Dear Reader –
“Ive honestly been singing since I could talk really”.
Great first line to this week’s Humans of the Theme Nights story…read on for more.
The Big Thing
But first, a frantic hour of phone calls took place yesterday afternoon.
We were due to head for Keash for a U-14 league match at 6.45, but around 4.30 the news came through that two of the girls were feeling unwell. Numbers are tight this year and so all of a sudden we had to get on the phone to see who else we could find. Last-minute registrations, shared lifts, cancelled activities, everything was on the table in the bid to fulfil the fixture.
And tempting as it might have been for some to have the evening off and enjoy the sun, I was struck by the determination present among players and parents alike that the game would go ahead.
Because nothing compares to doing it.
And after all the to-ing and fro-ing, the game eventually took place. Our girls lost, but it was worth it. Just to get out and play. Nothing like it.
PS I’m pictured with former teammate Ross Donovan below. Ross’s wife was in charge of yesterday’s opponents and our daughters played against each other on the field. The circle of life!
Where else but Sligo?
Emily Meades was featured this week in our Humans of the Theme Nights series.
For someone so young her back story was really interesting. But it has moved on since…
We had certain plans for Emily on the upcoming show - including a brand new duet with Sinéad Conway on one of our big finale numbers, but she has since informed me that she has been inundated with requests to sing this song after the video we released last week. Is there room for both?!
Time will tell. In the meantime you can read her story in full here…
What’s New?
JUST DO IT: I’m not sure that US advertising firm Wieden+Kennedy had the Coolera-Strandhill U-14 girls GAA team in mind when they came up with this famous slogan, but it certainly was applicable in last night’s story. Interestingly, it was inspired by the last words of convicted murderer Gary Kennedy, whose when facing execution simply said ‘Let’s do it’.
TRAVEL: Call me old-fashioned, but it still amazes at how someone can be teaching in a classroom somewhere in Ireland at lunchtime and by evening they can be sipping sangria with dinner in Lisbon!
4 YEARS AGO: We were meant to be in Vicar St on April 23 2020. Instead we did this…mad!
Finally…
Not quite sangria, but we’re working on this song for an upcoming show and I’m enjoying it!
Till next time - Kieran.
