Sugar n' spice!

Sugar n' spice and everything nice, that's what little girls are made of. Our little princess played in her first Camogie match today. She is the little angel all in white with the blue helmut, I tried to center her in each photograph. Just click on the photo to get a better glimpse. What an exciting sport and these under 10 year old girls are no exception. There are no mamby pambies out here on this field. They go after every ball and are aggresive and play like true champions, and yes those are sticks in their hands, or as we call them hurleys.

In Ireland, the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) is the glue that holds every parish together. It is particularly strong out here in the coutryside amongst the Farm boys (and girls). Hurling is the fastest field sport in the world and is very exciting to watch. The hurleys are made from Ash trees and hurt when you get hit with one (the stick not the tree). I wanted to publicly say that there was not one tear shed during this game, however I have been to a few boys' matches where there was alot of crying taking place.


The children play hurling and gaelic football in school as part of their physical education program and then play for the local club from end of March to October. It is a nice way to get to know people in your community as well as get all the local gossip (something the Irish are never short of !!!!) What's funny about going to a girls match versus a boys match is the way the girls interact with one another. When you arrive at the pitch (field) there is alot of hugging and holding hands and fixing hair with the girls. The socks have to be just so and the shirt tucked in just right, I'm sure many of you can relate. With the boys it is a whole different can of beans! The boys will wear dirty uniforms for starters, they don't care what they look like. Thank God for mommy's!!!! The boys also like to test out the strength of the helmuts or shin guards by hitting their friends really hard in those areas with their hurleys to see if the equipment is really doing a proper job. Boys also don't talk to one another as animatedly as girls, they barely say hello and then they talk while kicking rocks all the while making sure you can't hear LOL!!!!!! Girls are very quick to ask if there teammate is okay if they fall or get hit or even an opponent for that matter. Boys will actually taunt one another and if an opponent does something dirty then threats are made.
I also want to note that it was bitter, bitter cold today and the wind was unreal while standing watching this match and I stood with friends on the sidelines the whole time. Farmer Boy and DS2 at half time went and watched the second half from the car. Big Babies!!!!! When my daughter asked where her daddy was I said that he was in the car because he was cold, she shook her head. GIRL POWER or as she says, "Girls rule, boys drool"!!!!!! Please give me strength......

Keep smiling and see you soon!