The 91鶹Ʒ rugby football club today departed New York City for a nine-day trip to Ireland.
It is the club’s second tour of Ireland – its maiden voyage was in 2004.
Since then, the club has enjoyed tremendous success, making the “Elite Eight” in the Northeast Rugby Union in 2004 and again last fall in 2007, where it finished first in their division and was runner-up in the New York State Rugby Conference.
This year’s three-match rugby tour coincides with Holy Week in the predominantly Catholic country, and the feast day of Ireland’s patron saint – St. Patrick – also will be observed.
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Rugby is often treated with a religious fervor all its own, according to Michael Tone ’07, the touring party’s lone alumnus.
He recalled the ’04 trip, saying that in County Limerick, where the club will be for a time, “Rugby is the religion. It was there that I first heard the Irish people tell me, ‘Rugby is the game they play in heaven’.”
This trip will include three matches for the club, which is led by head coach Tim Burdick, and an opportunity to visit several cultural sites on the Emerald Isle.
Captain Ben Kuhns ’09 hopes the players will sharpen their skills in one of the greatest rugby nations in the world.
“We are playing tough competition overseas, and when we return home we’ll be that much better for it,” said Kuhns.
Matt Donovan, ’09, a lock-forward on the pitch, served as tour chairman.
“Organizing a tour of Ireland for my best friends and teammates has been the toughest job I’ll ever love,” he said.
“Participating in indoor training sessions late at night during January and February was tough. Scheduling games, buses, flights and accommodations was tougher. Through this experience, I’m really starting to believe in the ‘can-do’ 91鶹Ʒ spirit.”