Irish Diary
19 November 2008
Former Arkansaw State University star Jolie McKiernan has been a regular in Basketball Ireland’s Women’s Superleague and she accounts her journey to the Emerald Isle…
Courtesy of Jolie McKiernan
I moved to Dublin (Inchicore) September 2004 and fell in love with Ireland right away. I had played in Spain the previous season and wasn’t treated too well so coming to Ireland was a breath of fresh air as well as easy to adjust since there isn’t a huge culture shock to be had as everyone speaks English (thank god!).
With Drimnagh Dynamos we won 2 games right away but had frequent coaching changes and I think that really affected us in terms of playing and finding committed people who supported the club. I did really well in my first season and was already hoping I would be asked back.
My agent found me a deal in Austria but it was funny how it worked out: our last regular season game was against University of Limerick and I had to leave for Austria to fufill the contract by 6 am the next day. My agent worded it in such a way that if we had won the game, I was free of the contract and could stay in the country but if we lost I had to get on a plane the immediate next day and fly to Austria for the Cup Final of the Bundesliga. We lost by about 60 points but it was the first time in my basketball career that I had scored 40 points.
The next day I packed my bag and left for Herzogenburg, Austria and I have to admit, I missed the Emerald Isle immediately! We did really well in Austria but Ireland has such an impact on me that after we placed second in the league, I flew back to Dublin for 2 weeks to spend some more time.
Summer of 2005 I was worried as some European teams weren’t picking me up to play but my coach from Drimnagh made it very clear to me that I was welcome back so I paid for a one-way ticket and packed my bag and returned to play for a second season in Drimnagh! We struggled a bit and the team was losing money so I had to choose between going to another team to earn more money or staying and playing out the season. It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make but I ended up choosing to play in Sweden with the promise to return to Ireland to attempt to play for the national team.
In January 2006 I traveled to Stockholm, Sweden to play where we won SM Guld (Swedish Master’s Gold Medal) and I was contacted by the National Team to try to play for them – I have some Irish heritage (family is from Cavan) and thought I might be able to get a passport and be eligible to play. Unfortunately, my hard work over the summer went unnoticed as my paperwork was rejected and I only got to suit out for one friendly game versus Portugal. The positives of that summer was that I was living in Dublin as a “normal” person and not a professional player so I really got to know the city and fell in love with traveling in the car cross-country! My favorite was the drive to Donegal just after a big rain storm – it was so beautiful and green and standing there at the sea was the most amazing feeling ever!
After national team and not being allowed to represent Ireland in the Championships I was really wounded as I have never been told “no” and had to accept it before. So I traveled back home and did a basketball exhibition tour with Athletes in Action. It was a wonderful experience that I think prepared and rejuvenated me to come back to Ireland and attempt to live as a resident.
I came back that Christmas to live in Dublin with my boyfriend at the time and felt that my time as a player was coming to a close and I wanted to try one more “gig” so I took a contract with HNMKY Finland (Women’s YMCA) in Helsinki and after doing well there, was prepared to come and live permanently in Dublin. When I moved back, my boyfriend proposed so we had a lot on our plates with a wedding to plan as well! After the summer, I was asked to come and play for Tolka Rovers who were new to the SuperLeague. They had trouble the previous year and needed more experience and I liked the coach that year so decided to give it a shot.
When you play as an American in Ireland, they get you a work permit so you are a legal resident. As my season was coming to a close, my work permit was going to expire and I would have had to live illegally (no thank you) or leave and move back to America. So I had to get a job. I applied to a ton of positions but once they realized that I was highly qualified for sports but no work permit, I was usually cast aside. I knew that once I was done with basketball that I wanted to work for FIBA – but found out that I couldn’t’ get into FIBA without any federation experience. Hence why I applied for a job at Basketball Ireland. And 4 months later, it did. With my basketball work permit up and I was looking for a full time job, Basketball Ireland offered me the web site/database officer position and I put in my application and finally got accepted! I have been full time since April and have really loved coming to work everyday.
This past summer was a big one for me as I had a new job and a big wedding that took place in Wicklow. It was an amazing day and tons of my American friends came – for them to meet my “Irish side” was definitely an experience.
Right now it’s a bit of a juggle. I am a bit different as I am not here in the country as a playing professional – even though I don’t have an Irish passport, I am a resident and have the same rights as an EU citizen (except I can’t vote in Irish elections). I love my life here. There are things in Ireland that I can’t get at home – the culture and history are beautiful and interesting and I love my beer in a pint glass and not a bottle! There is nothing more special than walking down Henry street December 1st and seeing the Christmas lights and market.
I used to be a visitor that was always going to go “home” to USA after her season but after 5 years, Ireland has become my “home”. Now when I go back to the states to visit, and friends ask when I am leaving I always reply “Tomorrow I go home”.