|
Thursday's coach trip took us around the Ring
of Kerry, one of Ireland's most popular drives. Starting in
Killarney, this route first goes around the highest mountains, the
Magillycuddy's Reeks.
|
Mountain range |
Group shot taken just outside Killarney on
the Ring of Kerry tour |
| Thursday was also the most
changable day that we encountered, weatherwise. Blustery and cold,
rain, sun, clouds, etc. made for some spectacular skies and numerous
rainbows throughout the day. |
|
More roadside ruins |
 |
| The constantly changing
views of mountains and shoreline make the Ring of Kerry a memorable
ride. |
 |
Our lunch stop, this restaurant
featured a thatched roof and Shepherd's Pie |
These folks have quite
a back yard |
| After lunch, the tour continued
through Moll's Gap with its views over the three lakes. |
 |
Fort ruins on the hillside
|
 |
| We also passed through
some picturesque villages on the Ring of Kerry tour, eventually making
our way back to Killarney in the late afternoon. |
 |
|
Early that evening, the handball players grabbed a cab, for what
turned out to be quite an adventurous ride. Located pretty much
in the middle of nowhere, it took 30 minutes to get from Killarney
to Tralee, plus at least 15 more minutes and 3 phone calls to find
the Ballymacelligott
Handball Club, situated five miles from Tralee, in County Kerry.
Once we found it, though, the Irish hospitality and play were again
superb. This club also has one 30x60 court and one 20x40, and generous
spectator areas, but not quite as much glass as the Dublin courts.
|
Vince Caruso gets a lot of help from a young Irish
player
against George Lehocky and Roy Hennig
during a doubles match on the 20 x 40.
(Notice the one blurred player and the three statues) |
|
Jim Krailler and Mike Reilly playing
Pat McCarthy and Gary O'Connor
on the 30 x 60 at BallyMac
|
David Kent and Skip Dixon
congratulate our Irish hosts on a win |
|
The evening ended on the 30x60 when (can you believe this?) we
were kicked off the court by some local racquetball players.
The final match of the night on the 20x40 was also a shocker, as
George Lehocky took on 13-year-old Ashley Prendiville in a singles
match
(see illustration, right) The
top-right arrow is where Ashley hits the ball, while the bottom
right arrow illustrates where the ball will soon end up.
The arrow on the left illustrates George's court position, and
why he will not retrieve this shot. And many others.
Later the following day, the poem below was seen scrawled on the
Limerick city limits sign as we entered town.
|
Note the court position on this rally. |
|
Ode on a Handball Match
(found in Limerick the day after this historic
match)
A veteran handballer, Lehocky
started out the game feeling quite cocky.
"Why, she's only thirteen,
just a lovely coleen."
After losing, George didn't feel quite so lucky.
|
Exhausted, George Lehocky congratulates Ashley Prendiville
on her victory |
|
After the matches, our hosts went up the street about 300 yards
to the local pub, and suggested we walk up and join them after changing..
The picture above is what we saw entering the Irish night -- Kent's
white gym shoes close by, the streetlight down the road, and nothing
else.
|
Once we made it to the pub, the lighting was much
improved |
| After some spirited rounds
of pints and eight-ball, the pub-owner and some members of the BallyMac
handball club were nice enough to present the GCHA with an Irish flag,
as a keepsake for our visit. |
Brendan O'Connor, far left, presents the Irish flag
to the GCHA |
|
Meanwhile, the non-handball crowd headed to Laurels Pub in the
center of Killarney, for the evening. There, Irish dancers displayed
some of the intricate steps of Irish set dances, accompanied by
traditional live music and some sing-alongs.
|
Irish step-dancers |
| After another long cab
ride back to town (made longer by Vince's description of his bladder
issues) the handball players had dinner (thanks Vince, for this one)
and then joined up with the rest of the tour group for more music,
more spoons and another round of Tommy Keane's "Trut' or Dare"
which lasted into the wee hours of the morning. |
Josie, Tommy hiding behind Susan, Mary and Dottie,
hold down the fort back at the Killarney pub |
