In Dublin Town

It's time to give you a little clarity on what my plans are for this summer. I've been back in Utah for 10 days visiting my family and catching up with some old friends. It's been good to see everyone in Logan and Salt Lake City that I haven't been able to see in over 5 months. My best man Scott picked me up from the airport and drove me back to Logan, so it was good to catch up with him. It's nice to be back, if only just for a little while. My friends and neighbors put up Irish flags all down the road up to my house, as well as a huge banner on my front door. It was a fantastic gesture, and I'd like to thank everyone in Logan for their support.

I was also able to go skiing at Beaver Mountain on Saturday with some friends, the place where my skiing career began. Six of us got together and went up to ski the foot of fresh powder that fell that previous night. There's nothing better than skiing with a group of old friends.

A lot of you have been wondering what I was doing in Dublin the last couple of weeks after the Olympics; it's time to shed some light on the situation. Thanks to my aunt Mary, my mother's sister, I've been able to stay just north of Dublin in a village called Malahide. Her lads are just a bit older than me so we get along really well and there's always a bit of banter around the house. Just like being in Limerick or Kerry, it's another home away from home. I've been staying with the O'Donoghues in Dublin a lot over the past year, and I couldn't thank them enough for putting up with me! Malahide itself is a very nice village, not too packed or built up. Malahide Castle would be one of the main tourist attractions there, and it's perfect for a morning walk.

Since I've been back in Dublin there have been a few meetings with the Olympic Council about making a plan for the next four years. I am still very young for a skier and I believe there is a lot left in me, enough perhaps for another Olympic Games. I've also been going around Dublin looking for work. Yes, I am flying back to Ireland tomorrow for a while! Over the past couple of years, I've learnt that you should take opportunities when you can. I have a couple positive leads with work, so I'm going to head over and see how it goes. I've grown to like Dublin; it has such a buzz about it that I haven't felt anywhere else. It will be nice to have family within reach over the entire summer, as well as a few friends I've been able to make over the past few months.

I've had an unbelievable few years traveling the world, meeting new people, and realizing my dream. I'm looking forward to the next couple of months, and I'll be sure to keep you all in the loop.

/CL