Men of Action: ‘Lead By The Way You Play’

Posted on February 5, 2013 by aaron

Ireland’s victory at the weekend has got them off to an excellent start in this year’s 6 Nations rugby tournament.

The team played a strong first half in their match against Wales to score a strong victory of 30-22. This has got them team energised as they move forward in the competition. Saturday 2nd February was a good day all round, and was also the return of Brian O’Driscoll to the tournament.

Brian O’Driscoll (photo by Paul Walsh, via Flickr Creative Commons)

O’Driscoll was forced to miss last year’s 6 Nations due to injury, which continued to effect him into the autumn tournaments of 2012. This absence meant that he wasn’t in his usual position as team captain on Saturday, which was handed to Jamie Heaslip. But this didn’t mean there was an internal battle for leadership. On the contrary. O’Driscoll displayed some of that ‘no quit’ attitude of The Wild Geese and brought his team values back to the field:

‘The captaincy doesn’t make any difference – I still see myself as a leader in the team and helping Jamie out where I can

‘You don’t play any different if you’re captain. You always try to lead by the way you play’

And O’Driscoll certainly did this. Like The Wild Geese, he is testament to the refusal to quit, transcending injury and circumstance. He helped secure a victory in the second half, scoring his 26th 6 Nations try and was awarded Man of the Match.

Men of Action: David Beckham ‘Shakes Things Up’

Posted on February 1, 2013 by aaron

(Photo by Hapinachu via Flickr Creative Commons)

As the window for transfer deadline closed, the world of football was shook up by David Beckham. Since his contract with L. A. Galaxy ended in December, the race has been on to sign Beckham. As a global superstar he still attracts interest from around the world, and its rumoured that he received offers from at least one club on every continent that plays professional football.

But it is Paris St-Germain that tackled Beckham in the end, signing him to a five month contract for the remainder of Ligue 1. But, like The Wild Geese, Beckham wants to contribute to his adopted community and will give his salary to a local charity:

‘I won’t receive any salary. We have decided my salary will go towards a local children’s charity in Paris and that is one of the things we are very excited and proud to do’

Beckham’s old Manchester United team mate and former goalkeeper for France, Fabien Barthez is confident that this new signing will ‘shake things up’:

‘You mustn’t forget what the guy has lived, and all the experience, all this lived experience that he can bring to the young players and the team’

But Beckham has many challenges a head of him, all of which he is embracing. One major challenge exemplifies his own larger goals.

The Wild Geese focused on a higher cause when they left their home in 1691. Wherever they went, this was a driving force in their actions and its impressive to see the vision that Beckham is bringing to this transfer.

Ligue 1 is thought by some to be a second tier competition in Europe, but Paris St-Germain has been trying to change that perception and bring high quality football to competition. With 115 caps for England and back-to-back League titles in the last two seasons at L. A. Galaxy, David Beckham is the next step to doing this:

‘I chose Paris because I can see what the club are trying to do. I can see who the club are trying to bring in

‘Its an exciting city and now there’s a club that’s going to have a lot of success over the next 10, 20, 30 years. I’m very honoured I’ve been picked to be part of the future of PSG’

Men of Action: Wild Geese Set Sail For The French Rugby Field

Posted on January 29, 2013 by aaron

Photo by Darren Johnson via Flickr Creative Commons

Irish rugby star Jonathan Sexton has a new chapter a head of him, which echos the story of The Wild Geese.

The Leinster fly-half will be starting the new season in France, playing for the French Club Racing Metro. He will be the first Irish player to leave his homeland for the continent, and his place on a Top 14 team shows that his skill has been seen from overseas. Although this is a huge opportunity for him, it will be a bittersweet move for his team. His Leinster team mate Rob Kearney thinks that this move is crucial, and could open the door other players to play club rugby in Europe:

‘France is one of the new experiences that players will generally pinpoint in looking for a change. Johnny’s shown a lot of bravery. If it works out really well for him in that he’s enjoying life and playing good rugby while earning more money, people will see that and it will open up a whole new ball park’

The Leinster coach can’t speak highly enough of his star player, but understands that this is a great opportunity for him:

‘I’ve really enjoyed Johnny’s input overt he last few years and he has added tremendous value to the Leinster environment both on and off the field. The offer he has received is exceptional, even by French standards, but I know that it was still tough decision’

Today’s Wild Geese are still being championed by France, something which started back in 1691. France was the first destination The Wild Geese journeyed to, lead by Patrick Sarsfield. But like The Wild Geese, in the face of new opportunities Sexton will not forget Ireland. He will be playing against Wales in the Six Nations this Saturday (2nd February 2013).

Men of Action: Newark’s Urban Superhero

Posted on January 23, 2013 by aaron

The story of The Wild Geese is one of courage. It is facing hardships and overcoming them to make a difference. In 1691, when The Wild Geese had to make their fateful choice, the soldiers has Patrick Sarsfield to look to. He lead them in the right direction, his strong sense of duty and commitment to a cause, encouraging them when times were tough.

Today we still look to leaders in times of peril, who can inspire us when we’re faced with adversity and unforeseen circumstance. One such example is Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, New Jersey, who has made sure that his term in office is one of action.

(Photo by Veni Markovski, via Flickr Creative Commons)

When the east coast of the USA was hit by Hurricane Sandy last October, Newark was amongst the victim cities. People across the city were left without food, power and supplies, which spurred the mayor to take action and lead by example.

He famously worked 22 hour shifts, personally delivering supplies to those in need. His Twitter feed became a helpline, from which he could coordinate how best to help his community. Seeing Booker take an active role in relief efforts helped lift the morale of the city can keep the community together.

‘It helps spread a message and a spirit of heroism to others’ declared the Mayor in a recent interview.

Although Newark has a shady reputation, during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy there were no reports of looting and a sense of community that Booker was very proud of:

‘It’s a great spirit in our city, people pulling together and watching out for each other’

For Booker, these actions are not just about ticking boxes on the election papers. Booker has worked tirelessly to reinvigorate his city from collecting investments from the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, to championing policies that help keep the city healthy. This relates back to a higher cause that drives Booker, and like The Wild Geese, he cannot ignore:

‘My Mom said, “You have this obligation to live a fearless life. You should try to push the limits of what’s possible, because you were given so much, that’s what your obligation is”‘

Cory Booker at the 2012 National Democratic Convention (Photo by Steve Bott, via Flickr Creative Commons)

A true leader and unafraid to take action, many are already calling on Booker to challenge for Governor. For now though, he is making a difference in his own community, playing parent, superhero, protector and leading by example.

Men of Action: Ravens Will Meet 49ers At Super Bowl XLVII

Posted on January 21, 2013 by aaron

The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, where the Baltimore Ravens will meet the San Francisco 49ers in New Orleans (photo by Infrogmation, via Flickr Creative Commons)

Here we go! The path to Super Bowl has been set. The Baltmore Ravens will meet the San Francisco 49ers on February 3rd!

Both teams pulled out astounding come backs this past Sunday in their respective games.

The Baltimore Ravens turned their match around against the New England Patriots after half time, when Raven’s qurterback Joe Flacco succeeded in 2 touchdown passes. He went on to score 2 touch downs in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter.

‘It was pretty awesome,’ declared Flacco. ‘We were here last year and thought we had it, but came up a little short. Guys came out in the second half and made plays… we put pressure on them like that and it worked pretty well’

Both teams’ efforts are a reminder of how to tackle adversity. Like The Wild Geese, they didn’t quit and made every second count. The results of the first half would not determine the match outcome. The Ravens are now heading into their first Super Bowl since 2001.

But last weekend’s comeback kings were certainly the San Francisco 49s. They turned an impending loss of 17-0 against the Atlanta Falcons into a final match score of 28-24, the biggest comeback seen in an NFC Championship game! It was a fiercely fought match and running back Frank Gore (who pulled off a 9 yard run half way through the 4th quarter) was very complimentary of the competition:

‘I take my hat off to Atlanta. They played hard. They’ve got a great team. But we fought man. We fought and we deserved it’

They certainly did. Super Bowl XLVII is shaping up to be one of high drama and tough competition. It will be Raven’s great Ray Lewis’ final match before he retires. It will be a chance for 49ers newcomer Colin Kaepernick to showcase his talents. And a battle of brothers: John and Jim Harbaugh will face off on February 3rd, John coaches the Ravens and Jim coaches the 49ers.

With such anticipation, players on both sides are thinking about what the coming weeks will mean. And both are reminders of the lessons we’ve learned from The Wild Geese: team work and maintaining a positive attitude.

The 49ers’ Kaepernick will be keeping a cool head: ‘Going out on the field frantic isn’t going to help you score points. You have to stay calm. You have to try and lead your team’

Men of Action: Paul McGinley’s Wins Ryder Cup Captaincy

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aaron

Eyes on the Prize: McGinley will have his eyes on maintaing his record Ryder Cup wins when he leads Team Europe in 2014 (Photo by Dan Perry, danperry.com, via Flickr Creative Commons)

Its been a very good week for Irish golf!

One of the major tournaments of the sport is the Ryder Cup, which pits golfers from Europe against the US. News has been spreading like wildfire that Paul McGinley has now been appointed the Ryder Cup team captain for Gleneagles in 2014.

McGinley has twenty two years experience under his belt and started to make a name for himself when he famously holed a 9 ft on the 18th hole of the 2002 Ryder Cup, a putt that won the tournament for Europe.

The Dubliner’s strengths are many. McGinley has won every Ryder cup he has contested and will be returning next year as captain to merge skill, experience and leadership, a task which even his competition thinks he’s perfect for. Captain of the US Ryder Cup team, Tom Watson, was quick to offer his congratulations:

‘I anticipate that his passion and love of the event will transfer to being an outstanding leader of his team in 2014 at Gleneagles’

Leadership is a vital skill. When The Wild Geese were faced with a difficult choice in 1691, they turned to Patrick Sarsfield to continue their cause, who was loved and admired by his troops. Through this love and admiration The Wild Geese achieved remarkable things.

Considering this, McGinley’s captaincy is not surprising. He received extraordinary support, especially from members of the Ryder Cup team itself. At the forefront was world number 1 Rory McIlroy:

‘I’m thrilled! Paul was not only my choice but the choice for most of the players on the Ryder Cup. He will do a brilliant job at Gleneagles’

McGinley has captained Rory McIlroy in the past at the Vivendi Seve Trophy in both 2009 and 2011 and he fully appreciates what this level of support has meant:

‘To have the support of someone like Rory and all the other players made my hand very strong. I’m absolutely thrilled to be leading this team. It is a huge honour and a humbling experience’

Men of Action: McIlroy ‘Gives A Helping Hand’ in 2013

Posted on January 16, 2013 by aaron

Photo by Phillip Wilson (internetsense), via Flickr (Creative Commons)

The year is off to an excellent start for Irish golfer Rory McIlroy. At only 23 years old, he’s starting 2013 as the world number 1, and although the challengers will be lining up at the major tournaments, he’s not likely to shift from that spot for some time.

McIlroy is also now one of the highest earning golfers, second only to Tiger Woods, after he recently signed a new sponsorship deal. The deal will see him change equipment for this year’s tournaments, but with a game as good as his, this may only be a minor adjustment.

It’s inspiring to see someone so talented climb the ranks so quickly, but what’s more, the Co. Down native is keen to give something back. Like The Wild Geese, there is a cause that calls to him and he’s in the position to make a difference.

McIlroy has set up a new charity, to help disadvantaged children from around the world. ‘The Rory Foundation’ will help fund children’s charities and through his ’6 Bags Project’ will aim to raise awareness of the organisations striving to make a difference. At each of the first 6 tournaments of the year, McIlroy’s golf bag will carry the name of a different charity. After the respective tournament, the bag will be auctioned, with all proceeds going to the chosen charity.

‘Having support from my family gave me the opportunity to chase my dreams,’ McIlroy explains.

‘But I know that every child is not so fortunate. My aim is that The Rory Foundation will support children’s charities, big and small, around the world, that try to give kids that helping hand’

The Wild Geese fought their situation to achieve their potential. Now, McIlroy’s initiative will help those less fortunate to reach theirs. He’s in the perfect position to take action and make a difference.

Men of Action: ‘An Experience that I’ll Treasure’, Daniel Day-Lewis On The Path To Oscar Glory (Again!)

Posted on January 15, 2013 by aaron

Photo by chloe004, via Flickr (Creative Commons)

The awards season is well and truly underway, with the annual Golden Globes taking place this past Sunday in Beverley Hills, California.

The Golden Globes are a celebration of some of the movie industry’s top talent and this year was no exception. One performer at the forefront of awards conversations this year has been Daniel Day-Lewis, who left the Golden Globes with the award for Best Actor (Drama).

Day-Lewis’ performance in Steve Spielberg’s latest biopic ‘Lincoln’, sees him play the renowned 16th president of the United States and has been thrilling audiences and critics alike over the in US.

As he accepted the Golden Globe (his 7th nomination at the awards) he thanked Spielberg for ‘an experience that I’ll treasure until the end of my life’.

Widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest actors, Day-Lewis is a true example of what we can achieve with the right level of determination. He currently lives in Co. Wicklow, Ireland and like The Wild Geese, has experienced the majority of his success overseas, and awards like the Globes are testament to how far he has come.

Some see the Globes as an indicator to the Oscar results. Although this wasn’t the case last year for George Clooney, the last time Daniel Day-Lewis won a Golden Globe was for his role in ‘There Will Be Blood’ in January 2007. We all know what happened a few weeks later at the Oscars, so we could soon see this great actor win his third.

Men of Action: Young Pretenders For 2013 Grand Slam Titles

Posted on January 10, 2013 by aaron

Tennis has been dominated by ‘The Big Four’ for many years now. Names like Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray have battled between themselves for the World Number One over the last 12 months.

Although all four are outstanding to watch, the game may be shaken up even more this year with the arrival of a new generation of young pretenders for the tennis throne.

A New Chapter
Jerzy Janowics started 2012 with an ATP ranking of 222, having never played in a Grand Stand tournament. A year later and he is a very real contender for a Grand Slam title in 2013. The Pole has shot to number 26, reaching the final in the Paris Masters final, beating four of the top 20 players in world along the way.

He impressed with victories against Andy Murray, Janko Tipsarevic, Marin Cilic and Philipp Kohlschreiber, and was only stopped by David Ferrer. But this isn’t a case of close but no cigar, and is instead an excellent foundation for all he can achieve in 2013. For Janowics, its about taking one step at a time. But that’s not to say that he isn’t ambitious:

‘I aim to go over 250 km/h [in his serve] and beat every record. With my coach, I’ve already been able to increase the speed of 2-3 km/h thanks to hard work we are doing, but I aim to improve to 10 km/h by the end of this year’

Janowics started training again only a week after his run in the Paris Masters. A positive attitude he is maintaing for the year a head:

‘What happened in Paris is for me a closed chapter. In front of me, there is a new season and new challenges’

The Wild Card
Grigor Dimitrov is another player who has already come a long, long way. The Bulgarian was entered into the Queen’s Club Tournament in 2009 as a ‘Wild Card’. As the world number 361, initially his entry was a shock. But Dimitrov impressed with his elegant style and sheer skill.

Grigor Dimitrov, photo by Ian Gampon (iShot71), via Flickr

Last summer he returned to Queen’s, where he reached the semi finals. This performance has helped to rocket him up the API rankings, where he now sits at number 41! Earlier this month he participated in the Brisbane International Tournament. Beating fellow young pretender Milos Raonic, as well as Jurgen Melzer, Dimitrov was on course to wining his first tournament. He reached the semi finals, where he was beaten by Andy Murray, however, this has got 2013 off to an excellent start.

The Wild Geese Gather To Show Solidarity

Posted on January 4, 2013 by aaron

Like many people, we have been touched by the solidarity displayed in the face of Hurricane Sandy. The event devastated one of the world’s most famous cities, but the sense of community spirit has highlighted the best in people.

To further show our support, we provided our whiskey at a special evening hosted by Michael Collins, the Irish Ambassador to the US on the 11th December. The event was held at the Embassy of Ireland in Washington D. C. and was ‘an expression of solidarity with victims of Hurricane Sandy’, mobilising prominent members of the Irish community to work together in relief efforts. It was a good chance for congressional members and members of the American Ireland Fund to raise awareness for these efforts. We’re very proud to have been a part of this.

The night also saw two prize draws, where the winners were presented with The Wild Geese Irish Whiskey Collection. Congratulations go to Mr Joe Monahan and Mr Michael Brennan. Guests were also treated to servings of our whiskey.

A representative at the Embassy thanked The Wild Geese for our support and all contributions went towards helping the victims of the Hurricane.

‘Sincere thanks once again for your kind support towards the event, where two mixed cases of The Wild Geese Irish Whiskey were awarded to our two prize draw winners. All were greatly appreciated and enjoyed and Ambassador Collins also expressed thanks to The Wild Geese Irish Whiskey Collection during his address at the event’

*In North America The Wild Geese Irish Whiskey Collection is sold as ‘The Wild Geese Soldiers & Heroes Irish Whiskey’