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Week of June 23rd
Cork Water Ski Club - Cork, Ireland
After visiting Northern Ireland several times for the World Cup tournament in Enniskillen I looked forward to seeing the south of Ireland. This trip would not be for a competition (for once), but for a coaching clinic at the Galvin family’s ski school in Cork, Ireland. The first day I arrived in Cork was a slightly sunny Sunday afternoon, but the breeze definitely had a colder bite than I had expected, especially after coming from Dallas where it was in the high 90’s! The cooler air is always something I look forward to when I come to Europe in the summer. Maybe I can attribute my unusual tolerance for the cold weather to my Swiss blood, because I really do love the cold. My energy level always increases and if I had to choose between freezing cold
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 The Galvin's ski site in Ireland
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Enniskillen, or 100 degree Texas weather, contrary to most waters skiers, who bask in warmth, I like being in the cold.
Barry and Eileen Galvin operate the only formal water ski instruction school in Ireland. They ski on the end of the River Lee in Lower Dripsy, which is just outside of Cork. Their ski site is in my experiences one of the most stunning sites of natural beauty. Barry and Eileen’s beautiful home is nestled just above the River Lee. Their home is next to the home of Barry’s father, who I might add is a very famous lawyer in Cork, one of the main people written about in the book The Untouchables, which I am reading at the moment. The entire family is quite fascinating, and I soon realized while traveling around Cork with them that they are very well known throughout Ireland.
My experience coaching
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 The Galvin Boys
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in Cork was incredible and a time I will never forget. What a wonderful family and so passionate about the sport of water skiing! The Galvin’s have 3 sons – Shane 13, Lil Barry 9, and Dan 8. They were the highlight of my trip! The boys’ enthusiasm and dedication to skiing was refreshing and inspiring. I love to see young kids who really love skiing and do it for themselves, and the Galvin boys couldn’t be more motivated. The entire family was a pleasure to coach and spend time with everyday.
Every morning I would wake up at a quaint little Irish Bed and Breakfast run by the sweetest lady named Maud—who with her strong Irish accent I struggled to understand. After a warm Irish breakfast, a cup of tea, and a short chat with Maud, I would join the Galvin gang at the River Lee and begin my day of coaching. The first day I was in awe of the scenic view that surrounded me as I coached. I told Barry that apart from Eurolac in Switzerland (which has a backdrop of the Alps) that their site on the River Lee was one of the most picturesque places I had ever skied.
Their slalom courses are on the end of the River Lee and around the river it looks like an Irish calendar (the calendars that would say “Scenes of Ireland” that you would pick up at Barnes and Noble’s). My pictures do not even come close to capturing the serene look of their site. The river is surrounded by the greenest trees and high above in the distance rolling hills of green farm land, it just felt so peaceful and so Irish!
Every day I felt privileged to spend time coaching in such a place! Beyond the beauty of the place I really enjoyed coaching Barry, Eileen, Kyle, Shane, Lil Barry, Dan, Emma, Miriam, Keela, and others. My main students for the week were those 9 and seeing them improve and make changes throughout the week was so exciting. I enjoyed coaching all of them because they were all enthusiastic and excited to be on the water, even when it was 50-60 degrees and raining.
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 'At the Pub' with Eileen Galvin, Emma and Kyle my favorite ski girls and the best driver!
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Throughout the week Barry and Eileen were very kind to show me around Cork. The first night I was there they took me into Cork city for dinner and a night out on the town. We had a lovely time that night and I really enjoyed having some Bulmer’s (Magner’s Cider)—my favorite drink in the world cider!!!! On the weekend we traveled to West Cork (Crookhaven), and I saw a bit of the Irish coastline. Although very cold, the Irish coast along Cork is a piece of God’s artwork and to me proof that He exists!
Just outside of Crookhaven stands the Mizen Head, a big tourist destination because not only is it very scenic with the dark blue waters crashing against the high cliffs of the Irish coastline, but Mizen Head (a cluster of rocks and a lighthouse) is the most southern point you can stand on in Ireland. While in Crookhaven, we had lunch in a cozy pub in the harbor called O’Sullivan’s, and then Barry called a friend and we bought fresh lobster—which I saw taken straight from the sea. That night we went back to the Galvin’s house for some fresh lobster and white wine. The Irish lobster was definitely the best I’ve ever tasted…they say it is the cold water.
By far my favorite part of the trip was experiencing hurling for the first time. Hurling is a sport played only in Ireland with a hurley—a hurling stick that is much like a bat with a flat head like a golf club. It reminds me of a mixture of football, rugby, and lacrosse.
One evening Eileen and I went to watch the boys (Lil Barry and Dan) in their practice match. The field itself was quite the scene in my opinion. Set just below a high green Irish hill the football field was the greenest natural grass I had ever laid eyes on. At one end was the beautiful rolling hills and the other a cute old church and as the sun set on Ireland we watched the boys hurl(very funny thing to say I know).
It was such a different experience, such a different setting, but it reminded me of being at different sporting games and practices as a child. The same feelings rushed back, and I took it all in—the sun setting, tired parents bringing children after work, sweating as the sun goes down, drinking water until my stomach hurt, the way the air feels just before the sun goes down. This made me realize and reflect upon what I love so much about my travels—that I have the opportunity to experience things that are different but also quite universal, at least for children and families in first world countries such as ours. As I sat there I remembered home thousands of miles away, I thought of England (which I miss so much at times like this) and other places I have lived and traveled. Perhaps this feeling embodied what I love so much about sports in general— that it brings people together and it can be something innately universal. We may speak different languages, eat different foods and practice different religions, but in many places I have been and with all the international people I have met through skiing, we share a common thread through our sport—through our love for sport.
I felt sad to leave Ireland and the Galvin family. I absolutely adore all three of their boys. They made me realize how much I love children and that I do want some of my own someday—a long way away. The boys and Eileen are all making great strides in slalom and I can’t wait to see what they do! I will be delighted to see the day (not so long away) that the boys are competing in the World Championships for Ireland and skiing in the Jr. Masters or Masters! If they keep up the hard work I believe they will get there! The Galvin family really gave me a great little taste of Ireland!
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