If Saint Patrick Rode a Cyclo

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Sport and the Scoundrel

Saint Patrick's Day, 2007. Memories? A sickening last minute heart-breaking try by France against Scotland in Paris to deny the Irish a first rugby Grand Slam in over fifty years. On the same day the Irish cricket team was sending Pakistan out of the Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. At the same time my old alma mater, Saint Macartan's, Monaghan, was gearing up for a McGrory Cup Final with a chance to take a senior title for the first time in over a half a century. They went on to lose in injury time to a flukey score aganst Omagh CBS. Sport, in all it's forms, has a way of taking on a special meaning for the exile. I can watch a match in Ho Chi Minh or Bangalore or Sydney or New York and I know I will be sharing the moment with thousands of countrymen and women. It makes the world seem a little bit smaller somehow. Nationalism, while still the last refuge of the scoundrel, is also a noble thing when England play Ireland at Croke Park or when old rivalries are renewed.

Recyclo or Die

On 17th March we celebrate the life and times of Ireland's favourite Welshman, a Welshman famous for likening a three leaf clover to the divine trinity and noted for relieving the Hibernians of having to check their boots for snakes in the morning after a a lot of heavy ale. It was also on this day that the Saigon Cyclo Challenge took place in the year 2007 and we dragged ourselves out for a look on a scorcher of a Saturday just in time to see the last few races of the day. While Saigon is synonymous with cyclos, if truth be told, they are few and far between these days. Those that were spotted in South Saigon didn't resemble those typically parked on dark street corners around Vietnam's biggest metropolis, legs dangling out the front. Still, money was raised for a very worthy children's charity and entertainment being in short suppy in Saigon, badda-bing badda-boom. See you there next year when I have visions of leading the cyclo field coming into the final straight, all Ireland cheering me on, perfect synergy of man and cyclo, wind in my greying distinguished hair, adrenaline pumping through my body, straining sinew and muscle and tendon as I am passed, a metre from the finishing line, by a cyclo driven by a nonchalant moustached Frenchman. MERDE!!! Pas encore. As he sloped off to drink something suave I licked my wounds and thought of that thing Bosco used to say: 'Uafasach, Marion'. - Warren

Friends in Green
are Friends Indeed

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Photos

Cyclo
This cyclo is one of the few carrying a passenger (admittedly a tiny passenger).

Hot wheels
One of the competitors whizzes past.

Irony
Abbot Laboratories have stopped selling their HIV drugs in Thailand because producers there are outrageously selling affordable copy drugs. Shame on you Abbot.

Crash
It's very difficult to control a cyclo at this speed. This rider ended up going into the barrier.

Deb and Rob
They know how to kick back and let others do the running around!

And the craic was mighty
"Jesus Warren, who dressed you?!"

Audacious
Warren squares up to Year 1 pupil at school Family Day

Cruel
Onlookers agree that the goalkeeper was not ready. After protests the goal stands. Robbed again!

A calm heid
Sof uses Jonny Wilkinson-esque moves to outwit goalkeeper at ABC School Family Day.

sunset
sunset from our place..

Comments

[Daragh and Caroline (aka Daraline)]

Sorry we missed it!
Hello you beautiful couple:) Missing your camera......ardery!!!! (Warren......hangon' i think its better without the flash....wait wait wait ha ha) We did Celebrate St.Patricks twice....well Caroline once and I..... Like a true Irish (well as i like to think) went on for the second night! Hope your both well, was a pleasure meeting you both, thanks so much for all your help and company. Will keep you updated on our future travels. Keep in touch and meet us when your next in close prox! Love from The man of black oak???? and Caroline.........the princess :) x x