Dry Friday

Today is Good Friday. Traditionally, Ireland closes down it's pubs and prohibits the sale of liquor on this hallowed day. I witnessed it first-hand, noticing the liquor section of the local convenience store roped off today. No liquor is to be sold on Good Friday . . .

Unless you happen to be going to the big rugby match in Limerick. Muenster hosted Leinster today (the two Irish rugby powerhouses) and the city of Limerick was given an exemption from the prohibition since, I guess, it's impossible to enjoy rugby unless your drunk. I can also personally attest to this. The one rugby match that I attended was much more fun because I was sloshed.

The funny thing is the home team that the exception was made for (Muenster) lost the match. Could it be that the Good Lord took exception to the T-shirts that were being printed for the match that said things like: "Officially bigger than the Catholic Church - Muenster Rugby" or "Mass will now take place at Thomond Park."

I subscribe to the theory that it's not a good idea to throw sand in God's face.

You're Taking It Like A Champ, Sir

Today, I get to introduce you to my friend, Humility. I'm not proud of what happened yesterday, but I'll share it nonetheless. Just as every human being, I have my flaws. Yesterday, I ran my flaw of overindulging up the flagpole and let it flap wildly in the breeze.

As you may know I was heading off to see the Six Nations Ireland vs. Italy rugby match. The day started at noon in the same fashion a joke might: A Brit, a Turk, a South African, and an American walk into a bar . . .

The bar was Fagan's in Drumcondra - not far from Croke Park. We had a couple of Guinness, then walked 20 paces down to Kennedy's Pub and had a few more. We headed over to the game - I was already a little tipsy. Yet, that did not stop me from having another pint at halftime. Ireland won 29-11.

After the match we went to Gill's Cornerhouse and had another pint. After Gill's, we went to The Church (a church converted into a bar) and had a couple more pints. The South African left us after The Church and the Turk was being more responsible about her intake of Guinness. The Brit and I weren't being very responsible at all.

The Brit had booked a reservation at Shanahan's on the Green - the priciest steakhouse in the city of Dublin. So after The Church, we caught a cab over to the Shanahan's for a good steak. I was starting to feel a little queasy.

We get to the restaurant and we're already under dressed (because we'd just come from a rugby match) but we were seated anyhow. I ordered water and a 50 Euro filet mignon, then politely excused myself to go to the bathroom where I proceeded to projectile vomit into the toilet. I cleaned myself up and headed back to the table (making one wrong turn and being guided back to my table by a waiter).

The waitress brought our food out and I took one bite of my 50 Euro steak before excusing myself a second time. While painting the toilet a second time, the Turkish lady that was with us called into the bathroom and asked me if I'd like a cab back to the hotel. Yes, I would.

As I come up from the bathroom, the mater di already has my coat ready and takes my elbow, escorting me to my cab. He says one thing to me, "you're taking it like a champ, sir."

I look him in the eye as I sit down in the cab and say, "You're lying, but thank you nonetheless."

The cab ride home was not much more fun. The cabbie kept looking back at me a paranoid look. That kind of look that pleaded with me not to vomit in his cab. Lucky for him, I had nothing left but a few dry heaves that I managed to lean out the door for.

The night ended with me crawling down the hallway to my hotel room, struggling with the door, then crawling into bed.

Throughout the day I lost my ticket (wanted to keep it as a souvenir), my rugby program, a pair of gloves, and my pride. Worst of all I wasted a 50 Euro steak.

I still don't know exactly what the mater di thought I was taking like a champ - my drunkenness or getting kicked out of the most prestigious restaurant in town. Probably both.

Super Bowl Weekend

So, it's Super Bowl weekend here in Dublin and frankly the city just doesn't give a damn. It's enlightening to find out how little the rest of the world cares about American sports. If you could picture how much we care about soccer, you'd have an inkling into how little the Irish care about the Super Bowl. Yes, there are fans, but there's barely even a realization that the Super Bowl is going on this weekend.

So what do a handful of American expatriates do for the Super Bowl when we're in Ireland? We're planning to go to an Australian pub called the Woolshed Baa & Grill. That's not a typo; follow the link. It's got everything a good American needs at a Super Bowl party: Full Game Shown, Food Served 'Til Late, Free Entry.

Food Served 'Til Late? Just how late does food need to be served? I'm guessing food needs to be served until at least 3am - after all the game doesn't kickoff until 11:30pm over here.

Perhaps the halftime show will garner some interest over here. After all, The Who are headlining.

Nah, I doubt it.

The big events over here this weekend surround The Six Nations Championship. That would be rugby, my friends. Six Nations is a huge tournament where Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy compete to flaunt their rugby dominance. France is the odds-on favorite to win the championship, even though Ireland won the Grand Slam last year (i.e. went undefeated in the round-robin tournament). France is at 3/2 to win the whole thing and Ireland is at 9/4. The next highest odds go to England at 5/1. As you can see, it looks like a two horse match between France and Ireland.

Today Ireland has 1/33 odds to win the home match over Italy. Yes, that means you bet $33 and if Ireland wins, you get your $33 back plus $1 to boot. Enticing, eh? Perhaps a bet on Italy at 25/1 might be a better value bet . . . or bet the draw at 50/1.

This weekend: Ireland vs. Italy; England vs. Wales; Scotland vs. France.