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The teams visited Phoenix Park where Pope John Paul II once spoke in 1979 during their visit to Dublin.

Hi everyone this is Ryan Blicker from the Class of ’14, and Terell Ennis-Rose from the Class of ’15.

Today was our last day in Ireland and just like the rest of the trip it was a wonderful time. We visited Croke Park in Dublin, which one of the largest sports stadiums in Europe. The stadium was really impressive and holds over 82,000. The four sports played there are all Irish, men’s and women’s Gaelic Football as well as men’s and women’s Hurling.

Before today I had never gotten a chance to see any of these sports played. Although we didn’t get to see a live game, after seeing some game clips shown during the tour we were immediately intrigued. The games are quick and extremely entertaining. What was most amazing was that these players were all amateurs receiving no payment, but they play on the biggest national stage. After talking with the tour guide it is clear that everyone in Ireland is deeply invested in these Gaelic sports and knows the stars of the teams as well as those from other popular professional sports such as rugby.

During the tour we saw the locker room, main gallery, and game field. The field was massive in both length and width, and was made up entirely of real grass. The tour guide said you could fit 2 full NFL fields within this field. Although we didn’t get to walk out onto the field, we got as close as you can get. It was really cool being so close to the field and being able to get a similar view that the players would get when running out onto the field.

The last ten days here in Ireland have been great. We were able to see a lot of extraordinary places as well as be successful on the basketball court. What made this experience special was being able to share it with my teammates and coaches. It was truly an experience that we will never forget.

Ryan and Terell