Waking up at 10:00 AM Dublin time, the Jesuit football players were awaiting a busy day in their makeshift beds, or their plane seats. Many of the players only got only three hours of sleep on the six and a half hour flight to Ireland, and tonight the players will get much needed rest, after being up for almost 34 hours.
After landing, the players immediately headed on a tour to the location of the famous Battle of the Boyne. While there, the players were treated to a live firing of both a matchlock musket and a flintlock musket and a history of both. Jack Summers ’14 noted after the tour was over that “it’s great that were not only playing in Ireland, but learning about the culture of the country were playing in.” Players headed to the “tea rooms” on site, which was a small cafe called Brambles. The players received complimentary coffee or tea with a sandwich for lunch, before leaving for their next destination, the town of Drogheda.
While in Drogheda, players walked around the town, eventually ending up at the Barbican Cultural Center. Entering the Center, players were greeted with applause by family and friends that traveled to Ireland, and sat down for a presentation by locals of the town. First was a woman named Margaret, who talked about the connections from Ireland to America. Afterwards, the town’s Irish dance squad performed traditional Irish dances. Cooper Huhn ’13 liked the dancers, saying that “the Irish dancers were very entertaining, and fun to watch.” Once the dancers finished two traditional dances, a fiddler played a song as did a harpist afterwards. After the harpist finished her piece, the host of the presentation called forward Principal Garrison and President Earsing to receive the Coat of Arms for Drogheda. Finally, the Rangerettes dance team came out and performed for the players and their families receiving lots of cheers from the team. Players left the center excited for practice, and retraced their steps back to the buses in the pouring rain.
An hour later, the team arrived at the hotel, promptly changing and heading out to the local hurling club’s field for practice. Players practiced in the pouring rain, running plays and preparing for any situation that the Loyola Ramblers might throw at them. Finishing a two- hour practice, the team headed back to the hotel for dinner, tired from the day’s events and ready to sleep in an actual bed again.
The Rangers Varsity football squad plays the Loyola Academy Ramblers on Friday, 4:00 PM Dublin time. (10:00 AM Dallas time.)
