I’ve been following sport all my life and rarely have I been so enthralled by a sporting spectacle as I was on Sunday night last watching Rory McIlroy win the Masters. His round was a microcosm of his career, majestic moments of sheer brilliance coupled with moments of exasperating frailty that made his achievement all the more compelling. Rory found a way to overcome. Some of the shots he played were mind blowing, like pieces of stardust landing from another world, each lingering long into the night to cast a glow well beyond the now darkened fairways. Seasoned commentators struggled to hold it together, so too the rest of us. We all witnessed something timeless, something immortal, yet human… so very human.

Sunday night was a moment in time many of us will remember for the rest of our lives. It reminded me of great sporting occasions in the past that I still cherish to this day; Dawn Run winning the Champion Hurdle in ’84, Dennis Taylor sinking the black in the World Snooker Championship in ’85, Kevin Sheedy’s goal in Italia ’90 or Ray Houghton’s in the States in ’94, Wexford winning the All-Ireland in ’96. I remember the people I shared these moments with especially my late Da. We both shed many a silent tear together on each of these occasions. Yet, Sunday evening eclipsed all these memories. What happened transcends sport. Rory’s triumph speaks to all of us. We too can overcome.  

I was in Portrush in 2019 when Rory hit his driving iron out of bounds on the first tee to effectively ending his hopes of winning the Open Championship before he had even started. I saw his agonising torment laid bare as he wilted under the burden of expectation of his adoring home fans. His genius as a golfer elevates him to another plain, yet, in his struggle to get across the line in the majors over the past 11 years, we’ve seen in him a frailty that we can all relate to. Rory has stared failure in the face over and over again. His body language that Thursday in Portrush revealed his deeper torment; his shoulders dropped, his countenance hardened, his stride waned… his customary sprightly persona dissolving before the gaze of the watching world. There was nowhere to hide! In his vulnerability this golfing prodigy became one of us.

We’ve all been there, made mistakes, come up short, lost our composure when the pressure came on. Setbacks, painful and all as they are, pave the way for growth. Life asks questions of us all. Out of nowhere it pushes us deeper into a space we may not have known before. How we respond to those times when we’re tested most can make or break us. It can be easy to retreat, to withdraw into ourselves, to turn back; harder to find the courage to keep going. It is better to evolve, adapt, grow, all the time soaking in the lessens only life can teach. We unearth from within reserves we never knew we had. We persevere.

Rory has been subjected to a lot of vitriol and ridicule over the years from people who will never understand what it takes to be a champion. On those occasions when he has been out of sorts, driving erratically, missing nervy putts, not really playing with the precision and flair that we’ve come to expect from him, his detractors have targeted him with savage intent. His greatest accomplishment in my view lies in his mental fortitude, his capacity to block out the negative opinions of those who do not matter and never lose faith in his game. Rory found a way to silence the dissenters simply by staying true to himself. He rose above them. He dialled in on his inner voice and steered his own course with the right people around him. He would define his self-worth as he knew best. We should all do the same!

People with a toxic agenda wallow in the quagmire of their own inadequacies. What they project into the world reflects how unhappy they are in their own lives. Simple as! We must all remember that each one of us is more than the world can see. Keep believing in you no matter what. This confidence is not being cocky or over-assured. It’s something less tangible. It’s protecting that distinctive ‘spark’ that makes you the person you are regardless of what others say and do. We all need to gravitate to people who know our worth, who listen, who check in on us, who lift us up when we fall and who love to see us do well… and be there for them in return. It must work both ways. The older we get, the wiser we become. Life teaches us the importance of having good people close by. Do not settle for less!

To be the best you have to put the work in. Rory didn’t just arrive last Sunday. What he achieved has been years in the making possibly going right back to his dad Gerry placing a club in his hand for the first time as a 4 year old. His words at the Green Jacket Ceremony on Sunday night as he cast a glance over to his daughter Poppy in the crowd struck a deep chord; “Believe in your dreams. If you work hard enough, you can achieve anything you want.” There’s a lesson in there for all of us. If there’s something you’re itching to do, go out there and do it. It pays to invest your energies wisely into what really matters to you. Visualise, even dream, suspend your thinking for a while and allow your deepest instincts take over, draft a plan, then go for it. A great accomplishment, no matter how humble, starts with one single step.

Your attitude will determine where you go from here. Keep a firm hold of the reins but allow space for the universe to breathe life into all you do. I’m a firm believer in the power of the great outdoors to connect us with where we need to be. No matter how great the uncertainty, nature, in all its wild abandon, reminds us that all will be well. The oceans roll into shore with melodic ease as crimson skies unfurl the promise of a new day. The universe has a way of nudging us closer to the creative life force that makes all we do possible. It tunes us to the frequency of love. God is love and those who live in love live in God.

We’ve come the circuitous route ourselves in Celtic Ways Ireland to arrive at where we are now. It hasn’t always been easy but we’ve hung in there. Above all, we too have had to read the signs, build on what has worked really well, adapt where change is needed and just keep going. It pays to step back on occasion and take a wider view. The pieces have a way of falling into place. We now design bespoke tours tailored to suit the interests and budget of our visitors, we arrange everything for them in advance of their time in Ireland and can chauffeur and guide them from the moment they land. Our recently acquired luxury 9 seater makes all of this possible. New exciting possibilities are opening up for us. Step by step, we’re getting there.

We’ll actually be in Portrush to see Rory go for glory in the Open Championship this July. Something tells me, he’s ready to make amends. He has already etched his name among the legends of the game into golfing folklore. His talent is from another world yet he is one of us. His stardust glows with a mortal hue reminding us that all our dreams are worth living for.

*Golf images courtesy of Rory McIlroy Facebook page.

Dr Phil and Elaine are looking forward to the season ahead. The first of their international visitors land this month from Los Angeles to walk St David’s Way in Wales and then iconic pilgrim trails in South East Ireland. Celtic Ways Ireland will also host small group tours in Dzogchen Beara on the Beara Peninsula, Doolin, Connemara, along with their signature tours in Wexford and Waterford as they roll out their private driver tours of Ireland.

Celtic Ways Ireland are delighted to team up with Gorey Coaches and McCarra Coaches Newcastle to extend their luxury chauffeur transfers to their small group tours of Ireland including their Celtic Adventure Tours and Premium Golf Tours in Ireland.

For further information on our Celtic Ways Ireland tours, check out www.celticwaysireland.com or reach out to us directly on info@celticwaysireland.com