I wore my hat to the races. By the time we were to be picked up by our friends from the Atlantic Corridor (an economic development group in Tullamore) it was no longer actively raining. I convinced myself the day was clearing up and slapped on the chapeau. And even though it was pretty much freezing and I was one of only four or five women wearing hats, it was a wonderful day with friends, horses, and race aficionados in the Irish countryside. What could be better? Plus, I got several compliments on my headgear – whether in true admiration or in simple astonishment I couldn't say – but in any case I felt fab!
We missed the first race, but were there for the following six. Jackie Gorman and Karen Cunningham explained their strategy for getting betting tips: talk to, or eavesdrop on, "oul' fellas". Basically what you do is chat up someone who looks like he knows what’s up, or hang around the bookies and try to hear what horses seasoned types are betting on. It worked. I was the only one in our group who didn’t win any money – and a couple of them did very well. They won with horses called Katie’s Jem, Marwood, and Keoghs Bar. I lost with horses called Phoenix Star and Let’s Go Sunshine.
In between, we went inside for drinks and then tea. Fionnuala Doheny said the cold reminded her of something said by a cleaner at a Dublin school where she had worked early in her career: “It’s a day for tying your knickers to your vest.” Indeed, it was! If only I had a wool set of each.
By the sixth race the sky was blue instead of gray and the sun was shining, but the wind was still biting. After the last race we made our way back to our cars and were all glad to be warm and out of the wind. We had 7:00 p.m. reservations back in Athlone at The Olive Grove which looks right out on the Shannon. Then, to complete our day, we stopped in at Flannery’s for one more before we called it a night.
The top photo is of children cheering during the second race of the day. The second is me and Karen Cunningham. The third shows some old and not so old fellas checking the odds and placing their bets. The fourth is Karen Cunningham who works with Jackie at the Atlantic Corridor, Fionnuala Doheny, principal of Scoil Mhuire in Tullamore, Jackie Gorman, CEO of the Atlantic Corridor and our hostess for the day, Bob Farwell and Barry Vaughan. The fifth is a close-up of one of the horses I lost on. Below is the view of the Shannon from inside The Olive Grove in Athlone.
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