What If The Characters Of The RGI Novels Were Real?

It’s very embarrassing to admit this, but I broke a child’s arm yesterday. I want to make it clear that I was NOT drinking, and that it was not malicious. It was a complete and total freak accident.

That doesn’t make me feel any better, though.

Rowan and I are friends with the Tanis family, and they have four kids. The kids are all just reaching their early teens now, so we usually end up playing some sort of group game together in their beautiful back yard. We’ve played Adults vs. Kids touch football, baseball, and other games for a few years now, and the kids nearly always soundly beat us old folks.

One of the Tanis kids decided to play field hockey, since she plans to try out for her school’s team next year and wanted to get some practice in. I had some trouble adjusting to the rules–I’m used to being able to pull the ball up to my hands and swat it in camogie, and that’s not allowed in hockey–but after about half an hour, I started to get the hang of it.

We were having a grand time, and M. was doing quite well “showing up” us adults. I turned a little too quickly to join a play and smacked right into her, knocking her awkwardly to the ground. I heard the snap, and even though M. bore it like a warrior–she didn’t even shed a tear!–I still feel awful.

The doctor says she’ll be just fine by tryout time, but she’s going to lose so much practice time between now and then. I feel terrible!

I promised her I’d do a photo shoot for her to make up for it. She wants to take group pics of her entire group of friends. I told her she’s got the entire day; she picks it and I’ll reschedule anything else I have going that day.

I don’t think I’ll be playing any more games with the kids now. They’ve nicknamed me “The Celtic Tiger!” I’m going to go hide in the darkroom for awhile.

-F

I’ve never been much of a fan of American football. It’s just a toned-down, less dangerous version of rugby. The frenzy associated with this weekend, then, is utterly lost on me.

That’s not to say I’m not a sports fan; it’s American sports I can’t seem to get excited about. Sure, being in the crowd when the Cardinals won the World Series was fun, but baseball seems to be more about sitting and chatting with friends while the game commences below you. It reminds me a lot of polo for that reason.

My true love is hurling.

I played on a camógaíocht team in college. That’s the women’s version of hurling. There’s not too much difference between men’s hurling and women’s camogie–just a few minor rule changes. I wasn’t a breakout star by any means, but I loved the game. It’s fast, challenging, and very dangerous if you don’t pay close attention to what’s happening around you.

Ash sticks, hard balls, and no padding. THAT'S a game!

I was quite happy, then, to discover that they are starting to expand the sport of hurling more in Ireland. An adult club hurling league has started its schedule this weekend, with plans to expand to an official youth league next year. Basically, this means that Ireland is going to start “minor league” hurling to help support the “majors” already in place. There had been talk that interest was waning, and that the sport might lose its status as one of Ireland’s national games. If this is any indication, I’d say it’s alive and well!

So while Rowan, Ben, RJ, and about ten other friends all gather around the television watching their game, I’ll be watching hurling highlights from last season’s games and gearing up for this year. I can’t wait, too, until March 31st–the first game for the St. Louis Hurling Club!