After Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher sank a few pints in Brady’s Clockhouse, Maynooth a few weeks ago Rory McIlroy was the latest star to hit the town after he dined in The Avenue on Thursday night.
While a meal out with his wife Erica and daughter Poppy was undoubtedly a nice way to unwind during Irish Open week where he has so many media and publicity commitments, it wasn’t lost on McIlroy where he was.
McIlroy is a product of the old Golfing Union of Ireland system which is based in the nearby Carton House and being back in the student town of Maynooth reminded the Grand Slam winner of how far he has come on his golfing journey.
“I think as well, being in this neck of the woods, you know I went for dinner last night with Eric and Poppy in Maynooth and like that takes me back to the Golf Union of Ireland days and doing the sort of Irish weekends at Carton House and all that stuff,” he reflected.
“And just to think about the journey and everything, I feel very, very lucky and very grateful that the journey has sort of ended up at the place that it has. I’m really enjoying the week.”
Perhaps winning the Grand Slam and still coming to terms with the realisation of his crowning achievement back in April had the Holywood man in a contemplative mood.
He has done what many dream but will never do.
Eleven Irish players teed it up at the K Club on Thursday morning, most of whom are in awe of his presence and the frenzy he garners.
The likes of Alex Maguire, Robert Moran, Max Kennedy, Conor Purcell and 18-year-old Cork amateur John Doyle are all aspiring to reach the heights of a McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington, Seamus Power while Tom McKibbin is an emerging talent.
Maguire was the only one of the novice crop to make the cut and he is dreaming of somehow wriggling his way into a box office tee time with McIlroy this weekend.
The going has been tough for Maguire who has made less than six grand from eight starts on Europe’s second tier tour but McIlroy insists that he and his peers keep believing.
“I think the thing that I would tell someone like Alex who just made the cut is, we were all in a similar position at one stage. And, we’ve all sort of been through that same journey, especially that formative years of our careers, whether it be Irish panels or playing on Irish teams under Neil Manchip.
“So like we’ve all done that. And there’s a few of us that have come through that and gone on to very, very big things, whether it be myself or Shane winning the Open and becoming a sort of bona fide top 10, top 20 player in the world.
So the opportunities are there and it’s just a matter of going out and grabbing it and playing well at the right time.
“But I would just tell those guys to look at Shane, to look at me and realise that you are able to do it. You know, it is achievable.”
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