Approximately 30 players left a very hot Malaga airport on Sunday 24th August for a week in Dublin. We arrived to be greeted by warm sunshine though this did not last, grey skies dominated the week but it was reasonably warm and we had very little rain.

Despite the questionable weather everyone had a great time and we played three matches without getting wet. Our first match was on a carpet at Kenilworth Bowling Club, the oldest club in Dublin, where we won three rinks each and Superbowl won the match on shots.

Our second game was at the Railway Union green on grass, a new experience for many of our players, where we won 4 rinks to two and won the match. After the match we enjoyed a BBQ and few drinks with our opponents and thoroughly enjoyed their hospitality.

Finally we played at St James Gate, the old Guinness club, against a very strong team, which included the President of the Irish Ladies Bowling Association. We again won three rinks each but this time lost out on the match score, Superbowl were leading at 15 ends but a late surge by three of the Irish rinks gave them victory. After the match we enjoyed an evenings entertainment in the excellent clubhouse, a traditional band, buffet and excellent Guinness.

Overall the bowling was a great success and some of less experienced players will have gained tremendously from the experience.

As anyone who has been on a tour would expect we had a great time socially, on Monday morning we accepted an invitation to visit the Presidents House in Phoenix Park where we receive a very warm welcome, coffee and biscuits, and a very interesting tour. What a wonderful relaxed atmosphere, we were permitted to sit on the antique furniture in the staterooms and, if any our members had been pianists they were invited to play the Steinway Piano, can’t imagine that happening at Buckingham Place. Unfortunately the President was away with her family or we would have enjoyed coffee with her.

Many of the tourists saw the excellent Riverdance Show and everyone enjoyed the visit to the Guinness Storehouse, learning how it is produced and sampling the excellent brew.

We had an evening at Johnnie Foxes, the highest pub in Ireland, a great meal followed by a hooley. Finally we went to the greyhounds where we had a private function room, a good meal and at least some of us came away with more money than we went with.

The tour was organised by Brian Judge and Irene Breatnach who are both members at Kenilworth as well as Superbowl, Craig and Sandra Lewis did the administration, not an easy job. Craig was tour captain and all four did a superb job.