Our columnist Frank Brandon enjoys a family break by the sea, rekindles some old sporting ties, and congratulates a local couple on a special milestone
It’s Wednesday of last week, and my friends, Baz and Julie, have come and cleaned and tidied up the garden, for which I am eternally grateful. As for me, in the early afternoon I am getting ready to go to Enniscrone.
My daughter, Lisa, and her two young children, Riley and Hayley, have booked a couple of nights in the Diamond Coast Hotel in Enniscrone and I have decided to go along. Now I have to admit that I am a bit apprehensive as the weather forecast has been telling us that Wednesday and Thursday are going to be downright wet days and I am wondering how we will keep a five-year-old and a two-year-old entertained for two whole wet days!
My car was undergoing its NCT test on Thursday morning (thank God it passed) and so I was travelling to County Sligo in my Opel van. I threw in loads of coats and jackets and winter clothes and shoes and an umbrella and some time after 3 o’clock I headed off to Enniscrone.
The rain was supposed to spread from the west at about that time but as I drove ‘across country’ not even one drop hit my windscreen. When I got to Enniscrone, the sun was splitting the stones, and after checking into the fabulous Diamond Coast I headed off to the beach where the two girls were having the most amazing fun. They were in and out of the sea, jumping the little waves, gathering seashells, running flat out along the beach and thoroughly enjoying themselves. I realised that there was no need to worry about keeping them entertained.
Funny enough, way back when our own children were young, Carol had a friend who had a mobile home just up from the beach in Enniscrone and we, as a family, spent many happy years going there. It was lovely, although a bit lonely, to relive the whole experience and see the unbridled joy of our grandchildren all these years later.
Later on, we returned to the hotel for Dinner (which was superb), and the children and Lisa retired for the night – all well tired after a most enjoyable but very busy day. As for me, I went back to enjoy the sight of the setting sun on the beach, had a little stroll, and then made my way back for a couple of leisurely quiet pints in the hotel bar.
There I met up with a lovely couple, Nadine and Keith, along with their children, Robin and Josh, and we had a nice relaxing hour or two before I headed off to my room shortly before midnight. Talking of the rooms, Lisa had a family room which was absolutely massive. It had three double beds (one of them was a treble bed if there’s such a thing) and a cot for Hayley, and while I was in slightly smaller quarters, both rooms were really comfortable and everyone, children included, had a great night’s sleep.
Diamond getaway
Fresh as a little bunch of daisies after our good night’s rest, we reported in early for our full Irish (well, just me for the full Irish) and there was still no sign of the promised downpour. In fact, the sun was still shining and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. Nothing would do the children except to go back to the beach whereupon we spent lots more time doing exactly what we had all done the evening before, the happiness of the kids a joy to behold.
We then visited a really good playground before calling to Surf’s Up cafe for a badly needed bite to eat and we all agreed that both the food and the staff were lovely. The young lad who was working there had the guts to be wearing a Kerry jersey, even though he told me he was actually a Mayo lad. By now it was nap-time for Hayley (and for me) and so we adjourned to the hotel for a siesta. When we were suitably refreshed we went on a little trip around the area.
Later on that evening we had another tasty dinner in the hotel’s Inishaven Bar, after which the children went to a very well equipped playroom before tiredness overtook them and they headed off to bed.
And so our time in the Diamond Coast Hotel came to an end but (I am not on their payroll) I have to say, despite my initial reservations about the weather, I had a really lovely time. The hotel is very family-friendly – with a great playroom and playground – and every evening there were children’s movies taking place in the on-site cinema! Throw in the friendly staff, the good food (and good Guinness) the huge amount of parking and just the overall feeling of luxury that the Diamond Coast gives, and it would be hard to beat it.
Enniscrone itself is probably my favourite place in Ireland. Everything about it makes you feel welcome and there is no doubt that we will be back – hopefully sooner rather than later! In the meantime, I’m back in my small house with small rooms and a small bed. But despite all that, it’s good to be home.
The ties that bind…
It’s Friday morning as I write and I’ve heard that one of my old rugby clubs, Dundalk, are coming to Creggs for an all-day training session before they head in the Galway direction for a bonding weekend.
I spent four great years up there in the early 1970s and one of my most precious memories is of winning a Seconds’ Provincial Towns Cup medal with them in 1972, a medal I still have to this day. Anyway, I decided to go to Creggs to meet them as they arrived about midday and to my delight the first two lads I met were sons of players whom I played with all those years ago.
The first was the coach, Tommy Campbell, whose father, also Tommy, I played both rugby and soccer with back in those days. Tommy Senior was a hugely talented player in both codes. Sadly for me, he played in my position of scrum-half – which explains why I won a seconds medal. I was never going to make the firsts while Tommy was around.
The other lad I met was Robin McGee, son of the late Vinny, and a member of rugby royalty in Dundalk, because the name McGee is synonymous with the rugby club. When I was there, PV McGee was the club president and his sons Vinny, ‘The Red’ Gerry and Hugh all played for Dundalk. In fact when they won the Towns Cup (1sts) in 1970, Vinny was captain and Gerry was also on the team. And so it was a great honour to meet up with Robin, who at the age of 41 is still playing (currently lining out for the club’s second team).
After a chat the lads invited me in to say a few words to the travelling party, which I reluctantly did, and in a delightful but unexpected moment I was presented with a Dundalk RFC tie. I told you earlier how much Enniscrone means to me. In a similar way, I have a huge love of my time in Dundalk. I will treasure the tie I was presented with for the rest of my days.
My medal is already 54 years old. I don’t think I’ll be around for another 54, but I am so pleased to have met up with the Dundalk team and management and I am genuinely delighted to have received the tie. As a club they have just got promoted to Junior 1A in Leinster and I wish them well in the coming season. Who knows… I might turn up for one of their league games, resplendent in my new club tie!
And finally…
On Saturday last, Larry and Eilish Kilcommins celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with Mass over in Castlecoote Church and a ‘hooley’ afterwards in Hughes’ Ballinamore Bridge, where I’m told it was like Dancing with the Stars.
It’s some achievement to have reached such a milestone, so heartiest congratulations to both of them and may you have many more anniversaries to come. Well done Larry and Eilish and once again, heartiest congratulations!
‘Till next week,
bye for now!
