Joeys Boys Trip to Izumo, Japan 2003 - An Incredible Adventure

23/10/2018

15 Years ago today we were heading to Izumo Japan with some of the greatest kids Joeys ever had. From the snow at Dublin Airport to the greeting at the City Hall Izumo

...A brilliant event and a groundbreaking trip that we should always remember...

Arigatou Gozaimasu to all the boys, coaches and clubmen that went on the 'pioneering' trip ..

Ger

11/11/2013

03/11/2013

There are about 400 images from Izumo on the page here. Just access the 'photos' link above to see them all.

I will add more as I get some together. There is also a video of the games we played. They're quite long (big files) but good to watch. I'll edit and post them here when I can..

Ger

03/11/2013

The full list of Players and Leaders who made this epic journey to the Land of the Rising Sun were:

BARRY MCDONALD,
GUY KING-HALL,
CALUM ROWDEN,
SHANE O’CONNOR,
CAOLAN O’CALLAGHAN,
ANDREW JOHN BROE,
DEAN TIEDT,
PHILIP RICHARDSON,
JAKE KELLY,
CHRIS ANAKO,
CIAN DONOGHUE,
JEFF O’FLYNN,
STEPHEN PRATT,
ADAM O’CONNOR,
PHILIP KNIGHT,
SHANE WILLIAMS,

Leaders:

GERARD EGAN: Tour Director/Team Manager BRIAN DEVITT: Senior Coach Official

AUSTIN MULLEN Honorary Club President DES KELLY Director of Finance,
TOMMY TALLANT Director of Football,
GARRY ZAMBRA Senior Coaching Official,
RICHARD EGAN Junior Coach,
GRAHAM KELLY Junior Coach,
ROBERT MULLIGAN Junior Coach,
KEITH EGAN Junior Coach,

Parents:
ANDREW BROE Parent,
BRIAN DONOGHUE Parent

03/11/2013

Below is the Brief, official schedule for the tournament and events upon arrival in Izumo....after 24 hours of travel and 6 hours sleep in our Hotel.....

Friday 24th October 2003

10.50 Leave hotel and travel to city hall

11.15 Arrive at city hall and meet with the Mayor, the deputy mayor and Head of the Board of Education

11.45 Leave city hall and depart for Chugakko (junior high school/secondary school)

12.00 Welcome Ceremony at Chugakko

12.30 Dine at school cafeteria

13.30 Leave school

18.00 Arrive at Izumo Science Hall

18.15 Start of Opening Ceremony

19.15 End of Ceremony

Saturday 25th

10.00 Arrive at Nagahama Sports Park

10.15 Opening

10.30 Start of Game #1

11.40 Game #1 finishes

Break for Lunch

Change of venue ()

13.00 Sports Park Start of Game #2

13.30 Nagahama Start of Game #2

14.10 Sports Park Game #2 finishes

14.40 Nagahama Game #2 finishes

14.40 Sports Park Start of Game #3

15.50 Sports Park Game #3 finishes

17.50 Arrive at Welfare Pension Hall/Hotel

18.00 Start of Cultural Exchange Event

20.00 End of Event. Return to Hotel

Sunday 26th

09.00 Arrive at Nagahama Sports Park

10.00 Sports Park Start of Game #1

11.10 Sports Park Game #1 finishes

Break for Lunch

Change of venue (only)

12.30 Sports Park Start of Game #2

13.00 Nagahama Start of Game #2

13.40 Sports Park Game #2 finishes

14.10 Nagahama Game #2 finishes

Teams in Nagahama depart for Sports Park

14.10 Sports Park Start of Game #3

15.20 Sports Park Game #3 finishes

15.30 Closing/Awards Ceremony

16.30 Start of Panel Discussion

18.30 End of Panel Discussion

Lots more happened as you all know but this was the first list I received about the event from Japan.....

03/11/2013

All the boys and coaching staff at a local restaurant where some of the lads were smitten with a few older girls who came in a for a meal. The girls didn't even look up!. Other than that we spent the time trying to convince Shane O'Connor to eat something other than chips. We should've brought packets of Tesco nuggets with us...and spuds... as Shane said!

03/11/2013

The lads on the Team bus heading to a game. Keith with the camera annoying them all. All are knackered, jet lag catching up with them and all wishing they were in bed........

02/11/2013

10th Anniversary of our ground-breaking trip to Izumo City, Japan - October 2003. The first Irish Schoolboy team to travel to the other side of the world in the name of football.

What a great team it was - an fantastic bunch of lads, on and off the field... So proud to have been with you all for those great years, especially for the Japanese Adventure....

Hope you like the pics 10 years on... Bet you all haven't changed a bit...

Ger

Arigatou Gozaimash*ta