Corkonians Abroad: I’ve travelled to 101 countries

How did you end up living in Colombia?

I moved to Colombia because of my job as a golf course superintendent. I manage a 36-hole private country club in the heart of Bogotá. Our membership consists of the top 10% wealthiest Colombians in the country.

I studied turfgrass agronomy golf and sports ground management in Preston, Lancashire UK.

My career has taken me far from Cork. I have previously worked in Wimbledon as a groundsman preparing the most famous tennis court for the championships, three years working on high end golf courses in the USA, 12 months in Australia on different golf courses, three years managing a golf resort in Cyprus, six years as a golf course superintendent and cricket field manager in Barbados, and three years as a golf course superintendent in Bali, Indonesia, prior to my current role in Bogotá.

Currently, I have travelled to 101 countries so this greenkeeping career has really allowed me to see the world and experience so many different cultures and people, which has been an education itself.

What is life like in your new home?

Bogotá is a wonderful, bustling Latin city to live in. It is located in the Andes at a high altitude of over 8,600 feet above sea level, so when you first arrive it takes a little time to adjust. It’s a big city with more than 10 million people and lots of crazy traffic, and like Ireland it rains a lot as we had over 72 inches last year.

Sunday is my favourite day of the week as the city is closed to traffic from 7 am to 2pm, so you can walk or bike the streets with your family.

Coffee is obviously the norm here in Colombia and I do like to consume of lot of it daily.

There is a small Irish community here also and we get together every few months at the Irish embassy which is fun. We have also managed to travel to other countries in South America whilst here in Colombia.

What has been the biggest challenge living abroad?

The biggest challenge I faced since being in Colombia, like everyone, was Covid-19. Bogotá was on a big lockdown for over seven months, so the city was not a pleasant place to be.

Luckily, I was able to go to work as the grass does not stop growing and I was grateful to be out in the fresh air every day, not like most people in the city in their tiny apartments with no green space.

I was grateful to have my wife with me as I had lot of friends who had arrived just before Covid started and everything was shut down, so it was a hard time seeing no people and many left. Our daughter was also born in the middle of Covid it so that kept us busy.

I suppose learning Spanish was also a challenge. On the golf course daily, I feel pretty confident with my Spanish ability, but in a meeting with large amounts of people it can be difficult - but I get by normally.

How might you spend your weekends?

Weekends are normally spent with my family doing activities with my kids or going on travel trips around Colombia.

Tell us a bit about the culture of where you live?

Colombian people are very warm and friendly, like the Irish. They love their salsa and football. I have been to a few football matches, and it is incredible to see the passion they have for it.

Obviously, Colombia has a history of violence but honesty I have never had any issue living here the past five-and-a-half years. You will hear of petty crimes from time to time but as long as you’re using common sense, you are okay for the most part.

I have been lucky to travel around the country extensively and there is so much, so see from the Pacific and Caribbean coast to the Amazon jungle to the resort cities and beautiful wildlife - it really is a stunning country.

Tell us about your line of work/career?

My daily role as a golf course superintendent is to provide the best playing conditions on both of our championship golf courses for our private membership daily here in Bogotá.

I plan the weekly maintenance plans for cultural practices as well as fertility and chemical applications and irrigation practices and the purchase of machinery yearly.

I manage a crew of 55 green staff. We also host the PGA tour Korn Ferry championship every February, so this is a great experience for me working with the PGA tour getting both golf courses ready for a big event.

I have also been involved in golf course events for men and ladies in China, Singapore, USA, Barbados, Mexico, Australia, and the Rio Olympics games in 2016.

What has been your most memorable

moment in your new location so far?

First, seeing my two children being born here. My daughter is three and speaks fluent Spanish with a proper Colombian accent and she switches to English like it is normal, which makes me so proud.

My work colleagues always say ‘Oh my god, Eamonn, your daughter is so Colombian’, which makes me smile.

Secondly, I took up running when I first arrived in Bogotá and have now completed more than 25 marathons, including the famous Marathon de Sables race in Morocco, running 260km across the Sahara Desert. The training at high altitude has really stood to me so I am super-proud and happy I have built up that mental strength here.

If you were back in Cork for one day, what would be the ideal day for you?

The perfect day in Cork would be a good, solid breakfast of Clonakilty sausages and black and white pudding to start the day off with and plenty of Barry’s tea. You miss the simple things when away, although Amazon deliver Barrys Tea bags.

Living in a concrete jungle like Bogotá, I really take advantage of being home and we are spoiled in West Cork so I would take my wife and two kids for a nice walk around Gougane Barra, then to Glengarriff for lunch, and do some shopping around West Cork, and finish with a nice seafood meal in Bantry.

My wife also loves going to the English Market when we are in the city.

In between, I would be tucking into some of my mum’s brown bread and my aunt’s scones.

What are you looking forward to in the coming months?

Well, after nearly six years here in Colombia, my wife and I have decided to leave as I have obtained a new job on a super-private golf course in Mexico City. We are excited to be moving to an even bigger city and a new adventure and to explore more of Mexico. I will, however, miss Colombia very much. I arrived with two bags and now leave with a wife, two kids who were born here and a 40ft container. It has been an amazing experience in Colombia, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Is there anything that you especially miss about Cork?

I miss my family, my brothers and their kids are growing up. I have been away since 1996 and my parents are getting older now so that is bringing a challenge for my family.

I also miss the Cork sense of humour, there is nothing like it.

West Cork for me is one of the most beautiful places so I always love coming home, especially with my own family now.