City travelled to: Dublin
Girls on trip: 12
Hours away: 50
Hours spent in airports: 10
Hours spent in air: 2
Rooms stayed in: 2
Hangovers: 2
Bloody Marys consumed to counteract hangovers: 7
Rugby matches watched: 3
Rugby matches remembered: 0
Scotsmen met: 10 million
Passports lost: 1 (not mine)
Phones lost: 1 (again, not mine)
Average price (in Euros) per drink: 6
Things I never thought I’d see, seen: 3
Ah yes, the weekend was grand. Expensive beyond belief but grand none the less. Despite being delayed, having a plane break on us and staying in a cardboard box room with a wooden mattress I think a good time was had by all.
It was strange though, Dublin has a reputation for being a friendly city, welcoming to all. However, all members of the girlie group commented on the fact that there were a couple of periods when we felt damn uncomfortable being there.
It surprised me that people were openly hostile towards us, because we were English. If we were, say, football fans, largered up, fists at the ready, I might be able to understand it (although I would never condone violence). As it was, 12 rugby girls on a mission of fun is hardly your likely target for animosity, is it? Members of the group were called “bitches”, “whores”, “bloody English sluts” and a hand was even raised on one occassion.
It didn’t stop us having fun of course but I just wonder where this hatred has come from or, was it always there and I have just been oblivious?
I think that a lot of the cities that were initially thrilled at the number of laddettes drinking the weekend away, are now thoroughly pissed off at the behaviour. Unfortunately, even though you were obviously not of that ilk, we’re now all tarred with the same brush.
Sadly ExPatMum (hello by the way!) I think you’re right. I’m not sure what the exact qualifications for a ladette are but I’m pretty certain I’m don’t fit into the criteria. I don’t pretend the ladies were saints while away but we’re certainly not of the type to get into brawls, puke over people and shag men in loos. *sigh* ah well.
Hi Nuttycow…thanks for visiting my blog…I had a look through yours and it made me laugh – you have a great way of evoking the atmosphere of a situation without using too many words…
Take care,
Tanya (in Kenya)
Hey Tanya – Thanks, you’re very kind… by not “using too many words” does that mean I don’t post enough
Hope all is well in Kenya.
I have to say that if I had to pick an argument with anyone, a team of women rugby players would not be my first and automatic choice ! Far be it from me to type-cast, but I’d imagine that at least some of you are big, fit and strong, and are more than capable of holding your own in a verbal srimmage too. Well done for not rising to the bait.
On a wider point, I’d say that the English are one of the few groups left whom it is still widely seen as acceptable to make racist remarks about. Sad, but true in my experience.
I don’t know whether to be flattered or insulted WOT
You’re right – although we’re “not that kind of team” we still don’t react very well to men picking on us 
I was talking about this experience to a couple of colleagues and they agree with you – they also said that even now, there’s a lot of hatred towards the English in Ireland.
Ho hum.