Did you know about Ireland?

Are you aware that leprechauns are a myth and a legend? Some people these days still believe that somewhere out there in Ireland is a real leprechaun.

Have you ever wondered what the Irish celebrate? I have heard that in Ireland they have a pancake festival!

In Ireland they have potato pancakes, beef, sea food, cabage and pasta. Some other food in Ireland that we kiwis haven’t tasted or seen are water birds, soda bread and black pudding.

A famous person most people know in Ireland is Brain O’Driscoll. He is famous because he is the captain of the rugby Ireland team and he leads the team well too. Terry Wogan is a very famous and important person because he is an Irish radio and television broadcaster and he holds British citizenship.

Did you know that fun activities in Ireland are Irish dancing, shopping, fat Tuesday, golf, pancake festivals, the Dublin wheel, the ice bowl, running, walking and hiking.

Not many people know but the four-leaf clover is special, the first leaf means hope, the second luck, the third faith and the fourth love.

Apples - Castles

Describing Piri Weepu

It was windy as I looked out from the stadium to see Piri Weepu start the haka. Stomping powerfully, shouting and leading. He slapped his chest fiercely as the crowd went wild. He then showed a pukana with his brown eyes and his tounge came out proud when the haka finished.

Piri had the white ball and started to zoom across the field to get a try. He trained well and that’s why he is fully fit. His strong legs made him score a try. The crowd went wild! Piri Weepu went inside with his team for the first half.

Mr Weepu’s face was sweating and so was his black hair. Now I think he’s thinking about when he was young and a little boy and now with some tattoos and a big heart here in the rugby world cup 2011. He must feel proud of himself. The second half in now on. They done a scrum and Riche MaCaw got the ball and passed it to Piri Weepu. He sprinted half way down the field and he got tackled. He smashed onto the ground. He was running across the field like a mighty warrior.

The game finished and he went to the barber to shave his beard to raise money for a girl who has cancer. Mr Weepu put the hair on trade me. How kind of him to shave his beard for money to donate to a sick girl. Did you know that Piri Weepu shows good sportsmanship and has never got a red or a yellow card? He is special to me and my country because he leads the haka for New Zealand.

My Adopted Team

Buddy Writing - Welcoming Tonga

When I tried to open the car door, through the window I could see a wave of red, white and brown, coming towards me.I heard chanting and screaming. People were waving flags in my face and I just said “CHEE HOO!” The Tongan people were louder than the aeroplanes coming in. Now my feet were itching to go outside to be on camera. As I pushed through the passionate crowd they pushed and squashed me.

Four hours has passed of waiting in the boiling sun, then something surprised me... When all of the Tongan rugby team came out with a shock, they got their phones and cameras out videoing the excited players. They were dressed in black with ta’ovala on each of the Tongan players. When they walked in with a shock it was like they were in another Tonga. As they started their dance, I filled with pride from head to toe. As the Tongan rugby team finished with a serious face then a smile popped out as they got off the stage to hug there family members a hello.

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