Fairways for Freedom™: Why We Keep Returning to Ireland

The Emerald Isle keeps calling, and we keep returning

My wife, Dr. Patricia Donnelly, and I have been conducting Fairways for Freedom™ Combat-injured Veterans trips to Ireland for the past five years—usually two trips per year. And we are often asked, “Why not create trips to U.S. destinations?” or “Why do you keep going back to Ireland?”

Well, first of all, we in fact do conduct Veterans-only retreats in the U.S., and we have three such retreats scheduled for 2018. But our international trips are designed for Veterans and “Ambassadors” who sponsor them. Our international trips usually comprise 10 Veterans and seven or eight Ambassadors, plus two and sometimes three staff. We keep going back to Ireland because, first off, we have found that the Irish people truly love and admire our Veterans. (Sometimes it seems that they like U.S. Veterans even more than some Americans do, which is a bit embarrassing, but that’s another story—and another blog sometime.) In the States, Americans might tell a U.S. Veteran “Thank you for your service.” But in Ireland, they will likely say, “Let me buy you dinner.” And second, our Ambassadors love the prospect of venturing to a bucket-list golf destination like Ireland.

So right now, I’m happy to report that we will be conducting two new trips to the Emerald Isle this September, and the main reason is that we know our Veterans will be treated like kings and queens by their Irish hosts.

Of course, there are other reasons we keep returning to Ireland. Let me count the ways:


It doesn't get any better than this, my friends. Nothing but great golf holes and the sea, on the Olde Links at Ballyliffin. The club's other course, Glashedy Links, is site of this year's Irish Open in July. 

1. The Irish links golf courses are second to none. In fact, I often say that the experience playing Irish links is superior to Scottish links. While they do not have the British Open history behind them (except for Royal Portrush), the Irish links are usually situated directly on the ocean or on pristine bays, with gorgeous views and spectacular backdrops for most of your shots. It’s not usual to have to aim your tee shot well out into the sea, only to have the wind blow it back into the fairway or onto the green.

2. The Irish caddies will literally give you the shirt off their backs (or their rain jacket or sweater), if you need it. I remember on a trip to the Northwest of Ireland a few years ago, my wife and I played


The Irish caddies are the best in the world. Here are some at Ballyliffin, in the Northwestern corner of Ireland, with our Veterans and Ambassadors.

Ballyliffin (where we are now members) with a husband-wife duo caddieing for us. When we finished at dark, we asked which taxi company we should call to get back to our hotel. The caddies would have nothing of that, instead insisting they drive us back to our accommodations. These are two of the same caddies, by the way, who have now come to look forward to the couple of days when our Veterans play both courses at Ballyliffin (Olde Links and Glashedy), and take great pride in showing these service men and women how to get around the club’s two great links layouts. Ballyliffin’s General Manager, John Farren, always takes great pride in looking after our group, which will be a tall order this year because he’s consumed with hosting in July the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, benefiting The Rory Foundation.

3. The Irish history is rich and diverse, whether you’re looking for the gravesite of a world-renown poet like W.B. Yeats (it’s near the Rosses Point course in Sligo) or exploring the Dunluce Castle near the town of Portrush or the Blarney Castle, where climbing to the top and kissing the Blarney Stone gives you the “gift of the gab.”

4. The full Irish breakfasts, which are included in the hotel charges and are really the only meal you need for the day. The hot porridge, eggs, meat, fruit and baked beans, in addition to the full-bodied Irish tea will get you charged up for a great day on the links.

5. It’s the economy, stupid. Especially when we stay in the Northwestern part of the country—where Ballyliffin and Rosapenna are the two golfing pillars—the prices are more reasonable than other


Northwest Ireland's other great destination, Rosapenna, is a piece of golfing heaven. Two of it's three courses are stalwarts in our trips: Sandy Hills and Old Tom Morris. 

destinations, allowing us to give great value to our Veterans and Ambassadors while offering first-class golf and lodging. For example, the Casey family owns the Rosapenna Golf Hotel & Resort with its three links on the picturesque Sheephaven Bay. Brothers John and Frank Casey have given our group the kind of personalized attention only found in Ireland.

6. That famous Irish wit. Not only do we often recount the famous Irish caddie jokes (American golfer: “You’re the worst caddie I’ve ever seen.” Irish caddie: “I doubt that, sir. That would be too much of a coincidence.”) But the quick comeback and clever turn of phrase is all around us. When giving complicated directions to get to one of the courses, one of our hotel operators ended the instructions with “Stay on the left side of the road and you’ll get there quicker.

We have remembered that piece of advice and passed it on many times. And yes, not only have we made it to our destinations safely, but usually on time!