Mh you run into the Irish if you like stories, you know, settle in, buckle up, charge the glass, pour a pint and listen. You know, the music, the poems, the stories, the jokes, the crack as they say, is it just just does not stop.
That got thoughts in my head. Can't get them. J Not the thing what I'm thinking about, not going thoughts in my head, can't get them, joh, not the thing what I'm thinking about.
Hello, this is Alan Schipnok back for another Fire Drill podcast. This is kind of a fun one. We're going to talk all things Ireland. If you go to our distribution partner, golf digest dot com, they have two very long travelogues that Matt Janella has put together in his Journeys franchise. One is around Dublin and one is around Belfast and all the golf, the culture of the history will be to these great cities on the island of Ireland. Matt, thanks for thanks for being here to talk about all
this stuff. I know that you're an honorary Irishman and you have some roots on the island, and tell us about how excited you are that these projects are now out there in the wild.
I mean, you know, again, you know what I think of Ireland, you know what I think of the Irish, and that goes for you know, quite frankly for me and the experiences I've had and the friends I've made in all of my travels to and from the Island of Ireland, the Republic and Northern Ireland. It's hard for
me to differentiate the two. And I think tonight, for the purposes of what we're going to be doing in terms of talking about our ranking of our golf courses on the Island of Ireland, we kind of group them all together. Obviously, over time and through you know, several conversations with many people going from Dublin to Belfast, you learn a lot about how and why you know they're you know, it's very different Northern Ireland, six counties of the thirty two counties that make up kind of the
Island of Ireland. You know, you read about and learn about Michael Collins and what he did to secure the twenty six counties of what is the Republic of Ireland, and you learn about sort of how and why there is still a very distinct separation. And I think there's a lot of movement to evolve that relationship between these two countries, which you know, as driving along, you're not really you're not really you're not going through any kind
of checkpoint. You're not you know, showing your passport to get from one to the next. But there is a very distinct difference, you know, you start seeing different flags, different different representation of you know, the politics between sort
of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. I would say it's probably somewhat similar to the politics in the United States in that, you know, the ten percent on the far left and ten percent on the far right are the loudest, and there's an eighty percent in the middle who are much more sensible and kind of just want to move on, don't really want to get in, you know, they want to kind of evolve out of the bitterness, the hate, the the pain, you know, I
would say, is one word to describe it. So in that sense, I you know, you know, Dublin is a much it's it's kind of a lighter air to the city and the environment and the experiences you have I find, you know, Belfast, you know, and again I think it's come a long way, maybe even since the first time
I've ever sort of went through there. This was the first time I really immersed myself in the city of Belfast and spend a lot of time kind of walking the streets, going to pubs, and there's a little it's a little heavier, it's a little darker, it's a little edgier. Trying to think of, you know, maybe two cities to try to compare it to, you know, it's not really
San Francisco to New York, It's not. It might be more like Manhattan to Boston, you know, like we're you know, Manhattan has a more of a lighter air to it. It's a little more of a cultural melting pot, where Boston's got a little bit of an edge to it, you know. Uh Like I guess, you know, if I were to try to summarize it to an American sort
of listener. But again, I've I've made so many friends in both areas and spent you know, a fair amount of time listening to where they're at with it, and that, to me was one of the one of the best experiences about these two particular trips was the real immersion into the cities. Because a lot of you know, to the points I make in that Dublin Dublin Travel show
and also in Belfast. A lot of times people go into these big cities and then just spoke out and head to the coast and get those traditional links experiences to the Southwest or the north Northwest. And I don't think they they spend enough time in these what I would consider like really great cities, you know, in terms of the fun and energy and and and food and vibe, and you know, the sporting life and culture is very vibrant and and and you know between rugby and hurling,
mostly in the Republic of Ireland. But that those kind of things are just it's it's it's fascinating to me and and it was a real privilege and it's always an honor to get an opportunity to do some of this type of storytelling, this kind of long form immersive storytelling. Could have done an hour each on each city. Honestly, we had enough content to do it, and over time, I think we'll continue to put it out on our firepit collective dot com channels or throughout various you know,
social components and digital shorts and even more podcasting. So the crews that I worked with on these shows and the editing and all the different people that are a part of putting this together. As you know, Alan like, there's a lot of talented people that I work with, both Ireland Ireland based and that we brought over from the US, and they all deserve a lot of credit. Jesse Levine and Rex Lint and you know, you know Jake Muldowney who who did a lot of editing on this.
Mel McClain uh is a local Irish guy, Cormick Downs these these you know, Darren Fitzgerald, Kieren fitz Simons, who actually I played hard glass with eleven time club champion car Golf, is very supportive and sort of getting us around and facilitating some of the logistics of all of this.
It is such a complete and total team effort, and one person, you know, leads into the next, and all the different people that lent their time and expertise and perspectives, it's it's just really it's a it's very special to me. I do have Irish roots. My great great grandfather. I found his old house. We're going to continue to tell
that story in in County Claire. Michael Boland, Francis Boland, his son emigrated, uh to San Francisco, and he you know, he was my great grandfather and he was the father of Grandma Mary and my mom, my dad's mom. So being able to trace all of that back was part of this whole adventure that that I went on. And then I spent a month there in July and played the father daughter and the father son. So it just kept going. This has been just a real, real connective
uh sort of adventure to you know, all things. The island of Ireland.
I had people say to me, is not ever coming home? I was like, I don't know.
I do think there's a possibility one day that you know, uh, the Janella crew will take a one way flight to Ireland. Because you know, the more you're there, the harder it is to leave. Honestly, there's there's us this cultural warmth and pool and and you know connective tissue that the more you're there, the harder it is to get on a plane and go home, because it starts feeling a lot like home. I mean, Killian o'doubt and Shane Fleming
and Aidan Maloy. I mean, the list goes on and on of people that you know almost are becoming you know, brother figures and Owen Lynch and Joe Canning now and you know this is this is Noel. Ryan has now become a new friend. You know, guys that the minute you mean, come on, let's go, We're getting you want to play god, you want to let's go out. You can come to my home. Where can I do for you? Do you need anything? You want to borrow a cart?
Like you know it just like it just keeps coming and coming, and uh, it's just beautiful.
Yeah, there is very something very special about that place. And you know, obviously some of our listeners want to talk about about the golf courses. We'll certainly get to that. But just for those who haven't had a chance to watch the video, just give them a taste of what's in this most recent installment, which really focused on Belfast and the North and there one is there one thread that runs through this this long form kind of storytelling that it's particularly special to you.
So I'm going to pause right there, and we're going to take a second before answer that question and before we get into the to the sort of the meat of this this particular sort of Belfast excursion. And thank Link Soul for being our sponsor for a lot of a lot of what we do here at Firepit Collective.
As you know, I've been really dear friends with John Ashworth for you know better part of almost twenty years now and just always have loved and appreciated that relationship and admired his you know, his commitment to the good stuff in life and golf and literally linking soul. So you know, he's come over to Ireland with me quite
a bit. We've played in the father Son So all of the apparel on and off the golf course, especially in Ireland, by the way, it's those hoodies and some of the outerwear is very very cherished on all those trips over to Ireland and the rain geal by the way. So thanks to linksoul and go to link soul dot com and use Firepit twenty five for twenty five percent off your next purchase purchase on link soul dot com.
And then also Dormy Workshop, you know again that golf family business based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where all they do is make quality leather headcovers and accessories. The Bishop Brothers I met at the PGA Merchandise Show almost ten years ago promoting their product and everything that they do
ever since. Go to Dormy Workshop dot com use promo code fire Pit fifteen for fifteen percent off your next purchase, or as you know on the pit shop at Firepit Collective dot com, get one of the Dormy Firepit head covers or matching stash bags. So got to pay the bills and those guys do a lot to support us,
So want to thank both Links and Army Workshop. Back to your question in terms of the thread of what this travel show is specific to Belfast, it's really about sort of hunkering down in the center of that city and yes, spoking out to some of these golf experiences and excursions, but they're all they're all sort of within an hour and a half drive, and they're all very
capable of coming back home to the city. So in both these these Dublin and Belfast, it was all about kind of instead of doing that raucous road and travel and driving and playing and then moving on and you know, sort of never really unpacking because you're always sort of
packing and going to the next spot. It was really nice and refreshing, given where I am in my life and what we know, what we like to do, and sort of the level of you know, dining experiences and some of the some of the off course excursions that are that are offered in both Dublin and Belfast. This was just really really nice to stay and sort of play in one place for five and six days at a time. So that was kind of the thread of both of these travel travelogus.
Yeah, I mean, I don't I'm not sure if people understand how great the golf is just on the outskirts, especially of Dublin. I mean, you don't have to go far to play world class courses. And you and I have done some serious barnstorming, and those trips are fun, but they're also exhausting. You're in a different bed every night, and you're packing unpacking the car constantly. It's like a Rubik's cube to make it all and sometimes you just have to do it if you really want to see
some of these places. But the idea of having a home base and if you have like you know, I know, Katie was over there with you and bendto for part of it, like they can do cool things in the city and they can explore and then you can get together for dinner like that, that does sound very civilized.
Is exactly. It would be a good word to describe the whole experience. And again, I think couples or groups of guys that you know, maybe only want to play eighteen in a day, and don't you know again navigating the roads on the other side of the car and the other side.
Of the road.
That takes a level of commitment and focus. You know that that not a lot of people I think are prepared to do or sort of you know, in a space to do after having a few pints againness or what you know, it just kind of it just kind of frees you up to you know, take on an Ireland adventure in a much different way. And both are amazing and again we've we've been lucky enough to do both now. But uh, you know, a little music at night, you know, hunker down, kind of stumb back to your hotel.
There's something to be said for that.
Yeah. Absolutely, So you've met a lot of characters you name dropped a few of them already. But the Irish are great talkers, are great storytellers. The crack, as they say, never quit. Maybe this would be a time to introduce a couple of voices. Any favorite characters that you want to you want to bring into this podcast for a listener.
Well, you know you talked about the golf in Dublin, and in Dublin we kind of have have talked about this, but you know, Royal count I mean sorry, Royal Dublin and Port Marnick and the island. You know, some of the some of the courses I got to play while in Dublin were amazing. And you're right, you know, and and uh you got Port Marnick links that's going through some transitional stuff here and only getting better. And uh so there there's there's Dublin is is low. So did
you go up to Belfast? And again you're you're not a far drive away from you know, Port Stewart, Port Rush, Royal County Down ard Glass. You know, you know you can get around Royal Belfast for that matter, you can get around and go to some pretty incredible golf experiences without too much driving. And then again have experiences like Titanic Belfast in Belfast proper. So at Royal County Down.
It's the first course I play in this travelogue. Kevan k e v A and Kevan Whitson is you know, essentially the director of golf there and has been there for over thirty years, and you'll see in the show he kind of sees us off. On the first tee. We had the most incredible day. You know, got a little bit of rain and again when you rock up at somebody's places, you can get you know, torrential downpours. I mean, you know, it's Ireland, it happens. But we
had kind of one of the most spectacular day. The base of the Mountains of Morn you know, the skies cleared. We had a little bit of rain, but then you with that, you get rainbows when the sun comes out. The rain had hit pretty hard right before we teed off, so it kind of chased a lot of a lot of other golfers away. So it was almost like we
had the course to ourselves. And I was out there with a guy named Stephen Burns, a long time you know caddy out there from in that area, lives in that area, and he and I had just like this spiritual walk around Royal County down. He couldn't have been couldn't have been nicer. You know, you have that, you have that one on one experience with a caddy. You know, even the crew kind of left us alone for you
know about you know, eight to ten holes. You know, they were with us for the start, they were with us for the finish. So you know, we just had a really incredible experience. And that golf course in that kind of weather, when the wind kind of lays down and Royal County down, is as vulnerable as it gets,
because I'm not sure that it's ever really vulnerable. You know, I had a good tempo going, I played, you know, played way better than sort of what I normally do, and it just just felt you know, eighteenth old Rainbow. We had whiskey at the turn, on the shot on
the tenth te It just it was great. And Kevin sort of talks about one thing that didn't make the show that kind of got edited out that we'll play for you now, is you know what the impact of what the Irish Open was in twenty fifteen when Rory kind of reinserted himself into you know, what would have been the host of the Irish Open when the Irish Open was you know, struggling a bit, you know and trying to find its way, and I think Rory, you know, put it put it on its back, put it on
his back and you'll hear him talk about sort of what that the impact that had on Of course, that was already you know, well respected and well received by the people who would making the journey, but it brought a lot more eyeballs.
Rody was a terrific host of that tournament. He put his heart and soul and to that event. We didn't have the kindest weather that way, but it was an opportunity to get the very best players in the world to come here and see the place, and the pictures were being there und the world, so it was the reaction to the golf course and to the tournament was fantastic.
You can make a case that Royal County Down or Royal Port Rush is the best golf course in the world, and I would buy it either way. I mean, I'm a humongous fan of Port Rush. To me is just one of the most awesome experiences on the planet. And there's a lot of people who prefer Royal County Down. So that's how good the golf is in the North, let alone all these other cult classics and hidden gems. But I mean, as a one to two punch, does not get better than the County Down and Port Rushes.
It really doesn't no and again and you'll see the visuals of in this episode of Royal County Down and then you know again we we did the Manning Brothers Ultimate Buddies Trip podcast and if you haven't listened to that, I highly recommend it because the last place they go up and play is Royal County Down and the sleeve Donnered Hotel there is now you know, a marine and lawn property and some of the guys on that trip or you know owners now the new owners of sleeve
Donnered and that you know, Eric Church one of the great you know, one of the greatest names and voices in country music in the US in Nashville, you know, being at Sleeved honored and in that you know, the Mountains of Morn inspired him to write a song that ultimately he released on our podcast. But it's it's it's that's the kind of that's the visuals that that that kind kind of you know, and and the soulful stir that happens when you go to a place like that
and have that kind of experience. So that's Royal County Down. The other the other course, we played next Door to Port Rush and we'll get to our list here at the end of this podcast of our top ten you know on the island of Ireland. But you know, go back to the US Open at Aaron Hills and I'm on the Putting Green and I'm sort of wrapping out with Brooks and Ricky Elliott. His Ricky Elliott from Northern Ireland, from Port Stewart and where you know, I had sort
of recently done something on Portsey. Oh, I saw you did somebody? What do you think ports? He goes, you know who you got to find? You got to find Dez Giffen. Dez Giffen is a math teacher, essentially a teacher in the area. Taught me Graham McDowell. He went out and designed that front nine of Port Stewart for a couple of pints of beer. I was like, what what are you talking about? I mean, you know you know that. Have you played Port Stewart?
Oh? Yeah, that front nine is epic.
It's just like, I mean, you know that punches you in the teeth, right, I mean you're you're like, wait what you know right off the that first tea box and down by you know, it's amazing, just the left of Harry Shack and done done a variety of things on it. But I, over the years of trying to track down Dez Giffing, I kept missing him, like he wasn't in town, or I wasn't available when he was available, and I, you know, this went on for years of like I gotta find Dez Giffrin, I got to find given.
So on this particular trip, we finally got ahold of him and I said, Dez, all I want to do is sit down and talk to you and play this golf course with you. And we made it happen. And uh and you'll see that, you know that interview and hear that story about you know, how they ultimately got the land. You know, they looked at it after Royal Port Rush hosted the Open in nineteen fifty one, the membership of Port Stewart looked at these dunes land, which
is just really extreme. It's like carn right, I mean the kind of dunesland where you're like, what the big and humbling, and they looked at it and deemed it was not suitable for golf. They thought it was just almost too much. And you think about nineteen fifties, you're
not dealing with the equipment there. Well, eventually, you know, Dez and some members and you know, kind of push on and ultimately get the land and then you know, go snooping around out there and I think we can do it and knock a few dunes down and talk, you know, flatten off a few tops of dunes and those make those greens. And thus you have the front nine at Port Stewart. And Dez Giffen is not an architect, doesn't claim to be one, but you know, he's well traveled.
He was a very well accomplished golfer. And he and and the guy who is still there today is the superintendent. Ultimately, you know, make this all become a reality. And the whole thing costs two hundred and fifty thousand pounds, and you know, and now they just file him in there and people come and play that, you know, Playport Stewart, you know, pretty specifically for that front nine thanks to
Dez Giffen. The current sort of course manager Superintendent Bernard Finley and Dez Giffen really kind of get the get the credit for doing this. Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds is what it costs. And as Ricky Elliott. You know, I sort of mentioned it to Day's like, hey, Ricky Elliott just said you did it for a couple of pints of beer and goes, well, it's kind of true. They did give him honorary membership and he still does
play the golf course from time to time. He's it's getting a little tougher for him as he gets, you know, you know, older, because it's it's no Joe, it's it is a pretty it's pretty uh uh you know, it's it's a good walk. But it was just a real treat.
Uh.
And again the sun came out as we were getting to the seventh green, eight t ninth hole, uh, you know, and we get all the way to the to the top of the of the green and there and again it's just like lit up. And then we go and we have a pint on the back porch and and we had a really sweet conversation that didn't make the
final edit. Uh, we got we got a little bit of we've got the visual visuals of it, but it was, you know, it was it was a neat opportunity to sort of actually buy him another pint and thank him for all that he you know he left behind there in the in what has become the front nine of Port Stewart. So here's our conversation on that back porch.
He takes some joy and kind of seeing people take off and going in.
When you created this, don't think about it, Natol not it must have been really No, No, it's it's there. It'll be there hopefully. So I have had my pleasure right of being able to do it. It's a good privilege and it's not something that happens to anybody very often.
It's a nice gift.
The ten year old DEAs that roamed those dudes has given this, this, this town, quite a gift for for many years to come and many people like me who fly from all over the world to come experience raw links land like this.
It's it exceeds experience.
Well, it's always nice to know that you enjoy it. That's the big thing, enjoying it. If it wasn't enjoyable, it wouldn't be worth coming to.
All good stories come back to the beginning. And you said it from the beginning, when you set out to do this, it was to make it enjoyable. Yes, I enjoyed it. Yeah, good, your good.
Health that's awesome. I mean, you gotta love these characters. You know, in this in this modern era where gil Haunts gets seemingly every golf course in the world he's working on find these locals and you know, he evokes like a George Cromb or a Jack Neville, you know, the guys who did like one golf course in their life and they were they were they were pretty memorable.
Well it's it's it's not unlike what like John Ashworth was doing at Godill Park, you know, with with his with his crew out there, they're changing hole by hole. It's not unlike what the locals did at Critch Island, Uh, you know, nestled between there and important New and and uh and Saint Patrick's which is gil Hanson Tom Doak and then you got, like the locals out there were
shovels creating the Crisch Island experience. This this nine hole homegrown golf experience that if you pass by and don't play it, you're you're just you're you're you know, you're missing the boat. Those those stories that you stumble upon in places like you know, Ireland and Northern Ireland are just that's a big part of a big part of the uniqueness and fun.
I know a place that's very special to you that's not on the radar screen of every American you know, Vagabond Golfer is art Glass, which which is up in the North as well, and it's to my great regret, I had a tea time there during the week of the Open at Port Rush, and I can't remember what happened. I can't remember her name, but anyway, no that's not true, but I couldn't make the tea time and it still
haunts me. I mean, I'll get there someday, but tell people what's so special about our glass and its place in your golfing life? You know?
It was?
It was that Irish Open and I had my I got to play in that pro am actually with Ricky Fowler, Ap McCoy one of the great jockeys in the history of horse racing, certainly as it relates to Ireland, and Patty Kilty who from Northern Ireland is a comedian and now a talk show host up there. Who's whose remains a friend and got to play in that tournament. I was there with Tim Rose a Fort and Todd Curran.
My best buddy was on the bag and reporting live for you know, Morning Drive from the Irish Open and and you know, Marty Carr, dear friend, and we're running around, we're at the sleeve Donnard Van Morrison and you get Rory's hosting. It's just really good energy. Weather wasn't great as as Kevin alluded to, but it didn't really matter. It was like it was just one big giant jamboree and festival of fun. And and you know, we had stayed out really late one night and Marty says, hey,
tomorrow morning, we're going over to our glass. You've got to see this place. I'm like, I don't this doesn't know. I mean, I can't you, I can't feel my face. Let alone, like get up and go play golf, you know what I mean? No, no, no, you got to do it. Get in the car and he and his best friend from sort of you know, going way back and me and my best friend piling cars and you know, again it's also about like the discovery of all discovery of it all.
Right.
You come in, you're in pain, you're hungover, you know, your reek of like God only knows what you consume the night before, and it's coming out of your pores, you know, and you show up and you rock up into this parking lot and it's a castle of a clubhouse that goes back into the fourteen hundreds, you know, and it's about thirty minutes away from Royal County down.
It felt like three hours. Like it was like, oh my god, the twisting turns like, oh God, I just want to just want to curl up in a bed and show up on the first team in that Irish fresh you know, Irish breeze hit you and it kind
of wakes you up. And Paul Vaughn, the pro there who was there then is still there, he and his wife there, and Karen Fitzsimon's and meeting some of the locals, you know, just this warm embrace, and you know, you get up over that first you know, first hole, and you get on the first green and the second t and you're looking at this little part three that looks like it looks something like almost reverse of the approach of the eighth fairway at Pebble Beach, right if the
eighth green was elevated and you were standing on that fairway hitting that shot to an elevated green, or kind of like you know, to a more elevated green and you saw that extreme you know, Carrie and some of the coastline, you'd be like, that's the second hole of our glass. That's how our glass opens. And then it continues to run along that coastline. Then it cuts in lit it comes back down along the coastline. I mean,
I was like, what in what what is this? You know, it just again, it just like it just grabs you and it holds onto your pant leg like you know, like a like a little terrier, would you know if you're trying to steal the mail. I mean, this is just relentlessly incredible. And I've now been back, you know, several times since they continue to put you know, now they are on the radar for a lot more Americans.
There's a lot more people that go to Royal County down that then go to Ardglass or Port Rushport, Stewart Ardglass Castle. You know that that becomes kind of this northern itinerary. And if you miss art Glass, you're crazy. And you know Paul Vaughn and Karen fitz Simon's and you'll see at the end of this of this episode, you know, FITZI gets really eleven time club champion. He's his his family goes back eight generations to this this club,
this land. There they went from hundreds of North American visitors to now thousands, upwards of seven thousand visitors now from North American who are frequenting Our Glass per year. They're taking that money and they're putting it back into the golf course. They continue to enhance the experience and the the agronomy. And by the way, the food at Our Glass is some of the best food you'll have
at any one of those clubhouses. Paul Vaughn is smart enough to give, you know, the food and beverage to a to a you know, a local couple who's really taking it on. And damn, I'm telling you, you know, the pints and the food there at Ard Glass are great. And here's FITZI on sort of how and why this this course, this land, this experience kind of separates itself, you know. And again I always say there's magic in
the land that is Goat Hill, Goat Hill Park. I will tell you right now there's magic in the land that is Art Glass.
I think it's just peace in your heart, good friends and all the good things that you aspire to in life. I think we just kind of naturally we have a lot of that here. People are very closely knit. That's a very special community and it's just lovely to be
part of. You read a good book, what do you want to do is you read the last line of the book, is you want to just phone your friends say I've got a great book for you somewhere where I that I love and I've spent my whole life here and I just can't wait to share it.
And you see how much I come alive when you have guys who come here.
It's not put on, it's just I just want to show you what we have here, and like you see how special it is there.
There are places that just it's like in alchemy, you know, it's the experience is greater than just the golf course. And it's hard to explain why. Like, so it's cool that you have that. Are you an honorary member there? Now? Did they do that?
They did? They surprised me at one of the PGA merchandise shows And that's so cool. And and you know, I've never really done anything in terms of playing in like the member member or you know, the the you know like the club champions are like that would be a real use dream uh of being able to do that, you know, by the way, I've you know the mole Hall family. The father there runs a bait shop right there in town in our glass and you know, don't blink them. The town is not that big. It's an
old little fishing village and it goes back centuries. And the mole Hall brothers have recently realized they have some they have Greek root roots and and you you'll you'll see it if you watch this show William Mohall. Uh, these these guys, this, these three brothers that all worked on Game of Thrones, and not unlike a lot of people in Northern Ireland, by the way, in and around Belfast greatly benefited from Game of Thrones and the Titanic
Belfast experience, which I'll get to in a second. But the mole Hall brothers were the original owners of what became two of the dire wolves used in Game of Thrones, originally as real dogs and wolves, and then eventually they they kind of modified those dogs and made them bigger and kind of computerized. But they had the original dogs and I got to meet them on one of my trips to our Glass became friends with them. I have, you know, many pints with them, and many stories and
many trips and many meals and William Whall. These these guys know their history, especially as it relates to in and around Ardglass, which is where you'll find the grave of Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland, is you know, buried right there, just a few miles away from Ardglass. And if if you don't go and visit this grave again, you're making a mistake. I learned
a lot about Saint Patrick. Uh and not just that we you know, celebrate his day in March, but he he here's William and dropping some serious history and perspective on the patriot Saint of Ireland.
From here we can see the Moor mountains, which are you know, famous, But they've also got the main mountain which is called Sleeve Donnard and it's the highest mountain in the north here, and it's named after a guy who was a hermit. He lived in a cave up there, and Saint Patrick made him a saint because he gave him a very important job. His job is that whenever the end of the world happens and all the Christians
are lifted up into heaven. He has to come from there to here to wake up Saint Patrick, so that whenever St Patrick's gone up into heaven, he takes all the Irish with him, because no matter if you're good or bad, as long as you're Irish, you're getting into heaven.
That's great news.
It's really good news. Actually, so yeah, it takes away a lot of my anxiety.
Got irish.
And this is it.
This is it.
This is where he's buried. He's buried in here with some bridges and signt column.
This is an incredibly powerful if.
You think about the amount of Irish across the world, you know, would you say earlier seventy million people.
Who claim ance history.
Yeah, and each one of them celebrates Sin Patrick's day in some way in every corner of the world, especially America and Australia and places like that in England. And the man they're celebrating is right here in front of us. To become a saint, you have to you have to make miracles. One of his miracles was that he chased all the snakes out of Ireland. Ireland has no snakes in it, England has snakes but Ireland doesn't. And they say that, you know, he managed to do that, but
they reckon. It's a metaphor for him actually chasing all the Pagans out of Ireland, you know, and making everyone Christian st. Patrick also like kind of helped along in the lines of banishing slavery as well in Ireland like two thy six hundred years ago or something like that.
So he was early adopter of equality.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.
Yeah, that's great. I mean you don't even really think that there is an actual Saint Patrick, you know, it's just one of those things you take for granted. It's all around you, like, oh, there was actually some dude named Patrick who became a saint who played this this role and it's like, oh interesting, Yeah, that's that's funny.
It was Welsh, by the way, like of all things, as you just learned, I mean, you know, I mean yeah, I mean the we're storytellers right at the core of what we are and who we are. We we love a good story. And like I've always said, you go to Ireland, the island of Ireland, you run into the Irish if you like stories, you know, Settle in. Buckle up, charge the glass, pour a pint and listen. You know, the music, the poems, the stories, the jokes, the crack as they say, is it just just does not stop.
And again that's part of I think, why not only because I have roots in County Clare and that's that's really meaningful to not only me but my family. But then it's just all this this this history and the stories and the storytelling and the passion that they have for their own stories. You know that the the energy around who they are and what they are and why
it all matters. You know, it's like if you if it's not hitting you or resonating with you, just you got to go check your pulse because it's possible you're dead.
Yeah, I mean, there's there's some golf journeys that you enjoy in spite of the people. Like if you went out and did like all the great golf clubs of Long Island, like the courses are amazing, you have to you have to deal with the New Yorkers. But in Ireland that the people elevate the experience, just the interactions you have, the fun of it all that it really
becomes part of the whole trip. And the more open you are to it, as you're saying, like, it'll get sucked into a lot of a lot of fun things. Uh that I think when people watch these these these two shows you put together, it brings out to life. I mean, just the the characters and it's just so fun to listen to them talk that. Not only that the lilt and the accent is wonderful, but it's just an oral culture like that's that's a big part of their their heritage, right is it just gets passed down.
And so that's really cool.
Speaking of heritage and passing down. And little guy who had experience in Ireland, I mean, he's I'm sending him to bed. But Bannon, speaking of the microphone, what do you think of Ireland? We lit right, we go to bed, now, you go to bed now?
All right? That's probably a good cue for us to to get to our our list of our ten favorite course in Ireland. And these are just the ones we've played. So I'm missing a few. I've never been to the island. That's that's one that's at the top of my bucket list. And now there's there's you know you you've brought this out in some some of your other Ireland reporting. I mean there's there's new stuff happening at Saint Patrick's and all there's you know, Hogshead like you name it, like
you think of like the Manhattan Skyline. It feels like it's been there forever, it's never going to change, but in fact there's always a new building, go go. But it's kind of the same thing in Ireland. Like the new golf stuff happened constantly there right now, which is really exciting.
Yeah. Yeah, it's hard to believe. You know. I haven't played Enniscrown. I've walked part of parts of County laut Ball Tray, which was amazing. That that's not far from Dublin by the way, you know what I mean, Like you, that's an easy get from Dublin, so I should say that, I you know, as we're starting into our list that you know again I haven't played those.
Yeah, and I haven't been to Carn, which is you know our friend John Gerdetty, great Si Rider. I mean, he's sort of the patron saint of Carn like that. That's been on my list for a long time. So it's kind of fun to think you and I have been lucky and you more than me to get to take a lot of trips and play a lot of these courses. But there's still more to look forward to, which is amazing.
Yeah, and not on my list, but you know, like old Head, it's not in my top ten because you know, I've always said it's more like Golden Tea golf. It's so extreme and and you know, I don't know why it's wild. It doesn't make my top ten because but I say, like, you've got to go play it, You've got to go experience it, and if you're lucky enough to catch it on a day where it's not windy and rainy, it's gonna be one of the most epic experiences you've ever had on a golf course. It doesn't
it ever. Actually, it just feels a little too extreme, like like I said, Golden Tea.
Or Yeah, it's worth doing though if you go that far. I mean, it's kind of how I feel about Cape Kidnappers when we were there in New Zealand. Like the course itself, it didn't blow me away. There's there's some wonky holes and inland holes are not amazing. There's some tom dope greens, but if you're there. You got to do it because the views, the some of the some of the shots are very memorable. So I like Oldhead a little more like Cape Kidnappers, but is.
Very much so if you go that far way better.
Than you go that far. You just got to do it. But all right, all start. Number ten for me is tre Lee, which is a little bit of a polarizing course. You know, it's Arnie Palmer is the designer, and supposedly, although when the story I've heard is when the course opened he shows up to cut the ceremonial tape that to tell him where the first he was, because Arnold was not not familiar with the terrain. But anyway, it's a possibly apocryphal.
But which leads us to the whole conversation on the k Club and that whole thing in the Irish Open in three out of five years hosting the Irish Open and Arnold Palmer k Club as though that's some sort of representation of Irish golf. And even then they say, oh, Parkland is mostly okay, I get it. I like Parkland golf courses. I like a dear manor I like Portumna, you know, I think royal Belfast is an epic part. But again I don't want to go down that whole
rabbit hole. But like come on, like Arnold Palmer Cake Club, like Irish Open.
No I reject though it is it Royal County down next year so that anyway, but truly has some incredible terrain. And you talk about the front nine at ports through at the back nine, it truly is pretty spectacular. That's what I have at number ten, what about you?
Yeah, And they've made a lot of tweaks and improvements to the Front nine too. Truly is on my list. It's number nine on my list. At number ten, I have Our's I put it in there as as and again they continue to make that course better and there's a lot of very memorable holes and uh and and this is my list, and sentimentally, you know KRN doesn't make my list. I love Jerey Maguire, I love that story. I love the extreme dunes, I love that adventure. But
I just I love all these other courses more. And Our Glass is one that just speaks to me and my heart, my soul, and it's on my list and it's number ten.
That's cool. I love it. I mean number nine is for you, is truly for me. It's bal Tray, which is just we talked about him and I go, it's just a really cool place. I mean just there's something about the land and the layout and the way it flows. I'm just a big fan, like, I think that place is special.
Yeah, I I need to I need again. We watched Hugh Foley play there. He was representing Royal Dublin in the Senior Cup and he dismantled his opponent and kind of ended it pretty early, and John Ashworth and I were out there watching him and I was like, oh my god, look at this golf course. How good is this? You know? I you know, And it's right next to Seapoint that makes it good.
You know.
Seapoint has recently been sort of bought by car Golf and they've put some money and resources into it, and so Seapoint Baltray basically back up to each other, which would make a great thirty six holes. But I need to play I need to play ball Tray.
Yeah, what do you have at eight eight?
I have a dear manor again Parkland, you know, and Tom Fozzio. So I know that's not necessarily a true representation of Irish golf, of though you know, Fazio had a lot to do with Waterville, which is also on my list. But I love dere Manor, I love the golf course, and I love the whole experience driving through. J. P. Mcmahonus obviously bought it and put you know, several hundreds and millions of dollars of resources into redoing that whole facility.
The And you know, my wife used to rank a resort and an experience on you know, sort of one to see island, and once after she went to a Dare she's like, from now on, everything's judged, as you know, from one, you know, on a scale of one to a Dare Manor. Where does it fall? Because a Dare Manor is is the top of the top of the top cool that golf course walking around playing there and you know, there's not a it's it's a bit Augusta like in terms of its perfection and how it's manicured.
And you're up against the castle there in the home stretch. It's going to make a hell of a venue for a Ryder Cup in that, you know, getting towards the fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen and that Castle Manor backdrop is going to be spectacular.
I love that Number eight for me is Port Stewart, which we touched on a lot already, so we don't have to go into any more detail. But it's the fact that it's so close to so many other great golf courses. It's a it's a must play. Yeah, what do you have at seven?
I have Saint Patrick's And again we did, you know, we featured it in in our North Northwest Adventure I think now and two and a half years years ago, and so the story goes, you know, that was really during COVID. Tom Dope didn't spend a lot of time there, if you know, if at all. And Angela Moser was you know, sort of a big part of that project and ultimately landed her I think, you know, sort of the lead associate on what is now becoming Pineer's Number ten.
I mean, she's obviously incredibly talented, uh you know, in that land and what they had to work with was that originally was going to be two eighteen hole Jack Nicholas courses and it kind of got stopped down midway through and the Casey family and you know, brought in Dope and his team, and I'm telling you right now, they made eighteen incredible golf holes and it is like big dunes, big fun and they run you know, the
Dope greens at nine on the stimps. So you know, even if there is kind of like that that that sort of wild undulation, it's very fair and playable there. And I'm telling you right now, you know it could even kind of the more I play, it could move
up my list. That is that is one special experience and becomes a real pull and magnet to that North north you know, north Northwest experience that that a lot of people are going to be seeking out as that becomes the value play here and where you can still kind of get some tea times.
Maybe that's cool. I love it. Number seven for me is Port Marnik, which I think it was kind of the Irish Carnoustie. You know, it's just an incredible championship test. It's very tactical, does not have the amazing dunes. It's not it's not as dramatic a sight as some of these, but it's just it's just just such a challenge. And I just remember a lot of thought went into how you played that golf course. There's there's it's just a very well laid out, thought provoking kind of course and
and basically right in the heart of Dublin. It feels like, I mean, you can stumble out of James Joyce's you know, boyhood home and and they're here on the first tea at Port Marnick. So that's number seven for me. What do you got?
I got Port Marnic at at number six actually so uh you know, and again featured in our in our Dublin uh travelog and journey and you know, as you know, they've recently started allowing female members, not unlike what Mirfield did in Scotland. Elaine McBride is the new general manager, the manager of that of that club. She is Scottish and she you know, this, this evolution of this you know, storied and you know traditional club is going to get
a lot more eyeballs on. It had a Walker Cup in nineteen ninety one, I believe, which Phil Mickelson and David Duvall and those guys played on that on that team. And you know, the talk is that Port Marnic at some point could get an Open championship and bring it to the Republic of Ireland, which would be in Dublin, and which would be that'd be bonkers.
That'd be sweet. Yeah, it's it's it's worthy. There's no question. Number six for me is Dunebag just one of the wildest, wooliest sights in golf. And I haven't you know you remember you and I were there at like the turn of the century, hadn't even officially opened yet, and I know it's caught through some evolutions. I'd like to see it again, but I loved the original layout. I mean it was it was crazy and extreme and I that turns me on, Like it was just so much fun and so cool.
Yeah, then if that turns you on, you'd love then then carn would be on your list for sure. I know, for that wild and wooly and raw links experience. You know, what we saw in that original version of Dounebeg was virtually unplayable. I mean that was that was Greg Norman at his at his finest, which is ultimately his worst, where it's like what, there's no no one, any anybody north of a scratch handicap can't finish this golf course. You're never going to have enough golf balls.
I mean, Greg Norman couldn't screw that side up. I mean it's so good.
But you know, they have made a lot of changes to it. I did get to play it recently and I got to get of, you know, a lot of compliments to that team there. There's a good energy there. I you know, obviously politics aside and all the you know, the bullshit a re associated with you know, all that
goes along with Dunebeg. I you know, the people, the amount of people they employ there, the condition of that golf course, that experience, that land, which is about three hundred yards away from my great great grandfather's farm eighteen acres that he farmed. Ironically enough, essentially Dunebeg is ultimately the Bowlin family neighbor. So yeah, definitely, definitely, you know, respect for that, for that golf course.
Okay, where are you on your list? What do you have for six?
That was Port Marnic for me? And number five They talk about Dunes is bally Bunyan like bally Bunyan to me, and I think they've made some tweaks to eighteen. I was always a little put off by that finish, but you know, the more you the more you play, and the more you experience. You know, again, Cyprus Point doesn't have a great eighteenth hole, you know, the Hinch doesn't have a great you know, there's you know how some
of these courses sort of start and end. You kind of kind of like give them a little pass, you know. It's part of part of the way you get in and out of out of these dunes. Right. And yeah, bally Bunyon is a nice comfortable number five on my list.
Yeah, I have Vally Bunyon. Three. Five for me is Waterville, Uh oh wow. Just such a cool course, such an epic setting that's down in the Southwest. You know, there's a lot of great golf down there. But I just and again you know, this is not it's not science. Like when we played Waterville and the sun was setting, I think it was a last it was a last course on our trip, you know, and just hitting a bunch of great shots coming in. Like you can romanticize
these things that that's part of it. I mean, we all have emotional reactions to golf courses. You can't oh yeah, fully explain. And so I just think Waterville is a special.
Totally In fact, it's uh, I'll reveal where it is on my list a little bit. Number four for me is port Rush and again you know they've they've tweaked a couple of holes there and they've only made that better. And I think it's obviously got it's it's due, and you know host of the opening fifty one and then you know again in twenty nineteen, right, they're going to
get it again in twenty twenty five. So I mean, I got nothing but respect and love for you know, there's there's there's a deftness about I think the port Rush experience, not unlike I think the old course where it kind of sneaks up on you. You know, you go hole and whole and whole. You know, there's not any that crazy. There is some there's some pretty decent dunes land, but it's not as extreme as like the bally Bunions or or or some of the others that we're talking about.
But man, just the quality of hole after a hole. You just you got to tip your cap.
Oh one million percent, Yeah, I have I have higher than that. I think port Roach's spectac. Number four for me is Royal County Down and I honestly need to see it again. You know, I only played it once, and I mean you were there. We showed up and it was it was like I think the Sunday before maybe the the Senior Open. Something was going on and the place was deserted. There were no caddies, there was
no yardage guides. We went out there. I just remember having that experience where we'd all all four of us, you know, pretty good drives on these blind holes. We crest the hill, becauldn't any golf balls. It's like, goddamn, we never knew where we were going.
But I think Craig Bistrom is still out there in the gorse, searching for his searching for his calf. He got pissed and we walked away.
Pours about for Craig. Yeah, but the the strength of that golf course, I mean, I remember the green complexes were just phenomenal for a Lynks course. You know, a lot of Links courses the greens are kind of flat and they're not super interesting. But I thought, I thought Royal County Downs were tremendous. That you know, the views of the town, it's an iconic photo we've all seen a thousand times, and just so many memorable holes, like so I think if I played it again it probably
would get would go even higher. But massive respect to Royal County Down. It's just an incredible piece of ground.
Incredible piece of ground, incredible test that to me is is like Carnoustie in terms of the it's hard, degree
degree of difficulty. And and again I've now played it lucky enough to play it, you know, three or four times, maybe this was my fourth time, and uh and I've had a mix of all kinds of weather and this last time, you know, like I said, I got it in its vulnerable state and oh man, the amount of fun and that those views in that rainbow in the mountains of Morn and that experience in that walk, it just it was. It's it's number three on my list, So Royal County Down number three.
Nice that bally Bunyan three. And it's it's a special place.
I mean, even though on the second hole your ball just kept coming back down to you and just kept coming back.
Those are all good shots, man, they were well executed.
Yeah I think I made an eighth there, and I swear I did any bad shots, but yeah, it's I mean bally Bunnyan has kind of a romantic spot in my brain because I read about it.
Part I ever played any Links golf and Tom Watson, you know, that was a place that he helped put on the map and just the name, the photographs, all of it, like it was kind of in my mind the ultimate Links golf course, probad ever left. I've ever been to the lynx Land at all, whether it was Scotland or Ireland, and when you get there, I mean it lives up to it. It's just a tremendous course.
And you know, you play around that graveyard and it's quirky and funky, and that's what I want in a Lynks course, So so much fun.
That middle stretch at Ballybunya and you're like, oh my god, what is you know? I mean it again, that's what these that's what these places do is it's just as one guy, I don't know it. You know, you're gobsmacked, you know, like as one of my favorite words, but you're like, what's going on here? So actually number two
on my list is is Waterville. And you know, I talk about the magic in the land of places like Goat and Ardglass, but to me, I've had so many spiritual experiences at Waterville, and so there is this connection to that town and some of those people, the caddies, you know, Kevin the caddy master, now you know they I you know I years of now the father, so the the you know, the butlers and all the you know, the different sort of you know, jumping in the water
after big long night, singing the songs around the piano. But it's also you know Duley's by the way right there in the middle of town. It's also about the golf course. And again Eddie Hackett of carn originally designer the masshole. You know, you're going back to the eighteenth century. I posted a recent instagram of mass you know that they have at the masshole before the Father's son in that swale in which you know, Catholic priests had to
sort of perform mass in fear of death. And that golf course, if you think about it as six three whole routings one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight nine, and that in that stretch and all the different directions that those three whole routings go, you're always going to get a hole that is downwind into the wind, inside wind, so you're never it's like, you know, you're never going like out for nine holes and then back for nine holes.
It's it's this remarkable routing and whole after hole, you know, in those little three three whole routings within that you know, time six, you just get so much variety and adventure and fun and fairness and all the things that like matter to me. And and and again that connection, that spiritual connection around things like the father son and now the father daughter and all that you know, you know, car Golf and Marty Carr have have put me in in those experiences around Waterville.
It's just like.
It's it's number two and and it you know, it's hard for me to not make it number one, but I've got that for another course.
Number two for me is Royal Port Russian. I thought about this, even though there's only been one open there in my lifetime. It is my favorite course on the open Rota. I think for for drama, for variety of holes, for really cool views and really wild dunes. I like it better than any other course. I mean the old course is you know St. Andrews is amazing, but it's it's a terrible course for spectating. And there's the sameness to where those guys. The way they play those holes.
There's so many driveable par fours for the pros now and I love the old course. I'd play there any day in my life gladly. But I think it's lost some interest at the highest level as a championship venue. And you know, I mean, like Troon, give me a break, like Carniuski's kind of flat and ugly, like I think, really, I think the Royal Port Rush is the best course on the Open Rota and I love it to pieces. And it's it's number two.
I can see it and uh you know again it's it's four for me. And uh number one Number one is is.
Ly hinch me too, no way, yeah wow, uh yeah again now that I realized you hadn't said, I mean, you know, if it wasn't on your list, it'd be it'd be sacrilege.
But yeah, the hinch la hinch to me again. First hole, not that great second hole, not that great third hole. You know. Okay, now it's start fourth hold the Klondike, you know, original old Tom Morris. We're going back to the to the eighteen ninety four, then then followed by the Dell and then you know what McKenzie then had you know, did in the nineteen twenties. Hawtrey comes along in nineteen ninety nine, eight and eleven that you know,
Hawtrey kind of inserted into that incredible golf court. Like again you talk about the middle of valley Bunny, go to the middle of la Hinch and try to you know, unbelievable, reachable. Par four is incredible. Part three. I think Lahinch is Part four's or some of the you know, some of the best in all of Ireland golf. Not to mention it's also that little surfing village. It's the town of Lahinch itself. I you know, the vibe and energy I
get there. I you know, I was sort of well overserved myself on a recent trip to Lahinch and sort of gave back some of it to the to the to the golf gods, but furthering my connection, my respect and love and admiration for Lynch. It's like I think I was serving pints for about two and a half hours in the nineteenth the bar there in town, and I'm just all of it, all of it. The sum total of what is Lahinch is number one on my lists.
Yeah, well you said it it's just it just doesn't quit. It's just such an interesting golf course. And you know, obviously as discussed like a place like Port Marnick is it's a tremendous test of golf. But it doesn't have the quirkiness, it doesn't have the weirdness. That's what I love about links golf, Like give me the blind holes, make me hit it over at dune like and Lynch just it just it just brings it at every turn. So it's really special.
Two holes, you know, the Klondikendel have not been touched by anybody who've come along. They basically out of you know, respect and admiration for old Tom who you know what I think of him and his impact on the you know, I just think it's like, oh my god. Yes, you know when you're you're taking aim at a stone at the top of the top of the dune, you know, back to back, you know, like yes, yes, please perfect and you know where they are in the routing four
and five. It's just yeah. And then the reveal on six, by the way, when you get up to the top of that and look down to the water. And again the eighth hole and then the eleventh uh and twelve, you know along the little the little inlet there, the little river.
Was amazing. Yeah, that's great. That's cute that we have the same number one.
Cute.
It's unanimous we have.
That we had the same number one in our in our in our Australian trip too, by the way, Ki.
Yeah, well just discerning golfers, that's great. I love it. Well, this has been such a fun conversation and I would really encourage all the listeners out there to check out both of the big Janello's journeys. We have dropped. Belfast is brand new, but Dublin is is it's been out
for a little while. But they really are great companion pieces and it's a fun contrast and it's just it's it's it's fun to see you do your thing, Matt, like, I mean, I know, this was this is why this company was founded in large part because you wanted to be able to tell the stories you want to tell and do them, you know, really immersive and really long form. And so both of these videos do that. And you know, shout out to Jake Muldowney who played a huge part
in the editing and helped shephard these projects. And certainly appreciate the the help of Link Soul and Dormy and Golf Digest, who you know, all played a role in bringing these to life. But you know, you're the driving force on both of these episodes, so it's cool that people get to travel along with you.
Well again, thanks to Tourism Ireland for also supporting, you know, the opportunity to tell these stories. And as you said, you know, I used to I used to, you know, in our mind when we were at Golf Channel and our crews would roll out there. In our mind we were always doing twenty two to thirty minute shows. They would just only they'd get cut down to five six seven minute segments. I said, we'd kill the cow and only eat the filet, and everything else would go to waste.
And you know, only I knew what what wasn't being you know, sort of shared with the audience and the viewer, And these are these This is exactly you know, as you say, it's essentially a dream come true for me. I mean, we got stopped with two years of COVID right as kind of we were forming this company, and that obviously directly impacted travel in ways that you know, been it obviously impacted the world in so many ways,
and obviously it's a global pandemic. But as it relates to travel, you know that that was that was a significant speed bump in trying to get to where we want to go with you know, travel storytelling. But I think that with Tourism of Ireland, with Golf Digest, with some of the other partners and the people involved, it now feels like we are getting to do what we always sort of wanted to do and talk to the people we wanted to talk to and share the stories
we want to share. So appreciate all the people that were a part of this and this opportunity to kind of reflect on it, and thanks to everybody, and thanks to you.
All Right, Well, that's good stuff. This has been another fire Drill podcast. Check out Firepit Collective dot com. We have links to all of these stories and we'll keep putting out some more sort of directors cut extras on the socials and elsewhere. But for Matt Janella, this is Alan Schipnak and we appreciate you listening and hopefully you'll check out the videos. I think you'll enjoy them. Thanks for being a part of this podcast and this is the end.
I'm bet big and I played the wind, made a fortune, win my shit game, and I ran the table and then I thought I could fall. Then the win hit me.
Lack of cannon, the ball, and now I cann it.
Shake this losing the stream. Every road take is a dead end street. I got thoughts in my head, can't get them out, trying not to think what I'm thinking about. I've got thoughts in my head. I can't get them out, trying not to think what I'm thinking about.