'That was so special': Crusaders savor Bronagh Power-Cassidy's homecoming trip to Ireland

During the Holy Cross women’s basketball team’s recent eight-day trip to Ireland, the Crusaders visited three cities, played two games, toured Bunratty Castle, took photos at the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher and kissed the Blarney Stone, but the consensus highlight of the sojourn was dinner at senior guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy’s Dublin home.

Her parents, Brendan and Emer, served beef stew, mashed potatoes and a side of corned beef — “My mom thought people might be expecting that,” Power-Cassidy said with a laugh — and the back-garden gathering began an extraordinary experience for HC’s players, coaches and their families, and especially for Power-Cassidy, who was a first-class host and enlightening, unofficial tour guide.

“For Bronagh to have a homecoming trip,” junior forward Lindsay Berger said, “that was so special, and I was so proud to be part of it.”

When Maureen Magarity became coach at Holy Cross in 2020, one of her goals was to take a team on a European tour. This trip was about a year in the making.

“One thing led to another,” Magarity said, “and we’re so grateful to the gracious donors who stepped up. How lucky are we? It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and just being back for Bronagh was a highlight for me.”

Power-Cassidy, who was the U19 Senior Girls Schools All-Ireland Player of the Year in 2019, was a NEPSAC Class A all-star during her one season at Marianapolis Prep in Thompson, Connecticut. She averaged a team-high 13.6 points per game last season and helped lead Holy Cross to the Patriot League Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament berth.

Over the last four years, Power-Cassidy has spent most of her Christmas, spring and summer breaks at the homes of teammates Cara McCormack, in New York, and Grace Munt, in New Jersey.

“I’ve been so fortunate everybody on the team and everyone’s families have been so welcoming to me during my years at Holy Cross,” Power-Cassidy said. “It was nice they could finally come to my house and be welcomed by my family. It was so amazing.”

While in Ireland, the Crusaders played competitive games against the Irish National Team and a Cork club team.

Among the players on the Irish National Team that beat HC was 6-foot-5 post Gandy Malou-Mamel, a 2025 UConn commit and the Huskies' first recruit from Ireland.

“Sometimes the summer session is a little challenging because you’re grinding away for a couple weeks,” McCormack said. “This was more rewarding because we got to play a game (at the end of summer session), and it kind of shows us where we’re heading for the season, and it was really fun to get on the court. It was a good opportunity to play with the freshmen and jell as a team. It was really fun.”

As a youngster, Power-Cassidy made her first 3-pointer in the gym where HC and the Irish National Team played.

Power-Cassidy scored 25 points in HC’s win over Cork.

HC mixed lineups and matchups, and, with a 24-second shot clock (as opposed to 30 in the states), played a more uptempo offense.

“It was great for us,” Magarity said, “to see where we’re at, and some of our younger players had the opportunity to play more. It was great playing at a high level, too. It was fun to watch that.”

Holy Cross graduated one player, Addisyn Cross, its best defender, from last year’s title team, and added three freshmen. Candice Green and Paige Corkins joined the staff as assistant coaches, and Ryan Weise as director of operations.

“It was everyone’s first road game,” Berger said. “Everyone played and played well, and a lot of our new talent played great. We were together for eight days in a row, but it was not our usual trip to Lehigh or Lafayette. We were experiencing something new, together. It was amazing.”

HC’s travel party numbered about 40 and included parents, grandparents, Magarity’s family and Power-Cassidy’s sister, Saoirse, who played basketball at UMass-Lowell and works in the states.

The group saw St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin and Blarney Castle, learned about hurling and Gaelic football, and the team put on a youth clinic in Galway.

“As a team, we spend so much time together,” Power-Cassidy said, “but never an opportunity like this. You bond on another level because you’re making lifelong memories. This was an unforgettable experience for me, and I hope to say the same about the rest of the team. Basketball-wise, it was a good way to end the summer having two competitive games, and that sets us up moving forward.”

—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Holy Cross women's basketball savors Power-Cassidy's homecoming trip to Ireland