6 Nations - Focus on: Ireland

posted on 10 February 2012

Well, the 6 Nations got off to a bang here last weekend. France eased past an Italian team who showed a little more flair than their traditional 'up-the-jersey' tactics; England edged Scotland in a typically furious encounter at Murrayfield & Wales sneaked past Ireland in the game of the weekend in Dublin.

One thing that stood out over was the exceptional performances from some of the young guys. No.8 David Denton and Lock Richie Gray from Scotland excelled against England whose stars were new Captain Chris Robshaw and goal-kicker Owen Farrell. For me though, the pick was Welsh winger George North - definitely one for the future. If you missed the games, I'd recommend having a look on YouTube at his impact.

My tips for this weekend - England to win in Rome, Scotland to shock the Welsh in Cardiff and Ireland to bounce back with a rare victory in Paris. That's my neck on the line!

Ireland is always popular during the Six Nations, the lure of Temple Bar and Grafton Street is a magnet to Rugby people from across the globe. In 2013, Ireland host France on March 9^th, so why not kick-off your tour to Ireland in style with tickets to the biggest game of that weekend.

Dublin, of course, is the ideal starting point for an excellent tour across the country. The city isn't just popular for after-hours entertainment, the sport, culture and history of the place is rarely matched elsewhere in Europe. The quality of the local youth and college Rugby is exceptional, so bring you're A-Game when you are in town. Visits to the Guinness Storehouse, the Gaelic Football Museum & Landsdowne Road are compulsory.

From Dublin our next stop would be Galway on the west coast of the Connacht province. This is my favourite place in Ireland - I'd call it the real Ireland. Dublin is cosmopolitan and international, much-like many European Capitals, but Galway is authentic and true. The bars are filled with music, the local countryside is stunning, and the welcome you will get at the Rugby Clubs here is heartfelt and genuine. A day trip to Connemara or the Cliffs of Moher is a must.

We took Drexel University (PA) here to Galway last Spring. On the day we went to Moher, the weather was immense, and the views from the Cliffs were breath taking. You can see photos from their trip in the Ireland pages of our website.

From Galway, we could head north to Belfast or south to Cork. Belfast is a booming ex-Industrial city that has had a total overhaul in recent years. Recent history offers visitors a magnificent education opportunity to school groups. While the city is more Dublin than Galway, it is a massive contrast to both and would offer a great 3^rd stop if time permitted.

St John's University (MN) will take in Dublin, Galway & Belfast on their 2013 tour with Sky High Sports. An example itinerary can be seen by clicking here.

Some people organise tours to Europe from 4,000 miles away, we are already here! For more information on our other trips to Europe and why we think we are the best at what we do, click here.

I would be delighted to speak with you about a tour to Europe for your team in the future.