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South Jersey Rugby celebrate fifty years with rugby tour to Ireland

To celebrate fifty years, South Jersey Rugby Football Club wanted to do something that little bit special. Earlier this year, they jetted across the Atlantic to Ireland for what they later described as a “great planned rugby tour that was carried out…to perfection”.

Irish Rugby Tours at the Guinness Storehouse

Time to quench that thirst at the Guinness Storehouse

The tour was organised by global rugby tour specialists, Irish Rugby Tours, who bring their distinctly attentive touch to tours all over the world. Irish Rugby Tours has over twenty years experience of looking after groups from both home and abroad. The company has built up long and strong bonds with the rugby community in their native Emerald Isle and thus was the obvious choice for South Jersey RFC.

“We would and will be recommending Irish Rugby Tours to others and we will definitely be using them again.”

“A local university had used Irish Rugby Tours before,” says Bob Carr, South Jersey RFC. “They came highly recommended and now we know why. They did a great job. They were always accessible and ready to answer any questions or give information. Our guides and drivers were terrific and on the rugby side of things, the matches that were provided were very fair; we didn’t play against a team that was far superior. The post match that was provided was great fun too and a lot of people got involved with the music and dancing.”

Irish Rugby Tours at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin

South Jersey Rugby at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland

All teams represented

The touring group consisted of over sixty people representing both women’s and men’s teams from South Jersey RFC. Over six days, they packed in two matches, against Athy RFC in Leinster and Monivea RFC in Connacht. In Dublin, the group witnessed a full international as Ireland took on Italy at the Aviva Stadium. From the home of Irish rugby it was on to the home of Guinness for a pint of the famous Irish ‘medicine’ before heading into the West and along the Wild Atlantic Way to the Cliffs of Moher. A highlight for many was the free day to explore the delights and charms of Galway City while many others welcomed the chance to use the pool and steam room in the Connacht Hotel after the bruising encounter with the aforementioned Monivea RFC.

 

South Jersey Rugby get ready for their game against Monivea RFC

“As many of us had not been to Ireland before the places we toured and visited were perfect,” says Bob. “Since we got home, I have been talking with a bunch from our group and we all have some great stories from the trip. We would and will be recommending Irish Rugby Tours to others and we will definitely be using them again. It was worth every penny. There was nothing else we could have asked for.”

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Irish Pubs in Japan

Irish Rugby Tours fully expect the multitudes of Irish fans travelling east to the Rugby World Cup to enjoy their time in a new land and dive head first into the rich and colourful culture of Japan. But we are aware that after such a long haul, there may be some who feel a slight twinge of heartache for home. For those who are easily struck down by homesickness, we have compiled a very short list of Irish pubs in Japan. In fact we have found you at least one Irish pub in each of the four pool match locations…and one for the final! #MonIrelan’

An Solas, Tokyo

Irish Rugby Tours recommends An Solas - Irish Pubs in Japan

Seeing the light in An Solas

Ok, so we know Ireland don’t have a game here…yet. But whatever happens you’d be an eejit not to visit Tokyo while in Japan and it’s for that reason this Irish pub in Japan makes the cut.

This little corner of Tokyo is about as close as you’ll get to Tubbercurry in Japan. Guinness on tap, daysent grub – soda bread and cider included, Irish staff and a trad group replete with both rams and banjos. It’s in the old part of town too, so after you’ve got your taste of home you can get back out there and do what you’re there for – experiencing Japan! Paddy Maloney’s favorite Irish pub in Tokyo.

 

The Green Sheep, Yokohama

Irish Pubs in Japan

Apart from being a great BAA (sorry), the great advantage of this spot is that it’s a straight run on the Blue Line to the stadium. They also do food and they have an outside seating area. It’s spacious and the staff all speak pretty good English. If you are a nervous traveller this is exactly the spot to go to before the game against Scotland kicks off. It’s easy.

A Boy Named Tsu – the owner told us he only knew ‘Whiskey in the Jar’ and ‘I’ll tell Me Ma’

Giggle, Shizuoka 

Irish Pubs in Japan

A Boy named Tsu

Of all the Irish pubs in Japan on our list this is probably our favourite. Giggle is run by a boy named Tsu who plays banjo and loves Irish music. He runs trad sessions here every week and can probably tell what Shane McGowan had for breakfast. We once asked him if he knew the famous Johnny Cash song ‘A Boy Named Sue’,  and he told us he only knew ‘Whiskey in the Jar’ and ‘I’ll tell Me Ma’. He is a bona-fide legend and deserves honorary Irish citizenship.

During happy hour they have pints of Carlsberg on tap for 700¥ (that’s about €5.60) but it’s probably as good as it gets. Japan is not cheap. Tsu is however worth is weight in gold…out the end of a rainbow of course.

 

Avery, Kobe

Kobe is famous for its beef. Apparently, it comes from cows who are given the finest grass and early morning massages. If  you are staying on after the first two games, this might be the perfect place to give your ego a little gentle massaging too. As well as the beers and stouts you’d expect, Avery’s does a decent line in craft beers. It’s small and poky but that just makes it all the more cosy. After all the mania, you can expect the Irish contingent here to be a little less raucous. This would be the perfect spot for a few quieter pints. Find out how to get there here.

 

The Hakata Harp, Fukuoka

Irish Rugby Tours recommends Hakata Harp - Irish Pubs in Japan

It has a haka and harp. What’s not to like?

 It’s got a haka and a harp so this has to be a rugby pub! In fact a quick look at its website gives the impression that it’s endorsed by the Irish government. We are not sure it is but they sure have a comprehensive food menu fit for Toaisigh! 

 

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Get your Bunnies ready for an Egg Chucking Easter Rugby Festival Abroad!

At Irish Rugby Tours we know that Easter is a great time to hop on a plane and spend some time with the people you love most. That’s right – YOUR RUGBY TEAM!

There is a colourful array of  Easter rugby festivals and tournaments taking place right across Europe over the coming break and each of them have their own unique characteristics and surprises.

Irish Rugby Tours offers tours to great venues in fabulous cities right across Europe. These festivals book out quickly. So if you’re thinking of taking your team abroad, here are few suggestions for you. Let us know, when you need our help.

Portugal Rugby Festival – Lisbon

Portugal Rugby Festival in sunny Lisbon takes place this year from April 13th – 14th. It is a whirlwind cracking weekend of rugby fun across fifty pitches and gives you and your team the opportunity to meet rugby fans from other parts of Europe. It is a trip you are unlikely to forget in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

Players at last year’s event in Lisbon

Find out more & feel free get in touch

Find out more about rugby in Portugal

Tournoi de Cornouaille – Brittany

It’s selling out fast but there are still a few places left at this year’s Tournoi de Cornouaille in Quimper in Brittany. The tournament itself takes place over two days at Easter. Included in this great value package are hot lunches, player snacks and an end of festival party for those who took part. And it’s all happening right in the heart of the beautiful town of Quimper.

Find out more & feel free to get in touch

The beautiful town of Quimper has some excellent local restaurants.

Ghent Rugby Festival – Ghent

When you think of rugby, Belgium may not be the first place that springs to mind yet they have a strong tradition of playing the game in their part of the world. Indeed one of rugby’s longest running festivals takes place in the beautiful city of Ghent. The Ghent Easter Rugby Festival is now in its 31st year and each year it gets bigger and better with more teams, more food stalls and more entertainment. Ghent itself is a stunning city to walk around and enjoy some much needed downtime.  

Find out more & feel free to get in touch

Hilversum Rugby Festival – Amsterdam

If there were prizes going for inclusivity and family friendliness then surely this delightful festival one at Hilversum would be up there. This one day event takes place at Hilversum Rugby Club, a thirty-five minute drive from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and just forty minutes from central Amsterdam.

A wonderful one day festival that encourages rugby from children as young as eight up to sixteen, the festival will, this year, take place on April 21st.

After a hard day on the pitch, Amsterdam is the perfect city to visit to wind down. Its canals, cobbled streets and exceptional galleries are true jewels of Europe as are the people themselves.

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Half-time talk at Hilversum.

International SQY Festival – Paris

If you fancy springtime in Paris then maybe the International SQY Rugby Festival is the very trip you have been looking for. This year’s event takes place on 19th – 21st April 2019 and includes an awards ceremony and gala dinner for team managers. The tour also includes a transfer to Paris for a boat trip down the Seine and there is the chance of taking in some Top 14 rugby while there.

It is a a fully immersive rugby weekend for ages 10 -14 and might just be the very trip that builds dreams of being an international star!

Find out more & feel free to get in touch

 

 

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