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It's a long long way from Clare to here

by Peter Brewitt

The thought of having to rise at 05.30 the next morning to catch the flight to Toulouse from Dublin was far from our minds as these three intrepid travellers left Limerick in high spirits on the Wednesday night before the big encounter.


On the road we were, and craic we were going to have, win lose or draw. Having eventually found the "Dublin Airport" Travelodge out in Swords, and deciding who was sleeping in which corner of the bed, it was down to the local for pints and toasties. Not a bad welcome in fairness from the boys in blue and yellow for three red shirts, and the Guinness wasn't bad either.

Oh Jaysus is it 5 o'clock already as three mobile phone alarms start hopping of the table. Up and at 'em lads, we've a flight to catch. Bleary eyed out to the car and scrape off the ice. Christ it's cold; hope it's going to be warmer in France. The long-term car park and Dublin airport itself are awash with Munster jerseys of all descriptions, and many an eye is red and bleary also. Th'oul electronic check in is a great yoke altogether. No queuing needed at all. Ah! I smell breakfast. God it was brutal, everything except the egg deep-fried, but just what was needed after a rake of pints the night before.

The flight was uneventful thank God, every seat taken and 99% of those on board heading to the match. A few loyal fans stayed awake, but most took advantage of the bit of rest to catch up on some Z's. Anyway the beer was a woeful price on board.

Long remembered for their total inability to handle large groups of travelling Munster fans from the semi's two years ago, those returning to Toulouse were heartened to see that nothing had changed in the interim. One passport checker for an entire flight, I ask you. Even Shannon can do better than that - just. Having the luxury of business connections in Castres meant that this group of intrepid travellers were met at Toulouse Blagnac airport and chauffeured to Castres, stopping en-route for a fabulous dinner, mainly consisting of duck. Ah lads, this is the life. Blue skies, 17 degrees of warmth, great food, great wine. "Are you over for the match tomorrow night ?" asks the waitress, in her deep south west accent. "Good luck", says she, "you're going to need it". How right she would turn out to be.

On to Castres. What a lovely town this turned out to be. Compact - about the size of Ennis, clean and quaint little cobbled streets all around the centre. Friendly nods, waves and smiles everywhere. "Allez Munster" shouts a group of well wishers "Bonne chance a Munster". Thanks guys, where's the pub ? The hotel Occitan had a convenient terrace overlooking the front door, so out with the Munster banner "Stand Up and Fight, and off we go to find the pub.

Even the hoteliers support Munster over here.
©Peter Brewitt


Local intelligence steered us towards the Brasserie de L'Europe pub in the centre of Castres, but it was a bit quiet at that early stage, so off to find La Cucina, a bar owned by the Castres Olympique players Reggiardo and Mola. Also dead as a doornail on Thursday evening, so we resort to visiting The Quay, an Irish type pub. Ah, this is where the craic is. Several Munster fans are already installed, and the pints are flowing. Holy Jaysus, over €20 for 4 pints. We won't be staying here long says we.

Here, would you look at the cheek of those two boyos over there, coming in here in their Leinster jerseys and no sign of the Ladyboys playing over here this weekend at all. "Hey lads, did ye think the match was in France this weekend ? Here, we've news for ye, yez are going to be beaten wherever you are". In fairness now, the two lads were over on business no less, working for Koo-Ga, the gear crowd. They sponsor Justin Fitzpatrick you know, and they are great friends of his, and Trevor Brennan, and just about everyone on the Leinster team back home. Daycent skins they turned out to be after all, and they did actually shout for Munster on Friday night.

The initial impressions of the natives being very friendly was borne out again after we fell out of the Quay at closing time looking for a taxi. "'Scuse me monsieur, ou se trouve les taxis?" Well if yer man didn't ask us where we were staying and could he give us a lift home ? Fair play, don't think that would happen in Limerick or Cork. And it was not a once off as a exactly the same thing happened the following morning with another kind local who delivered us to the door of the next hostelry, The No. 6 bar, where we were to meet some old friends and colleagues for lunch, which was, for a change, duck.

Castres is swinging. Everywhere you look is red. Even the newspaper headlines read that the Irish are invading. Stade Pierre Antoine here we come. It's a grand stadium, with the stands close enough to the pitch to be intimate, and the craic on the terraces is somewhat reminiscent of Thomond Park. A fine supporters bar is opened under the stand, and there are a couple of French lads bating out The Rocky Road to Dubberlin and other Oirish standards on a fiddle and bodhrán in there to add to the atmosphere. Looking good lads, but feck it all these French boys are terrible big aren't they ? And they can match Paddy in the drinking stakes too.

traditional French music to warm our hearts.
©Peter Brewitt


Cute hoors this Castres lot, splitting up all the Munster fans around the ground, and sticking a band in between two lots of them in "Le Kop". Noisy too for 6,000 of them. Ah we'll let them know we're here. C'mon lads, a burst of "The Fields" is called for. Silence. Total bloody silence. My voice is gone, the two lads are tone deaf, and our French buddy, now sporting CO colours doesn't know the words. Much mirth from the surrounding CO diehards.

G'wan ROG, give it hell. Sh*t, he missed. Get out of his face Volley you ****. Bloody hell their backs are fast, and they can throw the ball around. Ah ref that was forward. He's offside ref, he's at it all night ! Not looking good. Oh merde, try scored. That was some run by the little scrum half, but where was our tackling ? Not looking good at all. Oh to be a fly on the dressing room wall at half time. C'mon Munster, you can do it. Gaffer must have bollocked them at half time. They are a different side after the break. For a while anyway. Oh God, one point in it lads, we're going to do it, go on Bull, go on Paulie, give him hell. Up ya boy Wally. Volley's at it again. Shut him up will you ref. Ah for feck sake ref, Fitzpatrick was climbing all over three men in that ruck. Would you not do something with him ? Discipline slipping, game slipping away. Final whistle. Volley struts away with his pal Justin. Munster boys hang their heads. Blues roar, reds shake heads and head for the bar, and on to the Bodega behind the stand for grub and to hopefully meet the team.

There's Trevor Brennan. Howrya Trev ? Ah Jayzus lads, yez threw it away there. I thought yez had them but yez threw it away." Thanks Trev, needed that. Here lads, the ribs are mighty, grab a plate off yer wan as she goes past. The bangers aren't bad either. Here come our boys, resplendent in their suits and ties, looking bruised and battered and very down hearted. Fair play guys, ye did alright, ye'll have them next week in Thomond. "The F*** we did alright." comes the reply from one, summing up the mood of them all. They don't stay long, as they head back to Toulouse on the bus.

Well that's it so lads. Look like we'll have to hit the town instead. Down to The No.6 bar. The proprietor, José Diaz, a Catalan, captained Castres when they played Munster in Beziers a few years ago. Closing time. "Ees too early for bed, come, we go night club" says our local host. Twist the arm why don't you. What, no neon sign over the door ? No five foot wide bouncers ? No entry charge ? Bonsoir Christophe, ca va ? Very cosy. Good music too. More friendly locals. One of the male ones starts making amorous advances on one of our party.


by Peter Brewitt
   
 
SHY NEWS EXCLUSIVE

The SHY NEWS team were out and about in Castres. If you wish to view their interview with the Barnhall Bruiser choose from:

Video Interview High Quality
(Windows Media 2,4Mb)
Video Interview Low Quality
(Windows Media 930K)

MISSING C’MON MUNSTER BANNER

There are 7 giant Munster banners in existence. These were made last year and were substantially funded by individual supporters who now own the banners. There was some contribution from the Supporters Club.

On the recent trip to Castres, the banner with the wording C’MON MUNSTER went missing and has not been seen since.

It is very disappointing that the banner has not been seen at matches since the Castres away match.

If you know of the whereabouts of the C’MON MUNSTER banner, we request that you contact us or request that the person in possession of the banner return it to Munster Rugby, Musgrave Park, Ballyphehane, Cork.


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