Prologue
Michael's Fan Club charity
Before l start the tour report it is my pleasure to write that we dedicated our tour to raising funds for the wonderful charity Michael's Fan Club, founded in memory of a lovely young boy, Michael Horgan, who tragically lost his battle with cancer in 2023 at just 8 years of age. Michael’s parents founded the charity with one heartfelt purpose — to give other seriously ill children the chance to experience the sporting events of their dreams. In doing so, they have created a living tribute to Michael, honouring his memory by bringing joy and unforgettable moments to others. It was a genuine privilege to play his favourite sport, cricket, in support of such a profound cause.
If you’d like to support this wonderful cause, please visit the link below to learn more and make a donation:
Michael's Fan Club Charity Page - Children's Charity
https://michaelsfanclub.ie/
Chapter One - Bon Voyage
What have the following all got in common?
The pink city, croissants, Mike's birthday, vin rouge, cricket, western saloon-style bathroom doors that expose a visitor's modesty, medium rare steak, suspicious looking sausages, Ligue 1 football, uber journeys, an U19 Irish cricket international, questionable karaoke singing, Cyril’s Bar, national front students, Mike's birthday again, the River Garonne, Trevor Brennan's Bar and the Ryder Cup.
The answer?
The Walnut Taverners 2025 Cricket tour to Toulouse!
Day One – Thursday 25th September 2025
Upon arriving at Dublin Airport bleary eyed and bushy tailed (admittedly at 3pm) we made a beeline for the bar. After sinking many an ale (two to be precise) we climbed aboard Ryanair’s finest (and yes, I mean the plane) and thus, our journey began!
It was something of an inauspicious start as a young but stern air hostess refused to serve us alcohol, apparently confusing a bunch of balding (not Clare), grey, middle-aged men for a stag party! Easy mistake - if both your eyeballs were gouged out.
And so, we had to make do with that classic Ryanair culinary combination of coffee and pringles to pass the journey while looking forlornly as our fellow passengers were served the finest of wines and beers! OK, they were served Santa Maria and Heineken so maybe the alcohol ban was a good thing. Thank you, Mademoiselle Air Hostess!
After filling our bellies with caffeine and salt we landed on the hallowed soil of République Française (that's French for France for those of you that were not educated in St Paul's College, Raheny).
The air was full of tangible excitement (and hash) as we spent our first evening frequenting the bars of Toulouse surrounded by many a local with a joie de vivre (that's French for "joy of living" for those of you not educated in St Paul's College, Raheny). It was a real treat to visit "Cyril's Bar" where the owner has a passing resemblance to the late and always missed Cyril Crone.
Unfortunately, on this balmy September evening, the owner was absent, but we downed pints for a fiver and sang Leinster and Toulouse rugby songs with some exuberant students. However, when talk turned to their love of the ‘Front National’ we legged it back to the hotel and laid our weary heads on French pillows, leaving
the ‘Front National’ student to their beers, whiskeys and questionable life choices.
Chapter Two - Le Resistance
Day Two – Friday 26th September 2025
After a restful night’s sleep, we tucked into a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs and slightly suspicious looking sausages all washed down with an espresso or four. Some of us enjoyed breakfast a little too much and had second, third and even fourth helpings (ok...just me).
The morning was spent exploring old churches - including the Church of Saint Jerome, where, remarkably, nine French soldiers managed to hide from the Nazis for two whole years during World War II - and taking bus tours around Toulouse’s famous old city. And what pearls of wisdom did we glean from the bus tour, I hear you ask? Well, Toulouse is the fourth-largest city in France and... well... um... yes, that’s about all that stuck.
Moving swiftly on.....We soon discovered the Melting Pot Bar and were gripped by an event involving Europe's finest beating up on annoying Americans......the Ryder Cup!
In the evening, we ate like kings in Meet the Meat steak restaurant with huge portions of entrecote and filet du be boeuf all washed down with plenty of vin rouge. C'est magnifique especially as some of us ate several steaks!
And so, to Trevor Brennan's Bar!
We ubered down the autoroute (that's motorway for those of you not educated in....OK I'll stop that now)
Wearing an assortment of Irish rugby tops from Terenure to St. Mary’s, the former Ireland international welcomed us with open arms and generously afforded us an evening of anecdotes, whiskey, beer, selfies, and more whiskey! What an evening! Although towards the end of the festivities I had the misfortune of depositing half my steak(s) in Trevor's toilet! Hopefully the great man wasn't on bathroom duty that night...
Day Three – Saturday 27th September 2025
We made our way to Toulouse Cricket Club with the help of a train, a bus, and a forest walk - just a 40-minute journey in total.
In hindsight we could have ubered it in 10 minutes but when in Rome...
In fairness I've always had an odd interest in comparing and experiencing global metro systems, and the Toulouse one is right up there. It's efficient, effective and everyone was courteous - or the opposite of a certain Ryanair air hostess.
Match One
With curious locals looking on (two women, one man and two dogs to be precise), the all-conquering Toulouse CC posted a formidable total - 152. The pick of the Walnut bowlers was young Adam, who consistently troubled the Toulouse batsmen with a lively spell. Eddie - perhaps still buoyed by the previous night’s heroics in Trevor Brennan’s Bar (and mercifully steering clear of the toilet) - turned in a tidy 0-13 off four overs to help stem the flow of runs.
In reply, the Walnuts showed guts, flair, and no shortage of style as we came close to pulling off an upset. Colin top-scored with 32, skipper Garret added a quick fire 18, while Liam and birthday boy Mike (we’re fairly sure it was his birthday this time) chipped in with 16 apiece. Gerry then brought the crowd (especially the canine variety) to life with a classy, rapid-fire 14 from just nine balls.
In the end, the Toulouse total proved just out of reach as we fell just 24 runs short, but it was a brave and spirited performance on our first-ever outing on French soil. Ooh là là, indeed - the Walnuts have well and truly arrived on the continent.
Match Two
After a sumptuous lunch of chicken biryani, we took to the field for our second encounter of the day. This time, however, the going proved a little tougher as we battled our way to a total of 96. Liam was the standout performer with a fluent 33, while Cyril anchored the lower order with a career-best 16, featuring two sublime boundaries that had the crowd murmuring (and barking) their approval.
Toulouse chased down the target with seven overs to spare, despite some disciplined bowling from Gerry, Sean, Alex, Garret, and Cyril. Eddie made Walnut- Franco history by claiming the first wicket of the tour, with Colin holding on to a sharp catch at deep square leg.
Given it was our second match of the day, a touch of fatigue was understandable - and the previous late-night festivities in Place du Capitole until 2 a.m. probably didn’t aid recovery. Sacré bleu!
That evening some of us went to Toulouse FC v Nantes FC and watched an entertaining 2-2 draw! While others retired to the aforementioned Place du Capitole for a cultured evening of food and wine...OK, we had fish and chips and a cheeky merlot...
We all met up that evening in the George and Dragon Bar. With lagers lined up, and the Ryder Cup in full swing, we shouted for Europe and jeered at puerile Americans - while also watching Toulouse Rugby running out comfortable winners against Castre and partaking in some late-night karaoke! Who said men can't multitask?! Sacré bleu again!!
The perfect end to the perfect day.
Chapter Three - Vive le France et Merci Beaucoup!
Day Four
The final day dawned and suffice it to say we stumbled our way to breakfast. The suspicious looking sausages were most welcome as an antidote to our collective hangovers along with copious amounts of croissants and cafe au lait - and so for the final time we ubered to the cricket.
Match Three
For the final match, Toulouse added the nephews of former Ireland cricket internationals Kevin and Niall O'Brien to their ranks. Sean is enjoying an Erasmus year in the pink city while younger brother, and Ireland U19 international, Rob was visiting for the weekend.
But we had our own dynamic duo - Gerry and Brian.
Batting first, the Walnut Taverners produced a record-breaking performance, posting our highest ever total – 166 runs. Gerry and Brian led the charge with swashbuckling knocks of 35 apiece, peppering every corner of the outfield with boundaries in a superb exhibition of controlled aggression and fine stroke play.
Supporting cameos from Liam, Colin, and Pado added valuable runs as we set a formidable target for our French hosts.
Toulouse, needing over eight an over, got off to a shaky start when Eddie held a sharp catch at mid-off, off Colin’s bowling, in the very first over. However, from there the home side settled into their rhythm, batting with class and composure to chase down the target with three overs to spare.
C’est la vie – bien joué, Toulouse!
Thank you, Toulouse CC,
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks Phillipe and Toulouse CC for their grace, hospitality and sportsmanship. Presentations involving whiskey, caps, bags and jerseys were made to a wide range of people including both captains, Colin, and something about Mike's birthday.
The Indian cuisine was exquisite and a most welcome treat on both days, while two of the three matches were close and exciting - more excitement than what we could have asked for.
Merci beaucoup mes amis.
Scorers and Umpires
Profound gratitude must go to Tom and Ciaran for scoring and umpiring respectively. Without either of our stalwart colleagues we would have had no matches and instead would have spent our time on the piss in the south of France (which we did anyway in fairness).
Tour Organisers
The tour simply wouldn’t have been possible without the exceptional organisational skills of Philip and Cyril. A huge thank you to both for your meticulous planning and preparation - nearly eleven months in the making! From the Plaza Hotel to Meet the Meat restaurant, every choice reflected your attention to detail and helped make the trip unforgettable.
The Court
Before leaving the Plaza Hotel, a sitting of the Walnut Court took place in the atrium of the hotel. The details of which remain sealed in an undisclosed location.
Judge Mark impressively presided over proceedings as he heard a litany of charges brought against a wide range of Walnuts by none other than Mike SC.
Paddy SC defended the respective Walnut with gusto and style. Curiously at times Paddy veered into more of a prosecutorial role which added spice to the proceedings.
"Nice Kangaroo Court" shouted an American passerby no doubt smarting over his country's Ryder Cup humiliation. In your face buddy! Ole, ole, ole, ole!
Chapter Four - Au Revoir
And so, the tour came to an end as we said farewell to Toulouse. But not without some late drama as a confusion over boarding passes at the airport resulted in a mystery Walnut boarding as Cyril, and Cyril having to board in Andrew's name, who had departed to Alicante early on the final morning! Drama to the bitter end!
The French composer Gustave Nadaud once said:
"Voyager, c'est vivre"
For the final time allow me to translate: -
"To travel is to live"
And that we did in Toulouse.
La fin.
Or so we thought…
Because in true Walnut fashion, the tour didn’t just end with drama and memories — it also raised an incredible €3,000 for the Michael’s Fan Club charity, a heartfelt tribute to the generosity and spirit of all involved.
2025 Tour to Toulouse, France
Photo Gallery.