away from New Orleans. And, after the music, there was the big Sunday football game—Gaelic football, that is. And while watching that game, my classmates and I met people from all over the world.
In the summer, Ireland is like a mini United Nations. I met students on holiday from Belgium, France, Canada, Sweden, Norway, England, Finland and Italy, to name a few.Talking with three young men from Brussels, I realized that they knew more about American music and pop culture than I do. This wasn’t the first time that I was amazed at how much Europeans, especially the Irish, know about America.
When my classmates and I asked how the Irish feel about America, a local Dubliner answered, “We feel close to America. Many of our sons and daughters, grand aunts and uncles, emigrated there. We will always have that tie. But we are worried about the States.”
Keen political focus on U.S.
This worry is mostly in reference to American politics, a topic the Irish were very eager to bring up. American politics seemed to creep into every conversation. In fact, I’d argue that the average person living in Ireland is more aware of American politics than the average American.
Coming from California, I was also asked many rather unique questions, from “What do you think of your governor?” to “Do you surf to school?” These questions made me realize that, out of all of the states, California has perhaps one of the biggest reputations abroad.
When asked where he would travel if he could go anywhere in the world, Tom, our day host back at Gweesala, answered that he would like to go to California. “It must be beautiful” he told me. I could hardly suppress a smile as I replied that the grass is always greener on the other side—unless you’re in Ireland. Sláinte!
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