Report: Clodagh McCarthy (Hockey Team, 6th Year 2005)

We played our 9th game (a friendly for once) against St. John Bosco. This team consisted of girls from all over the area. The game was very balanced with both teams playing strong. Bosco scored the first goal but we fought back to even it up. Unfortunately Bosco scored two more goals to make the final score 3 - 1. Needless to say there were a few renditions of the 'Fields of Athenry' with the four 6th years becoming a little more than teary-eyed! After the soccer match ended the teams had a presentation in the clubhouse with gifts and applause and surprise surprise, more singing of the 'Fields of Athenry'.

After the presentation the girls went with their families. Deirdre and I and our billet Rebecca went shopping in Miranda where we bumped into nearly every girl from both the hockey and soccer team. There was a lot of impulse shopping and last minute gift shopping done! Rebecca then took us to Cronulla (a smaller version of Bondi Beach) where we saw the waves and all the surfer dudes! The weather was far too cold for me to show off my obviously flawless surfing skills (cough cough). We walked the streets there for about two hours eating our last Cold Rock Ice Cream for at least 2 years.

We headed back to our house where we had a BBQ with another billeting family. Oh the craic was mighty! The packing went well into the wee hours of the morning.

My 2005 Australian Tour Highlights

• Playing/Hanging out with the Brisbane Womens Hockey Team at the tournament. It is cool to think of your friends from the other side of the world. They were so nice. Teaching them Irish was a good laugh too. The whole tournament was great.
• Staying with my family in Forest Lake. They were great and we made loads of new friends there too but only coz……….. WE'RE IRISH.

In front of St John Bosco

6th years at Hard Rock Café

With Michelle and Ailbhe