Another excellent post by Dubfanabroad.

This is definitely the thread of the decade!!!

3inarow08 (Kerry) - Posts: 2455 - 23/01/2009 10:10:46    187754

Class stuff Dubfanabroad!

JayoCluxton (Dublin) - Posts: 2688 - 23/01/2009 10:45:21    187782

Dubfan Abroad - That's gonna take some beating as post of the year.....ALREADY! Brilliant.

Jayo, cheers for starting this thread and giving us exiles a chance to relate our stories, definately my favourite thread since the re-vamp and over 100 replies says its a lot of other peoples as well!

Keep it going lads!

Bald Eagle (None) - Posts: 1009 - 23/01/2009 10:51:01    187790

DubFan Abroad - Man... Some story. Best ever. Im not an emotional man but that one was heart felt all the way through.
A good representative for all us exiles and what ther gaa means to us

FromTheNa (Mayo) - Posts: 583 - 23/01/2009 10:57:59    187801

Dubfanabroad. heartwrenching stuff great story

old98 (Wexford) - Posts: 119 - 23/01/2009 11:17:08    187819

Dubfanabroad - best post i have read on the best thread ever

irlande (Fermanagh) - Posts: 535 - 23/01/2009 11:49:59    187850

Thanks to all for the comments.
I was not sure at the start whether I wanted to relay my story, a bit emotional, but lads seem to be enjoying the thread and not slagging each other off. Great job from all. Keep them coming.

Dubfan Abroad (Dublin) - Posts: 282 - 23/01/2009 13:27:58    187955

dubsfanabroad, that is the best post i ever read. to say it brought a tear to my eye! keep up the good work

lino_de_legend (Dublin) - Posts: 816 - 23/01/2009 15:28:25    188125

Brilliant post Dubfan Abroad, go raibh milé maith agut for sharing it.

Denver Gaels Abú!

Wests_Awake (Galway) - Posts: 877 - 23/01/2009 16:25:34    188188

Fair play to you Dubfanabroad, a post for the times. If we ever get a team going on HS the first overseas tour will most certinly to play Denver Gaels in your honour sir!

Dubinmeath (Dublin) - Posts: 1123 - 23/01/2009 17:31:58    188240

I am actually an exile in Ireland. I left in 97 the year after Wexford won the All-Ireland, met an Aussie girl in Sydney settled down and had two kids. I've been there for 12 years, but now I've decided it would be great to come back for the recession. Back in Wexford living up the road from my mother and father with the family.
Sure you couldn't be anywhere else only Ireland during a recession the craic will be mighty!! Come on Ireland!!

ColinWex (Wexford) - Posts: 901 - 23/01/2009 17:35:09    188244

i have been reading this website back and forward over the last few weeks and though i may as well have my say.
i enjoy reading other peoples views within the gaa, whether it to be something of a serious nature or else something less light hearted.
I am in Boston nearly 4 years. decided to come out for a few weeks of a holiday and have never looked back since!!
was fortunate to be at home when tyrone won sam in '05 but have since missed out on the last two, though the sweetness of victory was still special.
i have hit the ground running since i arrived. Being here at reminds me of home so much because there is so many irish around and such a great community, no matter where you are from home. The GAA brings everyone together during the summer months, playing ball in the humidity is a killer with times peaking at over 100 degrees f. its really unbelievable until you try it out!! play both football and hurling out at canton, its a great set-up and it was great to see the railway cup final being played over here a few yrs back.
I get to see all the games in the local pub and having the craic with all the lads, a lot the friendly banter that goes along with it.

bostondkb (Tyrone) - Posts: 35 - 23/01/2009 22:44:05    188443

Good to hear from you Bostondkb. Was over in 2003 - great time. But still looking for the t-shirt from the Brendan Behan pub (Jamaica Plain I think!) that has a pic of the man and the legend 'There's no place on earth like the world'. Can you advise????

ps D'ya know Joe Dunne??

JayoCluxton (Dublin) - Posts: 2688 - 24/01/2009 00:04:42    188496

Dubfanabroad - an incredible story. I was just looking at the thread What Does The GAA Mean To You and Id been thinkin about it but no response in the world could even touch that. Tugged the heard strings.

Maith Thu Jayo, super thread.

3inarow2008 (Kerry) - Posts: 204 - 24/01/2009 03:38:17    188536

Lads,
Again thanks for the comments. The Denver Gaels have a web site if you ever want to have a look. www.denvergaels.com
Of course if any one ever finds themselves in the Rocky Mountain West I guarantee we will be there to welcome you all.
Dub Fan Abroad.

Dubfan Abroad (Dublin) - Posts: 282 - 24/01/2009 05:19:04    188542

lads and lasses,

i posted right at the start of the thread with my story and mentioned i was going to play in a 7s tournament being hosted by the Dubai Celts this weekend here in Dubai. well, just got in from two days of running around (badly) and playing in the sun and wanted to let you know of some great outcomes.

firstly we were crap but we had a right laugh although we weren't too successful on the pitch. we had a couple of lads like me from england playing, a fellow cockney and a geordie who until 4 weeks ago when we started training had never played gaelic football in their lives. after training hard for the 7s and playing over the past two days, we were all in agreement that it'd be a shame to stop completely so we're now looking at training once a week and having a challenge match about once a month as a bit of motivation to keep up the training. we were chatting to the arabian celts (bahrain and saudi) and they invited us over for a piss up (in bahrain) and a challenege match sometime in the near future. it'll then be our turn to play host. we also got on particularly well with an aussie rules team who entered and spent last night on the beer with them until silly o'clock this morning, not good prepartion for a game at 10am! anyway, they're keen for a match and to perhaps join up when playing any further competitions which is good news as we're now thinking of playing in a 7s tournament in october in bangkok. two of the keenest lads to keep the team going are the two english lads who loved playing and really enjoyed the physical side of it and the fact that you get right stuck in. it made us all laugh yesterday when my cockney mate shouted "get in the mix!" at the top of his voice when defending and also when he slid tackled one of the forwards. you can't get the soccer thinking out of him in just 4 weeks.

my point is that it's down to the gaelic games that i now have several more mates over here all made in the past 4 weeks and have all these ideas of setting up a social league of some sort for those of us who don't take it seriously in the extreme. i can't see that a soccer tournament (being from london i still find it strange referring to football as soccer) would've resulted in such cameraderie and am so glad we played, even is this morning was a struggle after last night. as i mentioned before, that since i've got back into football since moving here in 2007, i've re-discovered an enjoyment for sport that i thought i'd lost through my own inactivity and disillusionment at the football circus of the premier league. all i can say is that i'm thankfull i have and long may it continue.

PS - i must say that this thread has been brilliant to read over the past few weeks and it's great to hear what an inspiration the gaelic games are for all of us scattered across the globe. keep them coming everybody as this is easily the best thread on HS!

MiddleEastExile (UK) - Posts: 26 - 24/01/2009 15:37:48    188676

Dubfan Abroad - heart wrenching stuff, im here sick just browsing the laptop bored out of my tree and that really was emotional stuff. Fair play to you. Good luck with everything in Denver it seems like you have a lot more than just a club there. :)

pronane (None) - Posts: 324 - 24/01/2009 17:13:21    188716

Jayo, i live in brighton, yeah brendan behans pub is in JP, though i have never been, i checked them out online but no results for your t-shirt. sorry
i dont know joe dunne, what club is he involved with?

bostondkb (Tyrone) - Posts: 35 - 24/01/2009 20:45:12    188796

Family moved to Leitrim in 1798 and just liked the climate, people, surf, sand, sun, sangria, so stayed.

Gran pappy Ebeneezer started a vineyard in Aughnasheelin.

We still have family in Longford though.

JimMorrisson (Leitrim) - Posts: 309 - 24/01/2009 21:34:32    188821

bostondkb - thanks for that. Joe was more involved with the soccer. Worked with him nearly 25 years ago when he took off to Boston. Think he was involved in a couple of pubs (Purple Shamrock?) - met him a couple of times when he'd be home. Good friend of Jayo Sherlocks.

JayoCluxton (Dublin) - Posts: 2688 - 24/01/2009 22:24:46    188867