My son went to Ireland for a college club rugby team tour during his Freshman year. 
The tour lasted 10 days and included sightseeing. It was the first time he stayed in youth hostels. He went to Cork, Kilfinane/Kilfian and Dublin.
- The team also went to Limerick but my son stayed behind in Kilfinane that day.
The team played 3 games total during the 10 day trip. They stayed at Sheila’s youth hostel, Ballyhoura Youth Hostel, and the Generator hostel in Dublin which was “more of a hotel”.
- He states, “Ballyhoura was nicest because…
- it was privately owned by a couple
- it had a dining hall,
- a kitchen we could use,
- a lounge area with a TV
- guitars,
- ping pong
- foosball table,
- sauna,
- the beds were nice,
- private showers
- and had some dogs we could play with.”
It was in a remote part of Ireland called Kilfinane. It was a 10 minute drive from the bike trail we did.
www.ireland.com/what-is-available/destinations/republic-of-ireland/limerick/kilfinnane/all/1-61882/
Rugby games are exciting to watch! The unusual maneuvers of the game make it a very interesting sport. This picture (not of my son’s team) depicts typical rugby activity. This is called a scrum.
www. anoige.ie/Hostels/Our-Hostel-Guide/Ballyhoura-Luxury-Hostel/
They stayed in youth hostels and did some sightseeing. He even got to play on the Irish team. Seeing Ireland with other young adults this time (rather than with family) gave him a different perspective of the country.
This time around, he got to play guitar in a tavern at night with these guys.
He also got to go mountain biking on the reportedly “second best trail in the world”.
I’m really grateful that his college rugby club experience has not only provided him the exercise, activity and fellowship with other athletes but it also has provided him a chance to travel together as a team and broaden his horizons.
