Ireland is famous for a few things: potatoes, U2, soccer, beer, and the drunken brawls and all-around hooliganism that usually ensues after the latter two.
Basketball is not one of those traditional Irish pastimes. But Paul Cummins was able to parlay his skills into a scholarship to an American high school and a successful collegiate career.
The 6-foot-3 senior guard is now a perimeter sharpshooter for Lafayette, averaging 7.2 points per game.
But he didn't start out a hoops player.
"I loved playing soccer when I was young," he said.
"But when I was around 13 or 14 years old, I had my growth spurt. At the time, there was a teacher at my school who was into basketball and he persuaded me to play. From then on, I made every team I tried out for."
The basketball circuit on the Emerald Isle isn't that big, and it didn't take long before he caught the eye of Bill Dooley, former Richmond coach and then-head of the Irish basketball team.
He recommended that Cummins look into playing across the pond.
Cummins did, and was given a scholarship to the Ravenscroft School in North Carolina. After two years there, he took a prep year at the South Kent school in Connecticut.
"It was tough for me to make the move [from Ireland]," Cummins said. "I was close with my family. But they were supportive of me, and I needed to take that opportunity."
The cultural adjustment took some time, too.
"The food was different, and Americans drive on the wrong side of the road," he added.
The Irishman was noticed by a few colleges for both soccer and basketball, but ultimately chose the latter because he wanted to play professionally in Europe.
As for 'Why Lafayette?'
"Well, it was a nice day when I visited and there were lots of cute girls," he said. "Coach [Fran] O'Hanlon was a great guy, too."
This past summer, Cummins got the opportunity of a lifetime: a spot on the Irish national team. The squad held open tryouts and he earned a place.
From July 20th to September 7th, the team traveled across Europe, taking on squads from England, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.
In playing against England, he faced off against Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls.
"That was really cool," Cummins said of playing Deng.
Cummins added that "the whole time [it] was the best experience of my life. I got to travel all over Europe. And we finished 4-5, which is nice, considering Ireland doesn't have the richest basketball tradition."
After graduation, he has his eyes set on playing professionally in Europe.
Fellow national Pat Burke - an NBAer and Ireland's equivalent of Michael Jordan - even gave him some advice about continuing in basketball.
"Burke told me it's a great career and that I have to put on weight," Cummins said.
Some potatoes and beer in his home country should do the trick.
