Here is the challenge
Following on from the Ireland County Top Challenge, the challenge here is to climb to the highest point in all of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden share a peak so this means climbing to 25 points.
The highest peak is Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) at a mouthwatering 4,634 m, in the canton of Valais, while the lowest is in the beautiful city-canton of Geneva, Les Arales standing at 516 m.
Since I spend considerable time in both Ireland and in Switzerland, I decided I might as well try the Swiss version of the county top challenge. Now I full expect this one to be much, much harder……..and a few of the peaks are a serious challenge, requiring crampons and rope skills, but I said “Feck it”, lets do it.
The physical side is not an issue for me, I just get on with it and I am well used to long runs and walks, and I do have a bit of a head for heights (I think!). No, what I will find daunting is the actual routes to the tops and trying my best not to get lost. You see, its not like Ireland and its small “hills”, a straight up and down, in Switzerland, you sometimes have to get to a mountain to get to another mountain…. you might have to climb up a few mountains to achieve the canton peak! Added to this is that the the top 11 have no set marked route or sign posts, you just have to figure it out yourself! And I seriously worry about getting lost and climbing the wrong mountain, or worse…… walking off a cliff edge! Which would be typical of me!
I also have virtually no experience using crampons and ropes. This is something I will have to learn later in the challenge. Added to this is the fact I haven’t really climbed anything over 1500.m, which is a bit of a problem! How will I adapt to the higher peaks? Will the snow be a major issue?
For this reason I hope to do a lot of the smaller ones quickly and at the start of the challenge and around Autumn/Spring and the odd one in winter. For the higher peaks its best to try them during the Summer where the weather will be less chaotic, and less snow around. Even though some of the peaks have year round snow!
But lets look at the positives…..I hope to be introduced to some of the lesser known cantons of Switzerland. For sure we all have heard about about Geneva, Zurich and Basel but what about some of the tiny cantons that no one really knows anything about? It will be a great way to explore the Swiss countryside in all its splendor and glory.
Also its a challenge and a good test. And good for my fitness. but more importantly great for the health of my body and mind…..nothing as refreshing gazing out at the world below from a nice height in the fresh air. Cant beat it!
Either way I will go up those damn mountains by hook or by crook! Game on!
These are the 26 canton peaks in Switzerland
List of Swiss cantons by elevation
| Rank | Canton | Highest point | Highest elevation |
| 1 | Valais | Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) | 4,634 m (15,203 ft) |
| 2 | Berne | Finsteraarhorn | 4,274 m (14,022 ft) |
| 3 | Graubünden | Piz Bernina | 4,049 m (13,284 ft) |
| 4 | Uri | Dammastock | 3,630 m (11,909 ft) |
| 5 | Glarus | Tödi | 3,614 m (11,857 ft) |
| 6 | Ticino | Rheinwaldhorn | 3,402 m (11,161 ft) |
| 7 | St. Gallen | Ringelspitz | 3,248 m (10,656 ft) |
| 8 | Obwalden | Titlis | 3,238 m (10,623 ft) |
| 9 | Vaud | Diablerets | 3,210 m (10,531 ft) |
| 10 | Nidwalden | Rotstöckli | 2,901 m (9,518 ft) |
| 11 | Schwyz | Bös Fulen | 2,802 m (9,193 ft) |
| 12 | Appenzell Ausserrhoden | Säntis | 2,502 m (8,209 ft) |
| 12 | Appenzell Innerrhoden | Säntis | 2,502 m (8,209 ft) |
| 14 | Fribourg | Vanil Noir | 2,389 m (7,838 ft) |
| 15 | Lucerne | Brienzer Rothorn | 2,350 m (7,710 ft) |
| 16 | Zug | Wildspitz | 1,580 m (5,184 ft) |
| 17 | Neuchâtel | Chasseral Ouest | 1,552 m (5,092 ft) |
| 18 | Solothurn | Hasenmatt | 1,445 m (4,741 ft) |
| 19 | Jura | Mont Raimeux | 1,302 m (4,272 ft) |
| 20 | Zurich | Schnebelhorn | 1,292 m (4,239 ft) |
| 21 | Basel-Landschaft | Hinteri Egg | 1,169 m (3,835 ft) |
| 22 | Thurgau | Hohgrat (Groot) | 991 m (3,251 ft) |
| 23 | Schaffhausen | Hagen (Randen) | 912 m (2,992 ft) |
| 24 | Aargau | Geissfluegrat | 908 m (2,979 ft) |
| 25 | Basel-Stadt | St. Chrischona | 522 m (1,713 ft) |
| 26 | Geneva | Les Arales | 516 m (1,693 ft) |
Cantons in red completed
1: Hinteri Egg: Basel-Landschaft
Hinteri Egg, 1169 metres, 3835 feet
First one off the blocks, not too far from where I stay in Switzerland…………met up with a nice Swiss lad who showed me a good route to the top and when we had a break was kind enough to explain the canton history of Switzerland to me.
Route at 1,169 m, wasnt too bad, manageable in the nice sunny day we had.
Get to Reigoldswil, then start walking, up and up and up…….or take the cable car!
If walking can take a few different routes to the Wasserfallen cable car station at top. A restaurant is there (take out due to Covid), toilets, chance to get a scooter to get back down……
So yes we took the walking route, through the trees and wooded area, past small, very small waterfalls and trickles of water coming downhill, wooden steps some of the way to the top. A nice walk, a little steep and not easy, but was enjoyable all the same.
After getting to the station, to get to the peak, Hinteri Egg, there is more walking to be done. Again up through a wooded area, which this time was slightly difficult as it was zig zagging all over the place. But once at the top, the views are excellent.
The actual peak is marked.
Overall a very enjoyable peak to “hike”. Definitely enjoyed the cold beer I had at the bottom though! One down……….
2: St. Chrischona: Basel-Stadt
St. Chrischona, 522 metres, 1713 feet
Doing the Swiss Canton Top Challenge, this was the second canton peak chalked off.
The Church is bang spot down on the highest point in the canton of Basel Stadt.
Took a long, very long, walk from the centre of Basel through the small town of Bettingen right up to the Church. Nice views from the top, and also a nice walk in the woodland to see the TV Tower.
A nice day out on a lovely day.
3: Geissfluegrat: Aargau
Geissfluegrat 908 m (2,979 ft)
From the nice town of Aarau right to the top of the Aargau Canton peak of Geissfluegrat, standing at 908 metres. Wasn’t the hardest trek up, but under the sun, 27 degrees Centigrade, and the long walk from the town, was not the most pleasant.
Also I took the most direct route, beside the road for a bit of it and through a small village (Erlinsbach), which was a bit annoying with the noise of the traffic, and it took me about 20 minutes to find the actual Canton peak while at the top, did eventually. Four hours, in between all the photo stops and drink breaks!
Now I have three canton tops under my belt. Onward and upwards…..
4: Hasenmatt: Solothurn
Hasenmatt 1,445 m (4,741 ft)
Another Canton Peak down last weekend, this time the Hasenmatt at 1,445 m, the highest mountain Solothurn.
Back in the Jura, this time from a different angle, did a wide 6 hour plus circle starting and ending with Solothurn, from Ruttenen, Weberhusli, Weissenstein, to the top (Hasenmatt) then Schauenburg, Im Holz and Bellach back down. Or that was the plan. Didn’t quite get to Weberhusli, or later Bellach, and went back to Solothurn via the Lommiswil/Lagendorf direction.
Arrived early, before ten, and the morning was sunny and bright, so hot that I was wondering perhaps I had overdressed! Spent an hour walking around the beautiful town of Solothurn, with its very impressive Cathedral.
By the time I had arrived at Weissenstein, it was raining heavily, and it stayed that way for the rest of the day. I got drenched, and the direct hike to the Hasenmatt was very difficult under the slippy mud and wet rocks. I nearly fell on a few occasions but still 100% no falls on any of my climbs yet! ha ha.
There was a bit of everything on my trip….. lovely farming scenery, nice walks through the forests, the Jura mountains with its stunning views, steep cliff hiking, sun and the rain, and finished up with a local beer, “Oufi”, which wasn’t great at all unfortunately.
The trip was long, and my legs were well tired by the end of it. Wet and cold back home I was wondering if this is something that I actually enjoy doing. Reflecting later, Yes it is…… and its good training for the legs and stamina once I hit some of the 2000 plus peaks…. bring it on.
5: Mont Raimeux: Jura
Mont Raimeux 1,302 m (4,272 ft)
Last weekend did the Jura Canton Highest peak, Mont Raimeux, 1,302 m. Took a 5 hour and a bit route starting and ending from the small town of Moutier, in the direction of Raimeux de Belprahon, to the peak, Mont Raimeux, then down to Le Petit Pre, through the woods, and right around to the town of Corcelles and back to Moutier.
Was a lovely day, hottest yet I think, but lucky enough most of the route was either under the cover of trees or a strong cool breeze was in my direction (cold winds from the Alps?), which was well refreshing.
Arriving early by train at Moutier, had a quick wander around the small town, and by 10 I was ready to start the hike. The trail to the peak was very easy to do, round and round a forest trail going up and up to the first port of call. Raimeux de Belprahon, after that through very scenic farming land in the presence of cows with their bells (does it not drive the cows mad?), eventually arriving at the top, where there was a bit of activity, with people chilling out, having lunch, and enjoying the views from the peak.
You can see the snow covered Alps far off in the distance, and if you have a head for heights can climb the observation tower to get a really great overview of the Jura.
The trek down to Le Petit Pre was the clear highlight for me. A quiet track with views of the Jura on one side, through the forest and occasionally having to go through some more fields with cows a grazing.
It was so refreshing that I stopped more than once to take it all in. I could have returned to Moutier much, much quicker, but what’s the hurry when one can have a lie down, drink a lager in a field under a tree in the midday sun, and let the world go by. Who needs a beach holiday, when you have the Jura! Bliss, was in the zone, ha!
But the negative, and there is always a negative, was that the last hour back to Moutier, via Corcelles, was directly under the sun, at its hottest, with no shade. That was a hard walk back to town, lovely views but hard all the same. Especially for the pale skinned Irish lad!
Had a sit down beer and chips in a small restaurant, was a good stop on the way to Moutier. Amazing how tasty a cold beer and chips with ketchup can taste when one is tired. Its the simple things…..
Anyway another peak off my list. 5 down now. Eager to up it to the 2000 metre ones now, but the football will be on soon (Euro Champs) so I am not sure how that will work out………
Would say this peak was easily my favourite so far…….
6: Hagen (Randen): Schaffhausen
Hagen (Randen) 912 m (2,992 ft)
Hi all. So as stated I did the Canton Peak of Schaffhausen last Sunday, getting up the Hagen at 912 metres and its Hagenturm 60 metre viewing tower.
I originally had big ambitions for the day, hoping to see a whole host of things from the towns of Busingen and Stein am Rhein to going round the Rheinfalls, but of course things didn’t pan out as hoped, as they do!
I got a little lost near the top, and struggled for a bit to find the right route to the actual peak. I was close but just couldn’t get the exact pathway. I did eventually with the help of some people working in a nearby chalet that was serving hot food and refreshments.
I promised I would return once I hit the peak and I did, happily spending an hour in great company over some nice spaghetti and strong cider.
So when I returned to Schaffhausen, with two hours behind my target time, and with the heavy rain, and long wait for a bus to Busingen, I decided to cut my losses and return home early. I did get to the see the Rheinfall from the window of the train home!
As for the route to the top. I arrived in the town of Schaffhausen early and after my usual hour wandering around the town, I started out walking beside a wide and easy pathway near the highway to the small town of Merishausen. From there I went to the church and from here you can get a route near the peak which takes you through some farmland onto a small very quite road, and then up to some smaller dirt roads leading to a wooded area from where you can find the peak. Near the end of the hike it started to rain quite heavily, which was a little annoying.
I got lost as it was raining heavy and missed the top of the tower from the distance the first time round as I simply couldn’t see its top with all the rain and mist. But put right, it was actually quite easy to find in the end. The views from the top of the tower are nice, even on such a misty day.
The Canton Peak marker, on the other hand, wasn’t so easy to find. Its actually a short walk from the tower, adjacent to the cabin, through a small path, to the long grass, and from there you can see the marker hidden between two bushes, I kid you not. At least it was from my angle.
For most of the route I didn’t meet even one hiker, but sure enough once I got to the peak, hikers started appearing out of nowhere. So much so that when I got to the tower, there was about 10 to 15 people milling about. There are always people in them hills, somewhere!!
Overall was enjoyable right up to the point I got lost and it started to rain heavily, both at the same time! My luck!
Anyway, another high point down, that’s 6 for me now…… but with the footy starting tonight and the games coming thick and fast over the next few days and weeks I will be taking a break from the hiking and will return in July. Football is my first love after all!!
Cheerio for a while………
7/8: Säntis: Appenzell Ausserrhoden/Innerrhoden
Säntis 2,502 m (8,209 ft)
Santis last September in the rain, managed four “peaks” (Alp Bommen, Ebenalp, Ohrli, and of course the big one Santis).
Started late, very late, didn’t arrive at Wasserauen until 12.00, which was a bit mad, and despite meeting many on the long route who told me to turn around……..I eventually got the peak of Santis late in the evening, around 7, in the rain and the cold, but another canton peak gone off the list.
Actually counts as two canton peaks as Santis at 2,502 m is the top of both Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden.
I managed to find a guesthouse on my way down, and got the cable down and returned to Basel in the morning after, tired but happy with my achievement.
Would not say it was enjoyable and it was a pretty a hard trek, but some of the views were stunning. Also seen the famous guesthouse at side of mountain, Church in mountain, the caves and all the rest. I will try to do the route again sometime in the future, earlier and on a dryer day, as its a great trek with stunning views.
9: Hohgrat (Groot): Thurgau
Hohgrat (Groot) 991 m (3,251 ft)
In early January, 2022, I managed to get another Swiss Canton peak under my belt.This time to the canton of Thurgau, and its peak of Hohgrat at about 991 m (3,251 ft).
Arriving good and early in the small town of Sirnach, after a wander around the nice little town I set out for my long walk to the peak……
First stop of importance was to be the old Abbey of Fischingen…….very quiet and not a soul around, free to wander in to the Church and be amazed at the artwork and beauty of the fresco’s, lovely…….
After spending some time wandering round the Abbey, I took the route towards Ottenegg Forest. A magical forest that includes a cute tiny chapel, and just a little further on a striking statute of St. Mary, high above in the clouds looking down on everything and everyone. The views from the little hill/small mountain were great, looking back on the route you took from the town….(I think!)
Once you leave the forest and ridge you walk through some farm land and pass fields till you come to an opening into another forest which brings you right up, zig and zag, and zig and zag, and again a million times right to the peak of the canton…..Hohgrat (Groot) at 991 m (3,251 ft) tall. Not so difficult to get to, and with a very enjoyable walk in the early Sunday morning which was surprisingly (for that time of the year) free of rain and snow… very nice.
The sights you can get from the peak are great, you can see the dictatorship of Austria far off in the distance, and Santis closer to home. Sitting down for a rest, with my refreshments, was majestic……its why i love hiking….the views, the views!!!!
Took a different route back down via Hohlenstein and Allenwind, a lot of it on or pass farm land, and also some of it hugging the road, but with plenty of space for walking……………..was ok…..nice and all, and you do eventually return to the Abbey…….where the brewery was attached, but unfortunately closed (and how I cried!!). Not sure of buses back to Sirnach, made me decide to hike the last hour back to the town, retracing my steps from early in the morning……..and of course, it was the last hour that killed me…….so tired!
So all in all a big loop up and around the mountain and back down again, took me about 6.5 to 7 hours, was tiring, but a trip I enjoyed…….a very quiet route and if you go when the weather is fresh and crisp, with the sun just coming up early in the morning………..magical….
10: Schnebelhorn: Zurich
Schnebelhorn 1,292 m (4,239 ft)
Switzerland Canton High Points Zurich: Schnebelhorn, 1,292 metres, 4,239 feet
Visited April 2022
Number 10 on my Swiss canton peaks list, the canton of Zurich, done last April, but just finished editing photos etc now. Took in a football game as well.
Started at 9.am in the small village of Steg, then straight upto Schnebelhorn, not a hard hike to the top, but was very misty and cold, and when at peak didn’t hang around too long as it was very windy and could see nothing.
Coming down the weather got better, and by the time I arrived in Winterthur for the football it was a lovely day.
The challenge is to climb to the highest point in all of the 32 counties of Ireland. Because some counties share the same highest point this means climbing to 27 points.
I am guessing as it is Ireland, it will be wet, windy, muddy and miserable. Not seeing many nice hot summer days at all. Also I am thinking there will be a lot of boggy land, and some peaks might be hard to find, especially the smaller peaks that people generally don’t tend to go to. I can imagine there will be a lot of bumpy back roads and getting lost down country lanes, but anyway lets see. 
Luckily there was a break in the weather and we finally got a good day for a change. I wanted to start the County Top Challenge and I read that Westmeath’s highest peak was in Mullaghmeen, through the Forest. It is 258 metres so its actually the lowest county top in Ireland. A good one to start with I think!
I went up the peak myself, up a small gravel path that leads right to the top. Up there I got to see the surrounding hills and lakes (Lough Lene) of North Westmeath. On a lovely day with a clear blue sky it was a lovely scene in the fresh air, reinvigorating.
Visited the passage tomb in Loughcrew, had not known about it before but was well impressed that this old, about 5000 years old, structure was preserved on the hill for all to see. Unfortunately the inside of the tomb was closed for the day for upkeep, but still a free walk around the site where I was well able to take in the splendor and significance of this ancient irish site.
The walkway was well laid out, a good loop around which takes about 3 k and I didn’t do as I was there for one thing and one thing only, to scale the heights of the county top.
Views are not so great at the peak as there are some trees obscuring. I suggest for the views go back to the gate to where the bench is and that’s where one can get good views of all the surrounding hills and counties. The clear day that was in it I was lucky to see Sligo and Benbulbin.
Winterthur is a German speaking city in the Canton of Zürich in northern Switzerland. With over 110,000 residents it is the country’s sixth-largest city by population.
Zurich: Schnebelhorn, 1,292 metres, 4,239 feet
Once I got settled in, and after my pint of Smithwicks (was just ok!), ordered some food………..cheesy chips (the healthy option) , and a pint of Brew Dog Punk IPA, one of my favorites, poured lovely and cold………….with my dinner, it went down very well.
Ordered a Guinness, as you do, and a cheese burger for something to eat. Served with a smile, and the food came quick enough. Food served quick is always a bad sign, and to be honest the burger wasn’t the best, looked good but was a bit soggy and wasn’t as filling as it should have been. The Guinness was not the best too, but I’m not going to take marks off for that…..outside of Dublin its generally hit and miss….. I also ordered a Spitfire ale and it was fine.
Staff working hard, especially one Irish man who I assumed was the bar owner, but later found out he was just part of the staff, but boy was it impressive to see him work the tables, pull the pints, and generally work his ass off…..all with a smile and some good Swiss German to boot. Workers like that are diamonds…….
The club was founded in 1896 by students of the local school of engineering and following a fusion with two local teams, it was called Vereinigte Fussballclubs Winterthur between 1929 and 1946. They enjoyed their best success in the early part of the 20th century winning the Swiss Championship three times (in 1906, 1908 and 1917), before consecutive relegations in 1931 and 1934. They played in the lower leagues until regaining promotion to the Nationalliga B in 1950. They have since stayed in the second division for most of their history.
The club play at Stadion Schützenwiese, a short walk from the centre of Winterthur, since 1896. In the 1980s the ownership was transferred to Winterthur council as the club faced financial problems. The council are responsible for any maintenance and upkeep of the ground. While once boasting a capacity of 14,987 before 2009, the stadium now holds 8,550 seats, 1,900 of which are seated. The more hardcore supporters of the club stand at one end, which is known as the Bierkurve. Away supporters are housed at the opposite end of the stadium to the Bierkurve.
Finally managed to get some beers and took my place in the main stand, at the back……………..good views of ground, but I have to be honest, with all the supporters packed in, it was way overfull, and with supporters spilling onto the walk ways and exits it was potentially very dangerous as everyone was on top of each other on a steep stand…….
At half time, made my way to the area behind the goals where all the ultra fans hung out……….again packed, but not as steep or hazardous, and more fun as the songs were going and atmosphere a plenty.
Here is the video of my hike and visit to FC Winterhur 
With Covid reeking havoc on my football schedule in the year 2021, I could only get to do one Swiss football groundhop for my blog. I managed to get a game in the scenic town of Schaffhausen to see the local team play against FC Aarau.
The name of the town derives from Scafhusun which comes from Schaf (a sheep), as a ram (now a sheep) formed the ancient arms (traceable to 1049) of the town, derived from those of its founders, the Counts of Nellenburg. Todays coat of arms for the town still has a representation of a ram and a castle. 
I have on many occasions ventured from Schaffhausen to the Rhine Falls in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, and why not. It really is the only reason people visit Schaffhausen, lets be honest. You can get a direct link there via train, or by bus from the town. You can actually hop on a self driving bus to the falls, if you dare! 
Knowing I could walk from Schaffhausen to Neuhausen am Rheinfall, I decided to make a trip to the family run Restaurant CM Brauhaus as I read they brew their own beer, and felt it might be an interesting place to see. 
The CM Brauhaus restaurant opened its doors for the first time as a Brauhaus restaurant in 2016. The interior has a very modern feel to it yet their is also a nod to its vintage location as there are some artifacts to brewery and local history dotted around. Its a nice place to sit down and relax. I ventured in to see the copper tanks, but many people were seated outside enjoying their food and beers with the lovely day that it was. A nice atmosphere at the brewhouse, everyone enjoying themselves. A definite touristy kind of feel going on, happy to be out and about. 
FC Schaffhausen is a Swiss football team from the town of Schaffhausen. They participate in the Challenge League, the second tier of Swiss football. Founded in 1896 as “football club Viktoria”, they are one of the oldest teams in the country.
As for honours, they won the third division titles in 1945 and 1984, and in 1963 and 2004 second division titles, and qualified for the final in the Swiss Cup in 1988 and 1994. Not a whole lot for the old club to be fair. 
(At half time I managed to go out of the stand area and get some cash from an inhouse cash machine, with the help of one kind official, so was able to buy some more beer, and pay for the free beer, afterwards)
That was the kick up the backside the home team needed, as less than ten minutes later they managed to scramble the ball home, Qollaku shooting home from close range, albeit it looked well offside to me, but there you go, the fightback was on.
But then the referee had a brain fart and sent off the defender, Kaiser in the 71st minute, for the most gentlest of tug backs, and also award a penalty to FC Aarau, the bastard! Never a penalty. Slotted home expertly, right hand top corner, by Schneuwly, who came on as a substitute and was involved in everything in the latter stages for the away team. A good player to spring from the bench. 
Drumcondra is one of Dublin’s oldest inner residential suburbs, and you can still get to see some of the old terraced style houses on show. Also the Royal Canal hugs this side of the city, and it can be nice on a hot day to walk along the towpaths and get a feel for the Northside. Griffith Park, near the well to do Griffith Avenue, is a lovely escape, and the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin is only a short walk away.
Getting to the area is very easy, with the area even having its own national rail and DART (Light rail) stop at Drumcondra railway station, on the main Drumcondra road, only one stop from Connolly station (Ireland’s main train station). Also a host of Dublin Bus routes serve the Drumcondra area, such as the 1, 11, 16, 33, or 41 amongst others (usually can be taken in and around O’Connell Street). You could also walk it from the city centre, taking about 30 minutes or so brisk walk.
Straight off the Drumcondra train stop and with lightning speed we went right into the nearest and handiest pub for thirsty souls, and that was to be Quinns. I have reviewed this pub before when I did my 
Second pint of the day was a short walk away in Mcgraths, an ordinary decent boozer as they would say. Pretty dull frontage, all brown, but inside it was nice and comfy, wooden interior and had some decent beers on tap. I sat down at the busy enough bar for that time of the day, and went for a pint of Galway Hooker Pale Ale, something I have heard raved about online, it has won awards dont you know! Served fast enough by the friendly bar man, pint was great, lovely and cool, and enjoyed my short time here having a nice quiet chat with the brother. The bar has a bit of a local feel to the place which adds to its cozy atmosphere. 
Next pub of the day was to be the Red Parrot, a smallish pub that was very empty when we arrived, just one other customer! Ordered a pint of stout from the friendly barman. 
As we were walking along we noticed a sign for The Hideout Pub, we followed, intrigued, down an alley into a square with a block of flats and at the corner there was a bar. No need to guess too hard why the bar then is called the Hideout!
Next up was a pint of Guinness in The Hogan Stand, a popular pub this side of Dublin. The Hogan Stand is a well known stand in Croke Park Stadium, the GAA ground nearby. 
Next pub certainly stood out from the crowd, what with a big fuck off murial of Dublin GAA on the frontage, eye catching and definitely worth a closer look!
We headed into Lowrys on the corner. Place had a very good crowd inside, interior was nothing special, old style decor that looked like it hasn’t changed since the 80s. Ordered a Smithwicks, pulled fast from the friendly bar man.
Luke Kelly, with his very distinctive singing style, was a quintessential Dublin singer, folk musician, and social activist, and a hero and all round Irish legend to many. Luke, of course, was a prominent member of The Dubliners, the Irish trad specialists, whose versions of Irish classics like “The Rocky Road to Dublin”, “Seven Drunken Nights”, “The Town I Loved So Well”, “On Raglan Road” enthralled millions of people not just in Ireland but all across the world, a folk singer that will forever be remembered. 
But wait a minute, the statue was apparently vandalized with graffiti just a few weeks after its unveiling! No one knows why but I was thinking perhaps it might be that the statue is really not in the heart of Sheriff Street but just across the bridge on the edge of the area he was from, and nearer to the nicer part of the town? Walking straight across the bridge to the statue one can be in no doubt that you are walking across a social divide, at least that was the impression I got, and not so much a gift to the local people but something for the tourists to gawk at and then promptly turn right around least they venture too close to the centre of Sheriff Street. Or maybe I am putting too much into that…………. Anyway, thankfully the graffiti was removed and the statue was restored in all its glory by the time we had a look. 
The club have played out of Tolka Park, in the heart of Drumcondra, since the 1950’s but only as official tenants since 1989. Tolka Park is a famous ground steeped in Irish sporting folklore but it has seen better days. Now the ground is pretty derelict looking and not all the stands are open to the public owing to safety concerns, and unkept terraces. Of course it must be said that Shels were not the first team to play here, that honour goes to Drumcondra F.C. who played here from 1928-1972 along the way winning 5 championships, but now sadly are not involved in LOI top tier football.
Under the direction of the club’s majority shareholder and Chief Executive, the fairly flamboyant Oliver Byrne, the club ran up a huge debt pile chasing European glory, attempting to reach the Champions League but not quite getting there, all leading to a near break up of the club, resulting in the derelict ground and loss of a decent team. In the 2004/5 season they were one game off the Champions League proper, after knocking out KR Reykjavík of Iceland and then Croatian League Champions HNK Hajduk Split in a very memorable 2-0 home victory, they then proceeded to play a very good Deportivo La Coruna team from Spain, going out a very respectable 3-0 on aggregate. In 2006 the club got into serious debt, so Ollie Byrne sold the ground to property developer Ossie Kilkenny to help repay the club’s debts. Pat Fenlon resigned as their manager, and most of the team left. All this leaving them with demotion to the second division by the FAI where they have languished for the last few seasons, with the one exception of a brief appearance back in the top division in 2011 after promotion, but relegation two years after! (They also made the Cup final in 2011, losing to Sligo on penos!).
Right from the off Shelbourne were all guns ablazing, nearly scoring with a header from one of their defenders. But Cabinteely were also livewires, getting a shot off the crossbar, unlucky not to score first. 
McGuinness, the Cabinteely netminder, was alert to everything, saving well from a Shels break, a one on one, he did well to keep out.
Conan Byrne, ex Pats legend, was introduced just after the hour mark and made a huge difference to the team, bringing more impetus to the attack, nearly scoring as well making McGuinness pull off another one of his saves. 
The result meant that Shels are still out front at the top of the First Division while Cabinteely further strengthened their chances of getting a play off position. Both teams played some good football at times and it was refreshing to see the ball played around the park a sight not too often seen in this division!
