Darren’s Diary – Kicking The Habit (Day 26) – Saturday, 17th March 

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  And what a start to the weekend!  Gearoid Clancy wins a Australian boxing belt.  Corofin deliver one of the great Croke Park performances.  And just as I write, Ireland are Grand Slam champions for the third time! 

Sinead and myself were just debating what merits historic but it is certainly a very special moment and one we’ll never forget just like the last one in 2009.  I suppose the way the games went today, Ronan O’Gara’s winning kick probably stands out a bit more but it’s a great feeling nonetheless.

I had my first pint last night after our camogie preview show which went very well.  I hope it came across the same.  A fantastic night and it just goes to show how popular camogie and the interest there that we ran out of time very quickly.  We could have gone another half an hour.

But yes, the pint.  I enjoyed it.  Guinness always tastes like a treat when you haven’t touched one in a while.  But I’ll admit, the cravings afterwards were unnatural.  I won’t lie, I really wanted a fag.  I think it was just the old habits playing with my mind but it did trigger quickly.

It did cross my mind going home but when I stopped off at the Galway Plaza.  I restricted to a cappuccino and chewing gum.  But it got my mind thinking how it could just set off like that.

Is it just me looking for an excuse?  Have I been bluffing myself with my four days of craving free bliss?  Or was I just bluffing myself thinking I wanted one anyway?

Either way, I didn’t fold but it got me thinking.  It’s time to drop the nicorettes I feel.  Didn’t want to take them in the first place and only totaled five strips (an average of three gums per day) which wasn’t a bad innings.  But they are still giving me the nicotine fix and after three weeks, time to drop them.

It’s also time to get my fitness back on track as have let it slip.  So, back running Tuesday!  I’m not promising couch to 5k action just yet.  But while I’ve given Supermacs a breather, I need to focus somewhere else.  If I was thinking of folding after one pint, what would I be like if I had a few?

I’m listening to the radio while writing as everyone soaks up the achievement of the rugby team.  When you think we nearly messed it up against France before Johnny Sexton’s wonder winning kick.  And now we have a story we’ll be telling children about in time to come.

Whether an event is historic or not, each memorable moment carves its place.  Corofin have a third All-Ireland and Ireland have a third Grand Slam.  And tomorrow, we’ll look forward to seeing if Athenry or Sarsfields can create their own place among the annals of Galway sport.

For now, we have a birthday party hence the early post.  It’s ‘All About Evie’ for the next few hours.  That’s our St. Patrick’s Night Plans.  Hope ye had a good day and continue enjoying a good evening.

Darren