Men of Action: Antarctic Expedition Honours ‘Iron Men in Wooden Boats’

Posted on February 13, 2013 by aaron

On a freezing Monday morning, Tim Jarvis and Barry Gray appeared on a white horizon as they edged closer to Stromness, a former whaling station in the Antarctic. This was the final destination in their expedition – an authentic recreation of Ernest Shackleton’s attempt to cross the Antarctic from coast to coast during the Endurance Expedition (1914-1917).

The original Endurance Expedition lead by Ernest Shackleton (Photo by santiagonostalgico, via Flickr Creative Commons)

The key here is an ‘authentic recreation’. Not only did Jarvis and Gray follow Shackleton’s route, they did it only using mountain-climbing gear and equipment that the original expedition would have used in the early 1900s. A brave decision given that a few days ago they were caught in white-out conditions, but for environmental scientist Travis Jarvis this was about honouring the brave:

‘These early explorers were iron men in wooden boats and while modern man mostly travels around in iron vessels, I hope we’ve been able to emulate some of what they achieved. There’s no doubt in my mind that everyone has a Shakleton double in them and I hope we’ve inspired a few people to find theirs’

Shackleton was born in Kilkea, Co. Kildare, Ireland. He had the intrepid spirit of The Wild Geese, and took to the seas at 16. He has become one of the prominent figures inn the Heroic Age of Antarctic Explorations, along with Captain Scott.

Its endearing to see how Jarvis and Gray have tried to connect with their hero by sharing in his experiences. When Shackleton’s eyes met those new horizons, its likely that he shared in the experiences of The Wild Geese when they left Ireland and faced the unknown in 1691. The legend continues.

Men of Action: Daniel Day-Lewis Delivers Speech of a Lifetime at BAFTAs

Posted on February 11, 2013 by aaron

‘And the BAFTA goes to…’ read Sarah Jessica Parker. And we waited.

Seconds later Daniel Day-Lewis has risen to the stage and in front of an admiring audience delivered one of the more amusing, yet still humbling acceptance speeches of the night. For those of you who missed it, the Oscar hopeful made the speech of a lifetime, referencing his famous method acting, while gently making fun:

‘Just on the chance I might one day have to speak on an evening such as this I’ve actually stayed in character as myself for the last 55 years and had a various selection of Bafta sets downscaled, dating from the late fifties, placed in every single room of every house I’ve ever lived in and every time I rise from a chair it spontaneously unleashes a soundtrack of thunderous applause, with a few boos and drunken hecklers’

But there were no boos. Joking aside, his commitment to a character clearly works. Once again, his ability to bring a story to life has been recognised by the industry. Last month he picked up the Golden Globe and SAG awards for the same role. He’s now added his fourth BAFTA to that growing list, thanking Steven Spielberg for his time working on Lincoln and wishing they were ‘still on the expedition together’. Just one more step towards the Academy awards.

George Clooney at Toronto Film Festival 2008 (Photo by Josh Jensen via Flickr)

Another very nice surprise of the evening was when another of today’s Wild Geese turned up. The always dashing George Clooney attended in his producer role on Argo which was awarded Best Film. Sporting a healthy beard, we’re betting guys from London to LA will be growing facial hair to match his style.

Clooney has done some monumental work behind the camera in the past few years, so it was incredibly gratifying to see him pick up the BAFTA for Best Film with director Ben Afflect and co-producer Grant Heslov.

In his acceptance speech Clooney had nothing but praise for his director:

‘You’re smart and you know what you want but more important, you love what you’re doing’

Men of Action: Daniel Day-Lewis Hot Favourite for BAFTAs

Posted on February 8, 2013 by aaron

The movies awards season is heating up, as the best of the best gather in London this Sunday for the annual BAFTA awards. As one of the final stops on the road to the Academy Awards, its a big deal to be recognised at the BAFTAs, which attract attention from all over the world.

Photo by chloe004, via Flickr Creative Commons

Amongst the glitz and glamour, the bookmakers have named Daniel Day-Lewis favourite to win the Best Actor Award for Lincoln, following his success at the Golden Globes in January. Being recognised in this category is special for any actor and this is Day-Lewis’ sixth nomination. Victory on Sunday would be his forth BAFTA win.

Daniel Day-Lewis is one of today’s Wild Geese. His father is of Irish descent and in 1993 Day-Lewis returned to Ireland, moving to Wicklow, where he has been able to centre himself:

‘I’ve always felt, more than any other place that I’ve been, that Wicklow is in harmony, complete harmony, with the demands that life has made’

He has realised Patrick Sarsfield’s dream of one day returning to Ireland. We celebrate this.

Daniel Day-Lewis’ success overseas and return to Ireland is a modern day telling of the story of The Wild Geese. Its what our brand celebrates. We’re looking forward to seeing the results this Sunday!

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.