My Blog (Eugene Ward)

  Here are my 2027 Rugby World Cup predictions from the Round of 16 stage Round of 16 — my predictions R16 (1) · 23 October Fiji (Pool C runner-up) vs Wales (Pool F runner-up) Prediction: Fiji win Fiji's attacking flair gives them the edge in a potentially close game. R16 (2) · 23 October New Zealand (Pool A winner) vs Spain (projected third-place qualifier) Prediction: New Zealand win The All Blacks should have too much power, pace and experience. R16 (3) · 23 October France (Pool E winner) vs Scotland (Pool D runner-up) Prediction: France win Scotland could make this uncomfortable, but France have the higher ceiling. R16 (4) · 23 October South Africa (Pool B winner) vs Tonga (projected third-place qualifier) Prediction: South Africa win Tonga have dangerous ball-carriers, but the Springboks should control the forward battle. R16 (5) · 24 October Argentina (Pool C winner) vs Samoa (projected third-place qualifier) Prediction: Argentina win Argentina's tactical kicking and expe...

Footballers banned, officials banned, fans banned. Teams facing travel disruption . Crazy ticket prices, crazy transport prices. All the indications are that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be a disaster. FIFA has sold the soul of football by giving the tournament to the United States and allowing it to be a tool in Trump's sportswashing . The last two World Cups were in Russia , which had already invaded Crimea by then, and Qatar, which used slave labor to build the stadiums, so FIFA has always been short on ethics. That said, the 2022 tournament was one of the best in terms of football, maybe because it was played mid-season and in the end, people concentrated on the football. I've always been enthralled by the World Cup; my earliest memory was Northern Ireland v Brazil in 1986, England v Paraguay on the same evening as the Rovers Return fire in Coronation Street , and of course, Maradona. I wasn't too emotionally involved, but I remember it. By 1990, I was obsess...

This weekend the Munster and Connaght Football Championships are down for decision but that's not the only Gaelic Football silverware up for grabs this weekend. Many miles South of Salthill and Killarney, between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, a Gaelic Football tournament, a kind of Copa America of GAA, will take place.  Lima Gaels have made the camino de Santiago and will take part. The driving force behind the new GAA club in Lima is Declan Tighe and I take pride in seeing the crest, in which I had a hand in designing, displayed with the other GAA clubs of South America taking part. Lima Garls Abú

Why El Peru? One question I always ask is why it is the Repubica del Peru and not Republica de Peru.  The name Peru  Garcilaso de la Vega (1539-1616) was one of the first historians to tackle the etymology of “Peru”. Garcilaso, commonly known as “El Inca,” was the son of a Spanish conquistador and an Inca noblewoman. His  Comentarios Reales de los Incas , published in 1609, remains one of the most important contemporary accounts of the Incas and the Spanish Conquest. In the first volume of his Comentarios, Garcilaso offers one of the first answers as to why Peru is calledt “Peru”. According to “El Inca,” a group of Spanish explorers landed on the Pacific coast somewhere south of the equator, where they encountered a native fisherman at the mouth of a river. With no interpreter at hand, the Spaniards tried to ask the fisherman his name and the name of the land on which they now stood. The native replied that his name was Berú and that the place where he stood was Pelú...

Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent. Traditionally, it was a day when children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family. Centuries ago it was considered important for people to return to their home or 'mother' church once a year. So each year in the middle of Lent, everyone would visit their 'mother' church - the main church or cathedral of the area. Inevitably the return to the 'mother' church became an occasion for family reunions when children who were working away returned home. As the centuries passed the day evolved into the Mother's Day in the UK and Ireland that we know today Happy Mother's Day to all mothers. .

People regularly say it and it is true, football has definitely gone to the dogs. Seeing the world's most famous current football with a man waging an illegal war on the people of Iran, is grotesque to say the least. Of course, winning Ametican.sports teams being invited to the Oval Office is nothing new, but ironically only the American Women''s Ice Hockey team had the balls to say no. Messi is regularly compared to Maradona, but I have no doubt Diego would have rejected the invitation to visit the President of the United States.Maradona's principed stand on issies of the time such as South Africa, Palestine and Cuba is in stark contrast to the money driven footballers of today. WORLD CUP BOYCOTTS There is talk of Iran boycotting the World Cup and Iraq will have difficulties getting to the play-off at the end of March. There has been rumours online about Spain threatening a  boycott ( 1 ) but nothing is official as yet.  Writing on March 6th I defintely thi...

 In Christian tradition , especially Catholic and Anglican contexts, the Christmas season officially ends on Candlemas Day (2 February) . Historically, that meant: Decorations stayed up until Candlemas Candles were blessed in church (hence the name) So keeping the Christmas tree up until Candlemas was once quite normal in parts of: Ireland England Spain Italy Latin America

 Christmas was on a Thursday this year and we stayed in Peru. Here's how it panned out. CHRISTMAS EVE Licety waited in a queue for hours on Monday 22nd to get a frozen turkey and prepared it with the help of my mother-in-law Maria Amanda.  I did my bit, looking after it on the 24th. The kids got ready for Santa in their pyjamas. Liam's christmas pyjamas, bought for him in Ireland last year still fit. Emma needed new pyjamas this year. Here is Peru, people celebrate Christmas on the night of the 24th. Liam went to bed but Emma stayed up. And while we were eating turkey and partying inside, we had a visitor on the balcony. We just caught him leaving. CHRISTMAS DAY Christmas Day is more of a relaxed day in Peru than it is in Ireland, We had chocolate and panetón for breakfast, then spent the afternoon by the pool, and had turkey in the evening. 26TH-28TH DECEMBER On the 26th December we went to a hotel inChincha for three days, from Friday to Sunday.  There was a few is...

  DERRY CITY – 2026 LEAGUE PREDICTIONS (FULL LIST) FEBRUARY #1 Fri 6th – Sligo Rovers [H] → Derry 2–0 Sligo   Reality 2-1 #2 Fri 13th – Dundalk [A] → 1–1 Draw  (Played in April) #3 Fri 20th – Bohemians [H] → Derry 2–1 Bohs   Reality 0-1 #4 Fri 27th – Waterford [H] → Derry 3–0 Waterford  Reality 4-2 MARCH #5 Fri 6th – Shamrock Rovers [A] → Rovers 2–1 Derry   Reality 1-0 #6 Fri 13th – Shelbourne [H] → Derry 2–0 Shels  Reality 1-2 #7 Mon 16th – St Patrick’s Athletic [A] → 1–1 Draw   Reality 0-0 #8 Fri 20th – Drogheda United [H] → Derry 2–0 Drogheda  Reality 2-2 — International break — APRIL #9 Fri 3rd – Galway United [A] → Galway 1–0 Derry   #10 Mon 6th – Sligo Rovers [A] → 1–1 Draw   #11 Fri 10th – Dundalk [H] → Derry 2–1 Dundalk  Reality 2-2 #12 Fri 17th – Shelbourne [A] → 1–1 Draw   #13 Fri 24th – Shamrock Rovers [H] → 2–2 Draw   MAY #14 Fri 1st – Bohemians [A] → Bohs...

 I wanted to let you know that I'm supporting the Good Shepherd church  with their raffle.   If you'd like to contribute; tickets are 5 soles. The prizes include: * 2 nights at the Hotel Antigua Casona San Blas in Cusco * Vouchers for the restaurants La Cabrera (Meat restaurant), Francesco (fish), La Tiendecita Blanca, and La Baguette * Several physical prizes including an electric knife, a French china platter, liquors, chocolates, etc. If you win a prize, you don't need to be physically present that day, but they will call you so you can come and claim it. Please Yape 993053127 ( my wife Licety) for the tickets Te quería comentar que estoy apoyando a una iglesia en sus rifas para una navidad para los niños de ahí no se si quisieras colaborar esta 5 soles Los premios incluyen : - 2 noches en el Hotel Antigua Casona San Blas del Cusco  - Vales para los restaurantes La Cabrera (carnes), Francesco (pescado), La Tiendecita Blanca, La Baguette  -  varios p...

Ireland's football association. (FAl) has today voted in favour of submitting a motion to UEFA to ban Israel from all club and international competitions This is great news. The Russian national teams and Russian clubs were banned in 2022, the same should happen to Israel. Sporting ostracisation was important in ending the apartheid regime in South Africa, the same should happen with Israel. I think it is good that Peru are facing Russia in a friendly in St. Petersburg on.Wednesday, not because I am a fan of Russia per se, but because Russia's exclusion and Israel's inclusion illistrate the hypocracy of football's governing bodies. There are certain match-ups banned in international football; Russia-Ukraine, Gibraltar-Spain, Kosovo-Serbia, Armenia-Azerbaijan. If a total ban on Israeli teams cannot be achieved, I would like to see Ireland-Israel added to that list. 🇮🇪🤝🇵🇸

Halloween is originally Irish! The modern celebration of Halloween has deep roots in ancient Celtic Ireland, where it began as a festival called Samhain (pronounced Sow-in). Here’s how it connects: Origins: Samhain was celebrated by the Celts over 2,000 years ago, marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It was seen as a liminal time when the boundary between the living and the spirit world was thin, allowing ghosts or fairies to cross over. Traditions: People lit bonfires to ward off evil spirits, wore costumes and masks to disguise themselves from ghosts, and left offerings of food for wandering souls — all customs that survive in Halloween today. Christian Influence: When Christianity spread to Ireland, the Church established All Hallows’ Day (Nov 1) and All Hallows’ Eve (Oct 31) — which merged with Samhain traditions. Over time, All Hallows’ Eve became Halloween. Spread to America: Irish immigrants in the 19th century brought these customs to the United S...

 Today the Israeli naional team take on Norway in Oslo. Against the wishes of the majority of UEFA members, Israel is still present in UEFA competitions despite its war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank, Why FIFA won’t ban Israel despite Gaza genocide  THE TRUCE The news this week of the ceasefire in Gaza is definitely welcome. Norway is not happy about hosting today's fixture but the fact that the genocide is at an end, at least for now, makes hosting the fixture more palatable SPORTING SANCTIONS Even if the genocide is over, the occupation, the blockade and the apartheid system is not. The threat of expulsion from Eurovision and international football showed the Zionist regime that the world is not on their side.  Sporting sanctions were important in bringing down the South African apartheid system. Exlusion from international rugby in particular hit tye South African hard. The same strategy needs to be used with Israel Many countries are calling for Israel to be banned ...

  The UN has now confirmed what we already knew, Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza. Over the last two years I have been taken aback by how low the Zionist state will stoop and to the extent they are being defended by their allies. First, when they bombed a hospital we heard that they would never do such a thing. Biden said "it was done by the other team" trying to foster a simple them and us mentality. Now they have bombed every hospital in Gaza, murdered, tortured and raped medical staff, buried them in mass graves and committed various other depraved crimes. They have bombed men women and children from the sky, burned them alive in tents, shot them from point-blank range and murdered people while they were queuing for food. They have closed Gaza off so the UN and other relief agencies cannot function. People in their desperation are trying to bring food by sea but the Israeli government are threatening them Yet the Israelis always play the victim. Any criticism of the...

 Some people may ask, why am I still writing about it, talking about it?   I wish I didn't have to. I wish we were not witnessing an ongoing genocide. I am so consumed with a mix of feelings, anger, despair, digust. How can Israel get away with their crimes in Gaza and the West Bank? Why haven't they been reigned in? Is the international community so toothless? So afraid of the United States and Trump's tarrifs? Afraid of big business?  There is a conserted effort to silence any opposition, any criticism of Israel's genocide, in the USA, the UK and elsewhere, I am proud that my country, Ireland,  is taking some kind of a stand but it is not enough. Restrcting trade with and arms sales to Israel should have happened years ago. Israeli diplomats should be expelled from every country on he planet. A genocide is ongoing, people are being deliberately starved, shot while they queue for food, and the world watched on. DON'T STOP TALKING ABOUT PALESTINE

They drop bombs on civilians They burn people in tents They bomb hospitals/schools/ places of worship They make babies die in incubators There are kids walking around, without limbs, without family. They block food/aid so a poulation starve with hunger They lure a starving population to their deaths by offering aid then shooting at them when they go to collect it. They block aid trucks. They kill aid workers, doctors and journalists They have barbeques beside the border fence so a starving population can smell the meat being cooked and hear the laughter while they are in despair. Their own media and politicians spout genocidal rhetoric This is the Zionist Apartheid state  This is Israel. Future generations will look back on this  thinking, how could they have let this happen? It is not like the 1930s. This genocide is being live streamed on social media. STOP!

People ask me why I feel strongly about the Palestinian issue. It have followed it since I watched the Rabin and Arafat handshake on the White House lawn in 1993, in the presence of Bill Clinton. Rabin was murdered by a supporter of Benjamin Netanyahu in 1995. AFFINITY I think my affinity with the Palestinians comes from Ireland’s colonial past. Ireland may be a mostly white European country, but many Irish people say they identify more with the Global South's experience of imperialism and colonialism. ONE ATTROCITY AFTER ANOTHER Cast your mind back to mid October 2023 when Israel bombed Al Shifa hospital. Joe Biden, at that time, said it was done by the other team as Israel would never bomb a hospital. Looking at the Gaza Strip now 16 months later and every hospital has been destroyed, along with most of Gaza’s infrastructure.  They just commit atrocity after atrocity and move on. Any criticism, from human rights groups or respected international institutions like the ...

 January 1st - Dinner in the Fir Tress And pints with the cousins A frosty night in Strabane January 2nd, a snow day .And a visit from Fergal January 3rd. A trip to Strabane January 4th - Saying goodbye January 5th - A long flight Arrived close to midnight, Lima time .  January 9th - Liam receives his swimming medal, finally Saturday January 11th. One of many pool days We'll leave it there