carrie's birthday present...

Hurlers at Portumna Pitch

The times were good – in fact, they were very good.
There once was a group of friends. They went by the names of Emma, Carrie, Sarah, Joe, Richie and Dec.
So the lads played hurling, as you do,and the girls watched. The lads were fairly savage at hurling – there was no point denying it. Joe was the talk of the country and Richie and Dec were up and coming stars. Their good looks weren’t bad at all...not bad at all. That’s why they were called good looks, you see. Because they weren’t bad.
But anyway, losing track of things here a bit...So as you do, in this elite group, people started to form couple. First off, there was Dec and Sarah...they were well off, nothing could stop them now as the song goes...
So then there were four...Carrie, Emma, Joe and Richie. Now, Joe and Richie were both fine looking lads, but it had to be admitted, Joe was superior in the looks and hurling department so really Richie didn’t have a hope. Well maybe he did, because only one of the girls could have Joe, so Richie was going to get the leftovers.
Righteo, so anyway, sadly a great friendship was torn to pieces when a fight ensued over just who deserved Joe. Joe was happy out with whatever he got, cool as you like, and Richie watched from a distance.
It was a time of hair pulling, face-slapping and of course...the fishbots. Humanity and friendship was forgotten about in the great Battle for Joe Canning.
It was during a particularly violent fishbot battle that everything changed. The fight was going nowhere, no girl would relinquish...all it needed was a little interference from a third party.
On a hot summer’s day, in the middle of Portumna pitch, Carrie and Emma were fishbotting to the death. Joe and Richie watched from afar – Joe looking very pleased with himself and Richie looking sulky. It was then that he walked past. Him. Wearing a blue t-shirt and a smile that could charm an angry dragon. He carried a hurl, and on it a sliotar was balanced as if it could never fall off.
His name was Thomas. Thomas Ryan.
Carrie took one look at Thomas Ryan...and as they say, they fell in love...
And lived happily ever after, as Thomas broke up with his girlfriend Katie as soon as he saw Carrie...she was a bit upset but like she’ll be grand, she’s only a minor character.
So Emma decided that this was all well and good, left Carrie and Thomas to it and went over to Richie and Joe. She looked at them, and broke the news to Richie. ‘It’s not you, it’s me...well actually it’s Joe but details, details...’
Richie responded with a simple...’Oi, Thomas, will ya gimme Katie’s number...sound.’
And Joe and Emma lived happily ever after.
And that was that. Championship games, meetings in Portumna pitch and post-match celebrations lay in the future..
Twas a grand time to be alive, so it was. No one in Kilkenny’s got anything on these lads ... 



Hurlers at Portumna Pitch: The Sequel
Coming out: May 30th 2011
It was supposed to be the end. Everyone was in love, happy...
But you always want what you can’t have.
And what you can’t have is Thomas Ryan.


Happy Birthday Carolineeeeee!!!! 