Carlow Lacrosse Connection( Irelands Senior Mens Team)

 

Gearoid Dunbar. Defender No.20

 

The first of the Carlow brothers we hear from in San Diego is Irish veteran and ex senior captain Gearoid.

 

He explains to us how he was “born in Carlow town but moved to the US at a young age”.

This is where the Carlow native picked up the sport of lacrosse. “I started playing in middle school in the US and then started playing back in Ireland then as soon as we moved home when I was 17, I think we're in the country two weeks before, up at UCD playing pickup games.”.

Thus, transition back to Carlow and Ireland where lacrosse is a minority sport did not affect Dunbar as he continued to play at the highest level possible in his native country. “There was no high school lacrosse in Ireland or there wasn't when I was there. And so, I just got thrown into the men's league immediately at 17. So I kind of had to toughen up and get better if I wanted to keep playing if I didn't want to play, you know, there was another option really so it was a little bit difficult at first to kind of go from the physical side of things but I play coy physically myself so it wasn't too bad. “

Once the older of the brothers finished secondary school in Ireland, he had become a great rugby player, and this brought him to Carlow IT where there is no Lacrosse team. He reveals how he kept up his skills while in college. “I didn't play lacrosse in college. I played for the Dublin City team and the prawns when they were a team and so I didn't play college lacrosse at all. Rugby was my main sport in school. So, you know I just kind of went up as much as I could to keep playing and then obviously traveled as much as I could.”

From playing in Ireland Gearoid went on to make history as he was the first captain of an Irish U20 side in 2016. “I was the first ever Irish captain for the under 20 team in 2016. And then played in 2018 in Coquitlam, in the indoor World Cup, then as well and then now in San Diego.”

Dunbar’s life as a rugby coach has now brought him back to the USA where he explains to us that he is actually finding it quite difficult to play lacrosse at the moment due to his busy lifestyle. “I'm back in the US and working in kind of a very demanding job where the university is the director of rugby. I feel now I've lost a few steps just because I don't have a stick in my hand as much as I'd like. I'm planning a lot more box lacrosse than field in the last few years like last two years really especially just with the concept of schedule, our seasons kind of clash. I don't really get to play too much field lacrosse. “

Looking into the future, Dunbar describes what he believes his future plans are and how he hopes he might wear the green jersey a few more times if he can. “So, I'm kind of trying to figure that out. I'd like to play one more, but you know, life kind of gets in the way. This is again that we're all amateurs at this. None of us are full time and unfortunately, I'm a rugby coach. So, I have a lot of responsibilities. Now. I've got you know; I'm working with back in the pro setup as well in the US as well as the university so I missed a good few important things that I should have been asked for this tournament. So, it's kind of the hard decision of career over lifestyle, basically what you want to do so that's going to become a major factor in the next few years for me.”

 

 

Ruari Dunbar Face Off No.2

 

Up next, we hear from the younger of the brothers Ruari who unfortunately broke his arm in the middle of the world championships.

 

Ruari details to us his lacrosse career and how he went from Carlow town to Las Vegas to the world championships in San Diego. “When I was five years old, I moved over to Vegas with my family. So, I started playing over there with my brother in middle school and then when I moved back in first year in secondary school, I kept trying to keep up my lacrosse skills in Ireland.”

This was always going to be a tough transition for the young student, but it didn't stop him from developing and improving as a lacrosse player in Ireland. Ruari along with his brother spent nearly every weekend possible playing lacrosse in Dublin. He goes on to reveal the difference between playing in Ireland in comparison to the USA. “Yeah, it was definitely, definitely a different pace to the game and obviously the rules are a lot different. We use the international ones. So that was good. For me to get that exposure straightaway and kind of be playing, get more experienced by playing on the international rules for the Irish team.

The younger brother, like his brother, didn't play in college like the majority of his Irish teammates who played at a high level in the USA and Canada. This didn't stop him as he got the opportunity to play for his country.

He explains to us how he felt playing for Ireland for the first time and even more special getting to play with his brother. “Yeah, it was really exciting. I was fortunate enough that my brother got called up as well. So, it was a special moment for our family. My friends and our family were really excited for us and obviously it's great to be representing Carlow and Ireland. Every time I put on the green jersey. It’s just such a special moment to be standing there. With your brother and all your friends singing and singing the national anthem is just such a special time.”

Dunbar believes that this is his 5th or 6th time representing Ireland at the national level; and details all the tournaments he has appeared in wearing the green jersey.” I think it was my fifth or my sixth. This is my second World Cup. Was the captain of the U20 European Championships a few years ago in Prague along with being a member of the senior team at World and European level.”

 

Quite similar to his brother he has left Irish shores in search of new experiences and lifestyle, and he illustrates how much the sport of; lacrosse has helped him see different parts of the world. “Just the opportunities that come from it are just incredible. I've got to travel all around the world. You know, we were in Israel in 2018. And I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to move to Prague where I just lived for the last eight- or nine-months playing lacrosse over there. Yeah, it's just such a great opportunity to see so much of the world that you wouldn't see otherwise.

Dunbar looks past this championship which was tough for him; he believes it won't be the last time he wears the Irish jersey as he hopes to make a few more appearances if he gets picked for the squads. “So obviously I said I was living in Prague, so I'm still on the team over there. So, I'm going to look maybe to go back there but for now I'm just after moving to Virginia. So, I'll be involved in stuff over in Virginia and obviously with the Irish team we have the box lacrosse Championships next summer. So, we're going to focus kind of shift towards that now. Obviously for myself, getting my arm fixed and getting to go to recovery and then getting back in with good players and playing a lot more regularly and building towards the World Championships next summer.”

 

Let's hope we see these two Carlow natives wear the Irish jersey as much as they can. Lacrosse could become an Olympic sport and we could see the two boys maybe wear that jersey for the last time in 2028 at the games.