Day 44 - Sunday, February 13th, 2011

Despite the 5am retirement, unparallelled territory was broached when once again, all four musketeers breakfasted like kings, and advanced with haste to the John Daly-designed Blarney Golf Course for the 2nd and final day of the Husqvarna Cup. Magnanimously, the Irish team nullified the results of the previous day, given that the round had not been completed. Conditions were glorious to start, but a tumultuous shower is never far away, and at the 4th hole, the skies darkened and opened heavily but briefly. Back to blue skies for the next 6 holes, then out of nowhere, it pelted hailstones, turning the greens white! 5 minutes later, all was clear again - what a crazy nation!

As for the golf itself, I played out of my skin for the first 6 holes, scoring an actual Par 4 on the 3rd, then reverted to normal abysmal fare, but compatriot Conquer took up the baton with outrageously long drives and a 5&3 victory was secured. Time to retreat to a packed clubhouse to catch the 2nd half of Ireland v France (a narrow victory for the latter) and unleash the celebratory Ugandan champagne (water). For nourishment, the chowder was epic, the Moroccan lamb (dried mince in pitta bread) not so much.

The road was hit at 4.15pm and my travelling companions ensured that the fatigued driver stayed effervescent by....all falling asleep. Even with a brief petrol pit-stop in Naas, I was back at the Lighthouse for 7.15pm with all three others dropped off at their doorsteps. A truly magnificent weekend was at an end with all too few hours of it left to commence the recuperation process.

 
So farewell then, Blarney

Contentment :  14 / 25
Excitement :     4.5 / 10
Memorability :  5.5 / 15

Overall : 49% (6th out of 44)