Keo.co.za tour diary – Week 3
The uninspiring home of Guinness, respecting tradition and weather to make your teeth chatter.
Dublin threatens your emotional well-being. Every day began much the same, with depressingly low temperatures exacerbated by soul-destroying winds and rain that was never quite strong enough to drive you from the street, but often severe enough to sting any exposed skin. And the subzero weather on game day made winter in Bloemfontein seem like a lark on Clifton 4th. The locals tell me that in January people rarely go out at night. Not for the faint-hearted.
The worst thing about the Dublin weather is that it never lasts. Bad weather is succeeded by sunshine which lasts just long enough for you to consider changing your perception of the city’s climate. As soon as that decision’s made, it’s clouded over again, the wind’s picked up and rain is inevitably on the way. It’s little wonder the locals seek refuge in the more consistent climes of bars and pubs.
Like the walkways of London and Toulouse, the city’s streets are constantly congested, the bustle of the famous Grafton Street sure to claim you if you’re not paying attention. Rain or shine, performers and singers entertain passers-by with popular renditions of English and native Gaelic songs, and the traditional Irish music is prominent.
Dublin city centre is not a big place, which made Saffa spotting easier than usual. By Friday, you couldn’t go anywhere without seeing a green and gold jersey or hearing an Afrikaans phrase. Traipsing around town, you’re also likely to see a few Irish players going about there business, Tommy Bowe and Tomas O’Leary just a couple who were spotted.
South Africa has its fair share of adverts featuring famous sportsmen. You’ll all remember the “Schalk Burger Burger” ad for Steers, and will have seen the hilarious Bic shaving ads with the Beast. In Ireland, they don’t recruit the national stars unless it’s really important. ‘Get behind Ireland’s dairy farmers, I do,’ advises Paul O’Connell before chugging a glass of milk.
Peter de Villiers said he was sick and tired of all the physicality talk in the build up to the Ireland game. Nobody asked him if the Irish were physical afterward, but everyone asked the hosts about the Boks’ belligerent approach. No 8 Jamie Heaslip, who’ll give as good as he gets on the pitch, had this for an answer: ‘Well they’ll never be accused of being ladyboys, now will they?’
Dublin’s an old city with plenty of cultural sites to explore. Fans of writers James Joyce and William Butler Yeats may opt to pay homage at the respective museums and exhibits, while those at the other end of the culture scale will take a leisurely stroll out to the Guinness Storehouse. I wish I could say the latter visit was amazing, but you can only get so excited about brewery processes. One thing is for certain, however – Guinness tastes a whole lot better when you’re in Ireland.
Croke Park crammed in 75 000 people for Saturday’s game, and the majority of the crowd managed to respect tradition. Throughout most stadiums in Europe, you can hear a pin drop when a kicker – from the home or local side – lines up a shot at goal. It’s something South African fans will never get used to. On this tour alone, these moments have been marred by loutish cries of ‘Bokke!’ and ‘Miss, miss!’ At the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, the crowd sat in awed silence in order to appreciate the haka. When the All Blacks perform their traditional war dance in South Africa, it’s usually drowned out by cries of ‘Ole, ole, ole!’ I suppose you have to allow for freedom of speech, but those who come to the respective rugby grounds to appreciate these traditions are ultimately the ones who lose out.
By Jon Cardinelli, in Dublin
November 29th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
The O’Connell milk ad is an embarrasment o.k but I don’t care if he continues performing like yesterday…
Great game although the weather was a joke….
I hope we can front up when we head down under next season as ultimately we won’t be a genuine world force until we do….
However I do have to query the Saffer tactics. In 4 seasons I’ve seen Rob Kearney drop about 2 balls. Yet FDP and Morne Steyn refused to stop pumping balls into him and ultimately playing into our hands, quite literally….
WPOTY award was a disgrace. I mean how BOD and FDP were overlooked is beyond me…..
November 29th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I’m so glad you didn’t enjoy Dublin which (hopefully) means you won’t be back. The inane drivvel you wrote about Ireland, Irish media, Irish rugby and specific Irish players got shoved in your face yesterday. Go home to the land of xenophobia and wallow in your precious cocoon. Thankfully most of your fellow-countrymen (and women) are a little less negative than you.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
@RichardP: thank you richard.we will do just that,heading home to cape town for the world cup draw in sunny cape town.at least we dont have to worry about drunk danny boys on our streets contributing to our high crime rate although i would say ireland resembling jozie a bit with their cash in transist robberies nowadays or shopkeepers getting knifed to death.nice utopia you got going there.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
all those making fun of the boks losing a midwek game tacklers would love to se this to bad he is not around
During their 1938 tour to South Africa, the British Lions played two matches against Rhodesia. The first, taking place on July 20 saw the British win 25 to 11, three days later the British won again, 45 to 11. Both matches were played in Salisbury and Bulawayo. In late July 1949, two matches were played against New Zealand. Rhodesia won the first 10 to 8, whilst the second game was a draw 3 all.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
ja the mighty all blacks lost to zimababwe
November 29th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
@RichardP:
let’s face it…dublin is loserville central. exactly like edinburgh really.
nice place to visit, have a laugh, meet people who aren’t to serious about anything(they are way to unsuccessful in anything to be)…and then buggeroff home.
did anything of any significance EVER happen in Ireland before?
Oh yeah.
You Paddies won the Eurovision song contest 3 times in a row.
like I said.
Loserville central.
Oh, You have beaten the Boks 3 times in a row on home soil.
Not quite the 100 years of dominace that we have over Ireland on home soil is it?
and as for the xenophobia comment.
what sort of brain dead fckwit are you?
how long have the catholics and protestants been nuking each other now?
oh…there is a ceasefire you say?
Like i said, way to unsuccessful at anything to be taken seriously.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Lets just hope the Boks go get some rest and relaxation and the so called brains trust really think long and hard about different game plans going forward because the kick and chase approach aint going to win us the World Cup in 2011.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
did anyone see what i just posted its gold people?
November 29th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
choose to ignore it if u want but to all those like tackles who make fun of the boks losing a midweek game i just game u weapon x
November 29th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
How pathetic are these ‘journos’.
The Boks lose and suddenly Dublin is an “uninspiring…depressingly….soul destroying….”
I suppoose its consistent with lifee after Toulouse when they were “fatigued”, and after Italy they were “refreshed”.
It would have been a tropical paradise if theyd won I suppose.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
try and eat some black pudding your feel great and an ulster fry
cant wait to hear what tacklers sau bout abs losing to zimabwe
November 29th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Some of the comments on here are “ininspiring… depressing… soul destroying.”
Dublin is all of those things at this time of year. All the Saffas I came across this week were in great form despite the awful weather. No need for everyone to get so upset.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
@klippies101: he is here in the form of wankernathan
November 29th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
The South African team refused to line up to clap the Irish team off the field; after the irish team had done so for the South Africans. A typical display of arrogant rudeness from the SA team. O’Connell wasn’t impressed.
November 29th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
ireland is one of my fav places on earth doesnt matter if the boks win or lose
oh ja the all blacks lost to zimabwe once
November 29th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
r u sure valkyrie
November 29th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
sounds about as miserable as cape town in winter.
November 29th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
what do u mean drexel
November 29th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
dublin is considerd the party capitol of europe due to the fact it’s so cold and depressing that you only wanna drink yourself to a standstill.the stinking liffy river running through the city doesn’t help also.the irish,exporters of racism to the deep south of america,australia and new zealand are not that friendly as they want the world to believe and refer to foreigners as non-nationals.catholics hate protestants with a passion because they still can’t get over the beating they took at the hands of king william of orange and oliver cromwell and then they have the gall to mention south africa’s xenophobia issues
November 29th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
@Drexel: win a world cup first and we might start respecting you.just joking.at the end of the game all of the chaps congratulated one another,some even hugged or embraced,swopped jerseys and left the field afterwards,so don’t try to stir unnecessary **** mate.they might not have clapped but the respect between the players for one another were there for everybody to see unless irish idiots like you wants to see someting else.
November 29th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
belfast reminds me of durbs the old buildings in city centre
November 29th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl:
Thats funny mate if Dublin is loserville then they have a funny way of showing it, when was the las time you won there? 10 years I think. Ireland is one of the most succesful conutries in Europe considering are tiny population. What’s SA famous for, Racism and Murder. I think you win in the Loserville awards mate lol.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
@jockstrap: what about your racism you commit against the irish traveller community which you hide away from the international community then i am not even talking about the catholoic/protestant divide. reading this kinda **** makes me happy that cromwell and king billy fukked up you losers.long live oliver cromwell and king billy!
November 29th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
In recent times Ireland has benefitted from a massive transfer of EU funds without which the Irish “miracle” would not have taken place. Using EU funds, Ireland was able to “buy” FDI from companies such as Microsoft.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
@jockstrap: your economy is so screwed that i would not be bragging about it.maybe try getting out of the recession first before posting ****.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Have Irish bloggers read Noel Ignatief’s book about the Irish experience in the US called “How the Irish became white”? ANSWER: by actively subjugating African-Americans and also supporting the continuation of slavery.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
@radiohead: that miracle has turned into a nightmare mate.these blokes don’t have a clue how to get out of the recession and with the head leprechaun cowen in charge they don’t have a hope in hell.back to munching on potatoes for them!
November 29th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
@radiohead:
And had to give away fishing rights in Irish waters worth billions of euro per year. Nobody mentions things like that. If you think money was given to Ireland as charity they you’re mistaken.
Actually Irish people have to go to South Africa and build houses for poor people as well as give charity to countries around the world.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
@jockstrap:
You left out AIDS and the killing of White people. At next years world cup there’s going to be some crime.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Northern Ireland also benefitted from the example of south africa’s peaceful political settlement and not the other way around.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
For a long time the Irish were considered the “blacks” of Europe because they were so poor. And if the Irish are going around the world handing out charity well, so should they, given that the EU did the same for them. And, what about HIV/AIDS? It’s simply a disease for which there is no known cure.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
the irish were the biggest exporters of racism.in countries that had or are still having a racist problem,countries like the us and australia, they played a massive role in stoking the fires of hatred and racism.they also played a leading role in organisations like the ku klux klan.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Fishing rights? Why did the Irish not exploit these resources themselves, ala South Africa iro its minerals and precious metals sector?
November 29th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
What the hell happened to the rugby debate on this site?
November 29th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
@phalanx: you must be very happy that you not part of that i guess.thierry henry actually did you a favour then?
November 29th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
we are the billy boys,we are the the billy boys…*** you celtic.just love that great gers anthem!
November 29th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Killing white people? Granted, some or even most farm murders are probably politically motivated but all South Africans experience crime.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
I’m Irish and quite like South Africans……
Am I still allowed here….?….
Bet my daddy’s bigger than all yours though……
November 29th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
my second favourite gers anthem is… ‘*** off home the famine is over’.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
my beloved chelsea are murdering the gunners!where are you ,you gooner fans?
November 29th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
The comments on here are ridiculous- Ireland is a beautiful country with some of the most fantastice people I´ve ever met, and South Africa is the same – each place have their faults but to have an argument like is showing ignorance from both sides… Anyone who knows Ireland or South Africa properly will tell you that both countries are great and a lot of natural wonders…
November 29th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
OMG – The comments following this article are vile. Not much about rugby here.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Very well done to Ireland!! Well deserved win on the day and reaping the rewards for a well balanced side that has been working hard for some years now. Enjoy it while it lasts, time at the top is limited.(The top in theory for the year). You will have to back it up away from home against the SH. Think it’s about time that the NH play grand slams as a matter of course. SA, Aus and NZ. Will truly prove ability. Should be easier (in theory of course) because the weather will always be better for NH. SH sides have to play up to four sides in (normally foul) weather.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
The comments on this thread are truly embarrassing. It’s a game, people, and what I’ve always liked about rugby is that, no matter how hard the game is on the field, afterwards everyone are friends again. Well done, Ireland. Boks, come back, have a rest and then look at the videos. The world has worked us out, and we have to stop the pointless kicking. It’s not going to win us games again.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
@upandunder: Thats a good idea.
I think the only NH side to have attempted a Grandslam was England pre 2003 WC. But I stand to be corrected, I don’t think they played the Boks on the same tour that they beat Aus, NZ. Maybe this “great” Ireland side could attempt this next year. A tour startng in Aus – play Brumbies midweek, then play Australia at Suncorp. Across to NZ and play Crusaders midweek, then AB’s at Dunedin. They can pop in to SA on the way back an play the Springboks at Loftus. If they’re really good they could play the Bulls midweek to acclimatise.
Imagine that – isnt that an equivalent to a Bok/AB/Aus Grandslam tour up North.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
@Heavens Game: Well said, some times its embarrassing to be a biltong eater!
My Brother-in law is Irish, and we had a great time watching the game. Cost me a fortune in beer…his house for the Baa baas….revenge will be sweet. I wont drink water all week so I build up a thirst! Still cant get the bugger to embrace rare steak and biltong…
November 29th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
@Heavens Game: Some time a Lions vs Trinations team was touted as a sort of north south series. Imagine how good that would be…also imagine the hate mail here about who should be in what position..
November 29th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
@muffy: Yeah the Baabaas will be good, but the Bok guys are buggered at the moment. Maybe playing with some of their adversaries will spur them on to a 4th win over the ABs.
I might be lucky enough to be there. I was at the Baabaas vs Aus game. Disappointed that they lost – but Francois Steyn was flyhalf that day and seemed to be under instruction from Jake White – the coach to drop kick everything.
I dont think JW or Frans Steyn will coach/play for the Baabaas again after that debacle.
The Baabaas side that day was probably the best side I have seen on paper. The young Aus team played out of their skins though.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Ryan Vrede – you often are criticized for the quality of your prose.
Often unfairly.
But your comments on one of the world’s classic cities, and certainly one renowned throughout the civilized world as one that is as fun as it gets from party to discourse is embarrassing.
The comments reflect more about you than Dublin, or Ireland.
Uncouth ill-mannered dofness.
It’s no wonder the gutter trash keep coming back. You set the tone.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
@SodaJoe: Sorry Ryan. JC – who should know better. Pathetic.