Surviving Ireland

United Airlines Captain Bill Richards, my Father, Flies West

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 08:53:00 +0000

Two days ago, the 14th September 2021, my loving Dad - a retired United Airlines Captain - passed away at the hospital near the Florida Assisted Care residence he had called home for the past two years. The following will be published next month in RUPA, the retired United Airlines magazine. Blue skies Dad. Safe landing. Your son, Tom xxx

W. R. ‘Bill’ Richards

Bill flew West on Monday, 13 September, 2021. Dad is preceded by his wife Mary, his sisters Pat Caridad and Bobby Arkis, and his parents, Hector and Clara. My sister and I would like to use this space to review a career of giving.

As a kid, Bill worked as a Line Boy at Teterboro, NJ, exchanging his smile for flying time. When he moved up to work as a mechanic his boss suggested that he pursue flying as a career. Bill thought the man was nuts: Dad thought he could never afford it. Yet he persisted. His first logbook entry is almost readable: a J3 Cub, local flight, 30 minutes of time. During this period, he flew everything from Champs to Taylor Craft to Ercoupes; PT-19’s to Stearmans as he learned his trade. Then there’s a gap in the logbook. From ’46 to ’52 he appears to go AWOL. Part of this time is spent in the Army Air Force where he worked as a decoder at the airbase on Amchitka, Alaska. When he returned home, having achieved the rank of Sergeant, Dad used the GI bill to get many of his ratings. We need to thank our grandfather for much of this. Hector Richards had persuaded Dad to join the military in order to access GI Bill Support. Dad never graduated from high school prior to joining the service. However, our Grandpa persuaded that school to give Dad his diploma in absentia.

The logbook resumes on February 5, 1952 with a local flight in a J3 as Dad resumed flying. A year later, me made the transition to a professional career. On November 11, 1952, he flew his first flight for Resort Airways in a C46, and was based in San Antonio TX. Three years later he was hired by United, flying copilot on DC3’s out of Chicago. That’s where his son Tom was born. The next years are a blur as Dad pursued his Captaincy, moving first to Seattle (where Cindy was born), then NY; Miami, back to ORD, then SFO. He was forced to take a medical retirement in 1979 at the age of 49, flying his last flight as Captain on a 727. It was one hell-of-a-career.

During early retirement in California, Dad achieved his Associates Degree, then joined ASRS where he met Cleve Spring. The pair kept in touch for many years. Dad was also Membership Officer of RUPA. He particularly enjoyed sending out letters, welcoming newly-appointed retirees. Bill was forever grateful to both ALPA and UAL for the recognition they gave him upon his forced retirement.

Our Mom had always been a good sport about all the moves but in 2000 she put her foot down. Their final move was to Tampa, Florida. Mom passed away 15 years ago and is buried in Bushnell National Cemetery. Soon, Dad will join her.

Bill taught so many people to fly and to love it just as he did. For years he worked with retired UAL Captain Joe Messina (RIP Joe), teaching kids the fundamentals on an Aeronca Champ. Along the way, he taught Joe’s son, Joe Messina Jr (retired UAL Captain) and Alan Ahr (retired Delta Captain). He also taught his son, Tom, to fly as well as giving his daughter, Cindy, a love of the air. He was the best teacher, and could land that Champ like a kiss in any weather, on any surface, in the toughest crosswind.

We’ll miss our Dad but we take heart in knowing he’s still around, and is happy with our Mom. Last night at 0103 Eastern Summer Time, he made his final take-off. Along the way he was diverted by ATC, flying to altitude and there reaching up to touch the face of God. He reached his destination following a flight in only Blue Skies, and kissed the ground as he always did on any runway anywhere in the United States.

Thank you, Dad. You are one of the most fortunate, forgiving and giving men we’ll ever know. And we are the luckiest of children because of your gifts. God Bless you. See you around.

A Gift of Kindness - one Bright Spark in a Country's Darkness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 07:49:00 +0000

My Dad, Bill Richards, is a retired United Airlines pilot. Many years ago, he recounted this simple gift of kindness. I wanted to write it down before I forget his words, and share it with you just as he did. It's a short story and won't take up too much of your time.

**********************

In the Chicago where I lived, back in the late 1960's, violence was part of life. People were suspicious of each other. Which meant that even if you saw someone in trouble - like on a freeway with a blown tire - you didn't stop to help. Particularly if the person in trouble was black and a woman.

Dad had a friend, also a pilot. The fellow was on his way to O'Hare airport to fly a trip somewhere. Dad never told me where because it makes no difference to this lesson of love. As the pilot-friend travelled down the freeway, he noticed a car parked up on the verge, it's emergency blinkers flashing. Two women stood at the open boot struggling to get out the spare tire. The pilot never thought twice as he pulled over to help.

He got out of his car and trotted over to assist. He suggested to the pair of African American women that they climb back into their car and out of the rain while he changed the blown tire. Then he noticed: one of the women was in tears. And she told him the urgency of their trip.

They were also driving to the airport to catch a flight. They were going to a funeral. They didn't know what to do. While they thanked the stranger for his help, all parties realized that his efforts would not solve the sadness they faced.

He thought it over for exactly 2.5 seconds. Reaching into his United Airlines uniform trousers he took out his car keys. He told them to take his car. Go to the UAL ticket desk and tell them where they parked his car and leave the keys. He'd take their car to the airport and do the same thing. When they returned to Chicago, they could pick up their vehicle.

At first they didn't believe him. Why would a privileged white man help a pair of black women particularly in the violent Chicago in which they all lived? When he insisted, they climbed into his car and sped off. The pilot changed the tire. As he did, it never dawned on him to question the identity of the beautiful woman, her face cracked by grief.

The pilot did as he promised. He fixed their car and took it to O'Hare. He flew his trip. He came home to Chicago and found his own car, exactly where the ticket agent at United told him it would be. Dad's friend drove home.

A week later he was at his house. He'd never thought again about the incident of the blown tire or the women he had assisted. This was back in the days when no one - not even a pilot - could afford a Color Television. Almost everyone had black & white.

When he answered the knock at his front door, he found a delivery driver. The guy had lugged a huge box across the driveway from his truck. When the pilot asked what was in the box and who had sent it, the driver looked at his clipboard and the delivery receipt.

"The consignment is for one RCA color television. You going to sign for it?"

"Who did you say it was from?" The driver looked again.

"It says here, Coretta Scott King. Now where do you want me to put it?"

The pilot helped the driver haul it into the house. As they set it up, Dad's friend had a hard time focusing because of the awe that had swept over him.

Despite the fact that she had just buried her husband, the woman he had never before met had taken the time to return his gift. She had sent him a colorful window on the world.

Dolphin Song, the Irish Romantic Fantasy Novel, retains it's #1 ranking, Amazon US, in its categories for the 15th consecutive day. You can find out more about this tale of legend and eternal love here: www.tomrichards.ie

Dolphin Novel Leaps to #16 in Amazon-US Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 11:42:00 +0000

I can't help but share this. I'm so very, very grateful. The pic to left: DOLPHIN SONG ARRIVES IN NEW JERSEY!

FOR IMMEDIATE

RELEASE

12 August 2021

Dolphin Novel Leaps to #16 in Amazon-US Sales

(Eyeries, Beara Peninsula, County Cork, Ireland)

Readers in the United States have propelled the new Irish romantic fantasy novel, Dolphin Song by Tom Richards, to the Number 16 ranking in Amazon.com’s Contemporary British & Irish Literature category.

“I am humbled by the outpouring of support that I’m receiving from friends and general readers all over the United States and the world,” author Tom Richards says. “We’re one step closer to helping my best friend Liam O’Neill’s wishes come true.”

Filmmaker / director / writer O’Neill was working on the feature film version of the Dolphin Song story. Mr. O’Neill passed away unexpectedly due to hospital-acquired Covid-19 in May 2020.

Richards thanks all those who are supporting the effort to realize his friend’s dreams. “Liam wanted the film to be made so very much. If we can generate enough interest in the novel, we might be able to attract a producer to make that dream happen. I beg people to keep recommending Dolphin Song to friends, relatives and colleagues.”

In a separate story, Irish customers wanting to purchase the paperback format of the novel through www.amazon.co.uk have run into problems.

“Irish readers are experiencing frustration with Amazon.co.uk when trying to purchase the paperback edition of the novel online,” author Tom Richards explains. “The online notification reads: ‘Temporarily out of stock. We are working hard to be back in stock as soon as possible.’ That’s ridiculous. This is a print on demand publication. Print on demand means that a book is never out of stock.” Storylines Entertainment Ltd, the publishers of Dolphin Song, are pursuing the matter with the online giant.

Ireland is the only market experiencing this issue. US, UK and other global customers can purchase both the Kindle and Print formats through their respective Amazon online stores. Read the entire article here.

About Dolphin Song by Tom Richards

Dolphin Song is a new Irish Romantic fantasy novel set on Ireland’s stunning Beara Peninsula. Go to www.tomrichards.ie for more information.

For information on rights acquisition contact storylinesentertainmentireland@gmail.com

— 30 —

Early Equinox Startles World: Scientists Puzzled as Earth's Axis Wobbles

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 13:52:00 +0000

Irish Publisher Forced to Launch Novel Early. Writer states, "Dolphin Song was supposed to be an Autumn Read. Now it's a Beach Read!"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Dateline: Beara Peninsula, County Cork, Ireland, Aug 9 2021)

Astronomers at Ireland's Dunsink Observatory today announced a startling discovery. Due to an unanticipated, rapid shift in the Earth's axis, the annual equinox is occurring approximately 6 weeks earlier than scheduled.

As most people know, the equinox is the instant in time when the plane of our planet's equator passes through the geometric center of the Sun's disk. Occurring twice each year, daytime and nighttime hours are approximately the same all over the planet.

Dunsink's operational director, Professor Jake McSky, stated: "Einstein is turning in his grave because this proves the end to the theory of relativity. Astronomers and physicists all over the world will have to tear up past astronomical assumptions."

Forced Early Launch of New Novel

The managing director of Storylines Entertainment Ltd, an Irish media company, explained that the Earth's wobble caught the publisher by complete surprise, which disrupted months of planning.

"The brilliant new novel, Dolphin Song by Tom Richards, was scheduled for release on 21 September of this year - on the day of the equinox because that day is unique (as is Tom's book)," she stated. "However, because the equinox has shifted, we have been forced to bring forward the release date to today, 9 August 2021.

"The Kindle eBook edition, scheduled for September release, has been moved forward, too. This version will be published in two-day's time. As we have updated the Amazon page, you may find it a bit 'clunky'. However, you can pre-order now and the eBook will be delivered to you ASAP. We apologize for any inconvenience caused."

Introductory Price Remains at $1.49

This reporter asked the Storylines Entertainment MD if the current presales price of the Kindle edition would be maintained.

"That's what we promised our customers and we keep our word!" she re-iterated. "The $1.49 presales price will be maintained until 20 September. After that, it will revert to the RSP of almost five bucks. We stand by our promises."

(Later, the executive was caught on a hot-mic, griping: "Lord only knows how much this will cost the company. Heads will roll like it was the Siege of Wexford!")

Author Grouses About Scheduling Change

When contacted by this reporter, novelist Richards was at a loss for words.

"I don't know what to tell you," he gasped. "We've worked so hard to stay on schedule. Dolphin Song was supposed to be an Autumn read. You know...one of those 'I'll cozy up to the fireplace and enjoy a little Irish romantic fantasy' sort of books. But now it's a Beach Read? Unbelievable!"

Should readers have questions, they might want to contact the author on his new website: www.tomrichards.ie, which is about to go live. "At least that's still on schedule", the author whined.

DOLPHIN SONG IS OUT NOW!

Due to the scheduling screw-up, you can order the Irish Romantic Fantasy Dolphin Song right now:

Order the eBook Kindle copy (due to rescheduling, it is available ASAP):

o Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Dolphin-Song-Tom-Richards-ebook/dp/B099QRTH62/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=dolphin+song+by+tom+richards&qid=1628076120&sr=8-2

o Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B099QRTH62/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

o Amazon Germany: https://www.amazon.de/Dolphin-Song-English-Tom-Richards-ebook/dp/B099QRTH62/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&dchild=1&keywords=dolphin+song+by+tom+richards&qid=1628238314&sr=8-1

o Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Dolphin-Song-Tom-Richards-ebook/dp/B099QRTH62/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=dolphin+song+by+tom+richards&qid=1628238862&s=books&sr=1-1

Order the Paperback copy:

o Amazon.com - https://www.amazon.com/Dolphin-Song-Tom-Richards/dp/0955021219/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=dolphin+song+by+tom+richards&qid=1628515724&sr=8-1

o Amazon.co.uk - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dolphin-Song-Tom-Richards/dp/0955021219/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=dolphin+song+by+tom+richards&qid=1628515787&sr=8-1

o Amazon Germany - https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Tom-Richards/dp/0955021219/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=dolphin+song+by+tom+Richards&qid=1628515834&sr=8-1

o Amazon Australia - https://www.amazon.com.au/Dolphin-Song-Tom-Richards/dp/0955021219/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=dolphin+song+by+tom+richards&qid=1628515880&sr=8-1

… and in all Amazon marketplaces across the globe. Note that the shifting earth axis has not affected Amazon service levels

Other

Follow Tom on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/tommyjohn and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dolphinsongthenovel/

Download your Free First Chapter of Dolphin Song here and pass it on: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KNn2v7-DOKJnX4_-4Yki59j-SdjUSVeb/view?usp=sharing - That's right. Absolutely FREE!

- 30 -

Join me in Beara Peninsula, SW Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Aug 2021 20:47:00 +0000

Over the coming weeks I'll hope you'll join me as I talk about my Romantic Fantasy novel Dolphin Song and the inspiration that the stunning Beara Peninsula in SW Ireland gives to artists. Please see the brief video here:

Tom's Brief Recording

A 30 Second chat about the Dolphin Song and the inspiration of Beara Peninsula.

Please Help Us Launch Dolphin Song

You can support the launch of the new novel Dolphin Song by Tom Richards by helping to create awareness in a highly competitive global marketplace. He truly appreciates your support, and hopes you spread the word about this tale of romantic fantasy, Irish legend, mystical dolphins, and eternal love:

· Goodreads (do please follow Tom, and place Dolphin Song on your Want to Read List, and / or leave a review. Good or bad, it truly helps): https://www.goodreads.com/tommyjohn

· Facebook (please follow him on his Author’s Facebook page, share it with your friends, and ask them to share it with their friends): https://www.facebook.com/dolphinsongthenovel/

· Amazon (do please follow him on his Amazon Author’s Profile): https://www.amazon.com/Tom-Richards/e/B001HPISGA?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

· Download your Free First Chapter of Dolphin Song here and pass it on: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KNn2v7-DOKJnX4_-4Yki59j-SdjUSVeb/view?usp=sharing

· Watch the Cinematic Trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR2VEeSf8Aw

· Pre-order the Kindle Edition of Dolphin Song before 20 Sept 2021 in all Amazon markets at the special price of US$1.49 (promotional price varies by market and currency). These include, but are not limited to:

o Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Dolphin-Song-Tom-Richards-ebook/dp/B099QRTH62/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=dolphin+song+by+tom+richards&qid=1628076120&sr=8-2

o Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B099QRTH62/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

o Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Dolphin-Song-Tom-Richards-ebook/dp/B099QRTH62/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=dolphin+song+by+tom+richards&qid=1628238862&s=books&sr=1-1

If you are friends or an acquaintance of filmmaker Liam O’Neill, know that any help you can give honors his memory.

With so many thanks for your kind support. Blessings – Tom

Dolphin Song by Tom Richards

Imprint: Storylines Entertainment Ltd
Pre-sales on Amazon from: 4 Aug 2021
Pre-sales Price US$1.49 (varies by market and currency)
Release date on Amazon: 21 Sept 2021
RSP US$4.99 (price varies by market and currency)
Pages: 400
Print & Kindle eBook formats
ISBN (Print): 978-0-9550212-1-3
ISBN (Kindle): 978-0-9550212-2-0

Dolphin Song is published by Storylines Entertainment Ltd, an Irish media company

Baking Creative Bread on Ireland's Beara Peninsula

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 09:56:00 +0000

If you live on Beara Peninsula in the very southwest of Ireland, creative inspiration can be found right outside your door. Take a walk along Coulagh Bay. Smell the sea. Hear the song of the seagulls crying for their supper. Watch a majestic sunset or a storm sweeping in. It's enough to get the creative juices flowing.

As I mentioned in a previous post, the stories of Ireland come alive here and all you have to do is open your eyes. Legends aren't the only inspiration for creative endeavors. Due to the tapestry of wonder that can be found on Beara, any number of artists - be they painters, poets, actors, novelists, musicians, potters... (pick an artform) - live in, or travel to, Beara to discover the magic for their art.

As a for instance: I live on the Main Street in the village of Eyeries. Just down the road, Alex Barclay puts pen to paper (or more likely, fingers to laptop) as she creates her many wonderful novels (check Alex out on Goodreads). Up the road in the other direction, actor Dermot Crowley resides in a fine home which he's lived in for many years.

The area has an active poets society as well as any number of creative writing groups. Painters (like my good friends Mary Maddison and Boss the Painter) are inspired by the light, the seascapes, industries including fishing and farming, wild critters and farm animals, and the people of the area. Ditto behind the amazing photography of my late friend John Eagle and the oh-so-very-active and talented work of Sue Swansborough.

The very light itself draws creative types to the area. My good friend, filmmaker Liam O'Neill, called the summer sunsets and twilight 'the magic hour'. And so it is. The receding sunlight paints the area in a sheen of mystery, glinting off high clouds, the sea, and the surrounding landscape. Is it any wonder that we've had so many films shot in the area?

Supporting the Wonder of Artistry

What's nice is that the local people here do what they can to support artistic activities. As a for instance: every year (with the exception of these horrid Covid times), Eyeries residents hold the Windows on Eyeries Art Trail as part of our Summer Family Festival. Homeowners volunteer to display the paintings and photography of local artists in the windows of their homes. For a few weeks the village becomes a walking art gallery as we saunter around, gazing at these artistic wonders and often purchasing a few for our own living rooms.

What I love most, however, is watching people from afar visiting our area to practice their own art. Usually during the summer months, but often year-round, I'll see painters in front of their easels eyeing a sunset over Coulagh Bay, or framing a still-life of wild plants or our colorful houses in the village. I'll see them walking, art supplies slung over arms, across hill and dale as they search for the perfect landscape.

How to Enjoy the Magic for Yourself

You don't have to be a resident to tap into the inspiration of Beara Peninsula. We've many fine Bed & Breakfasts here (check out Booking .com or Google Eyeries Bed & Breakfast for a comprehensive list). Stay in Glamping or - by all means, stay with us at our Solas Mor Tent Camping site (you'll love the view!) Maybe rent the cozy coastal Creativity Cabin from my friend Anne, just across the bay.

Or do you want something even more magical? Then try Anam Cara Writer's and Artist's Retreat. The owner and manager, Sue, has created something very special for artists of all kinds. For instance, book a week's stay and pad around the house with other residents, sharing ideas and finding a bit of creative space. My good friend, American artist Ann Tracy, uses this hide-away as a bakery for her creative ideas with stunning results.

By the way: about fifteen years ago I stayed with Sue to write a project. It's how I discovered Eyeries. So be careful. If you visit you might yearn to stay here just as I have.

Whatever type of art you practice; however you get here or where you stay; I hope you can enjoy the wonder of Beara just as I do. There's nothing quite like it as a place to bake your creative bread.

Dolphin Song is Available for Presale on Amazon

Tom Richards' debut novel for adult readers is available Now on Amazon in all markets for presales (Amazon.com, Amazon. co. uk and all other locations). Launching on 21 September 2021, this story combines romantic fantasy with Irish legend and the magic of dolphins. Readers say: "…spiritually uplifting. A thought-provoking, inspiring and intriguing story" and "a story for our times".

For details about Dolphin Song, follow Tom on his Facebook's author page or his Goodreads Author's Profile.

Visit and Discover the Mystery of Irish Legends

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 13:06:00 +0000

As Ireland continues to reopen (and yes, that really is going to happen. Our esteemed government has indicated that international travel restrictions will be lifted in two weeks' time - which, of course, is subject to change), many American friends of mine have shared their plans to visit this lovely country. Their usual itinerary goes something like this: a visit to Dublin and the Guinness Hop Store or similar tourist attractions, a drive to the west coast to perhaps take in Dingle or the Kerry Way, and maybe a visit to Blarney to kiss the famous stone and inherit the Gift of the Gab.

When they list these usual tourist sites, I'll often frown and shake my head. My thinking goes: "Why visit a place thronged by visitors when so much other magic is available and often forgotten?"

So, if they ask me for advice I tell 'em straight: Stay off the tourist trail and find the mystery of Ireland for yourself. And nothing better sums up that mystery than the wonders of Irish Legend. Often, these destinations are well off the tourist trail. So, while you're learning about Irish lore, you can take a breath of fresh air at the same time. And, there's so much to learn...

From the Salmon of Knowledge to the Legend of the Banshee; the mischievous Puca to the mystery of Tir na nOg; the Hag of Beara to the Cattle Raid of Cooley - Ireland is imbued with a deep well of stories that will make your skin tingle. And what's quite fun is you can often visit the very locations that make these stories come alive.

Allihies and the Children of Lir

I'll start by pointing out a village just down the road from where I live. Allihies, located at the very western tip of Beara Peninsula, is an isolated little spot with some of the most stunning views in all of Ireland. On a clear day, the Skellig Islands rise like a fleet of invading warriors from a wild Atlantic ocean. Take a walk through the village and you'll soon learn that it is the site of one of Ireland's oldest copper mines. But look closer and you'll find the magic of Irish Legend.

The Children of Lir is an ancient tale involving romance, betrayal, transformation and banishment. It is a fairly long legend but the short version goes something like this: the second wife of Lir was jealous of his four children, born to him from a previous marriage. In a pique of rage, she transformed the children into four swans, banishing them for nine-hundred years. For the last three-hundred years, the children were forced to fly above the Atlantic, never touching land.

The spell ended only when Saint Patrick came to Ireland, bringing Christianity with him. Upon hearing a holy bell toll across the barren waters, the children flew to the remote village of Allihies. There, they were blessed by a monk and transformed back into human beings. But of course, and as many legends do, the tale ends in tragedy because they immediately perished and were then buried.

The question remains, however: where are Lir's four children interred?

Many places across the country claim the Children of Lir as their own. But in Allihies, locals believe that Lir's four children are buried at a site not far from the sea. Allihies is, therefore, the true location of their resting place.

And what makes it even more interesting is: you can visit the place. It's simple to do.

Drive to Allihies and start looking for the sign: Children of Lir Mythical Site. Park, and after a short walk, you'll stumble on the white stone which marks their grave. Say a prayer, however, because you might be transformed into a white swan, too!

The Beara: a Place of Legends

Living in Eyeries as I do, and as a resident of Beara Peninsula, I can look out my back door to find an endless source of legends. It is part of the tapestry of living here; of the rich fabric that I'm fortunate enough to find myself in. As Ireland gets back to business, and as visitors again flock to these shores, I hope you'll discover the legends for yourself.

Can I help?

If you have questions about Ireland - where to go, how to get a job here, how to get a visa, or similar... or if you just want to say hello, feel free to drop me an email:

tomjrichards@gmail.com.

I may not have the answers but I'll try to point you in the right direction. And if I don't get back it just means that I'm overwhelmed.... and apologies if that happens. Slan!

The 2021 - and Final! - Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland
is Now Available on Amazon!

Though the world is a poorer place right now, we still look to the horizon with hope. If you're dreaming of living and working in - or traveling to - Ireland, this book might be for you. At over 90,000 words, A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland, 2021, gives readers an insight of what it's like to immigrate to this beautiful country: of how to become a citizen, how to get a job and work visa, how to enjoy a perfect pint of Guinness, and the amazing tapestry that is Ireland.

For more information, visit Amazon and A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland, 2021 Edition.

Ireland's Slow Reopening: One Careful Step at a Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 May 2021 11:47:00 +0000

Since last Christmas, Ireland has been closed for business. Except for a few essential services that we could all count on one hand (chemists, most food stores, hardware stores, healthcare facilities), Ireland had been shut down as COVID-19 wreaked havoc on our population.

Clothing and footwear shops, restaurants, pubs, hotels, motor home parks, tent camping sites, construction sites, church services, cafes, museums, sporting venues, football fields, all schools of education - if a location had the potential to attract a crowd of any type, thereby offering the virus an opportunity to breed, it was ordered closed. Period.

For months, we all had to stick within 5 km of our place of residence. Travel to another Irish county was verboten. Travel abroad, except for extenuating circumstances, was forbidden. Those caught driving to the airport to catch an outbound flight for non-essential reasons were subject to an immediate fine.

Inbound travel sagged as Ireland imposed additional travel restrictions. Today, and as I noted in a previous blog entry, passengers traveling into Ireland from 'red-flag' countries are subject to mandatory hotel quarantine. Those same travelers are responsible for the cost of their stay.

The strict government intervention came as a reaction to the pre-Christmas 2020 opening of the country. Back then, only a few months ago, the Irish government believed that a careful reopening of the country, enabling people to enjoy Christmas in a manner approaching 'normal', would not only help small businesses, but also provide a bit of breathing space to a weary Irish population.

The only problem was that it didn't work. Within weeks, hospitals around the country were filled to capacity with COVID victims. The day after Christmas, on Saint Stephen's Day, the country was closed tight as the government realised its error and fought back.

We've been closed ever since.

But as we continued to count the rising number of virus cases and bury our dead, hope lit the horizon in the form of vaccines. That hope spread like wildfire as Ireland's health services rolled out its vaccination programme. AstraZenica, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson are names that roll from everyone's lips. As with many people across the world, we greet each other by asking: "Are you scheduled for your jab, yet? Or did you have it? If you had it, what kind did you get? When are you scheduled for your second jab?"

It is a greeting that now looks toward a brighter future, rather than back at a deadly past.

As I write this, almost 30 percent of Ireland's adult population has received at least one dose of a vaccine. We've still a long way to go to ensure full protection. But, the government and our health officials believe that it's enough to start a carefully-considered reopening.

In short, the lights in Ireland are being switched back on.

Those Careful Steps

The reopening of Ireland is happening in planned phases. In April, kids went back to school as the government threw the dice to continue children's education, hoping that the facts where correct and that schools would prove an unlikely place to spread the virus. Fortunately, to date that has paid off. However, college and university on-campus learning is still closed.

Now, we consider additional steps.

On 10 May 2021:

All construction reopened
We can travel between counties as local travel restrictions are lifted
A few people can gather together in houses to visit friends
15 people can gather together outside
Hairdressers reopened
Galleries, museums and libraries can open their doors
50 people can attend Mass or other religious services

Yesterday, the 17th of May, all retailers (including non-essential retailers such as clothing stores, boutiques, and similar) could again welcome shoppers.

On June 2nd, the next phase of reopening kicks in as hotels and B&B's can finally open up. However, what are deemed 'higher risk' activities and businesses including pubs, indoor restaurant dining, indoor team sporting matches, and international travel will just have to wait. The government is talking about reopening these activities sometime in July or August. But it is dependent on new infections, monitoring of COVID variants (such as the new variant that is sweeping India), and the continuing success of the vaccination programme.

Until then we must watch our step.

Disruptors to Patience

Unfortunately, as we all begin to breathe a bit there are some - both inside and outside this country - who continue to put Ireland's reopening in peril.

A few days ago, the HSE (our national health services administration) experienced a serious breach of its IT systems by criminal gangs. The Wizard Spiders, a Eastern European gang of malicious hackers, infected HSE infrastructure with sophisticated Ransomware. Not only have they encrypted vital data and applications, but the organised group is now demanding a reported €20 million to unlock that information - a ransom the government is apparently refusing to pay.

The malware infection has closed most essential hospital services across the country. Patients who had been scheduled to receive vital treatments or scans have found that their appointments have been cancelled. Fortunately, the IT outage has not disrupted the vaccination rollout.

But having to cope with international thuggery isn't Ireland's only challenge as it struggles to reopen. Across the country, it has been reported that some shady businesses are ignoring government regulations. These crooks are putting short-term profit above the health and well-being of their customers. From secret home party gatherings to back-of-a-lane Shebeens where the Guinness has never stopped flowing; motor home parks illicitly welcoming caravans of visitors, to shuttered restaurants offering on-the-sly indoor dining... the owners and managers of these establishments forget a vital fact:

Almost five-thousand people have died from COVID-19 in this country. Their illicit, selfish actions only imperil more lives. Instead of considering their neighbours, I gather these eejits have said to themselves: "Feck it, anyway. I've suffered enough. I'll reopen no matter what the government says."

To these unthinking souls I can only say: "We're so close now. We're almost there, only months away from a safe reopening. Don't be an arse. Instead, do as most Irish do. Stay kind and put the lives of others first."

After all, we've made it this far by sticking together. If we stay together, we'll make it out of this dark hole, and live to see another day.

Mind you, I doubt the illegal eejits will ever listen.

The 2021 - and Final! - Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland
is Now Available on Amazon!

For more information, visit Amazon and A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland, 2021 Edition.

U.S., Canada, France, Italy, Others Join Ireland's Growing Mandatory Quarantine List

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 09:20:00 +0000

The Irish government last night added the United States, France, Italy and thirteen other countries to its growing mandatory quarantine list for inbound travelers. From April 15 2021, people arriving from these countries are subject to mandatory hotel quarantine.

Those subject to quarantine are responsible for the cost of their stay. The rate for the 12 nights is €1875.00.

Irish news organisations report that, to date, over four-hundred people have been subject to the new quarantine legislation, and are staying in government approved hotels. RTE reports that ten confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been detected through testing at the quarantine hotels since 26 March.

Those facing quarantine are advised that it is a criminal offence to leave a designated facility without authorisation. A person found guilty of breaking quarantine faces a fine of €2000, one month in prison, or both.

A total of 59 countries are now on the government's red list.

The addition of the United States and EU countries comes following terse inter-governmental discussions and arguments. Many legislators cite existing EU freedom of travel laws, as well as the historic relationship with the U.S. as reasons not to expand the list to include these countries.

However, Irish health officials' growing worry about COVID variants, and the effect they would have on Ireland's population and economy, at last resulted in government agreement.

Today marks Ireland's one-hundredth day in lockdown. As of this writing, citizens can only travel 5 kilometers from their homes. Most shops are closed as are church services, concerts, sporting events, and similar public gatherings. While restrictions will ease from next Monday, additional relaxation of COVID guidelines is dependent on the continued roll out and ramping up of vaccinations.

Ireland, as with all EU countries, has seen significant delays in deliveries of many vaccines, in particular the Astra Zeneca jab. The government had hinged the country's recovery on the millions of doses it had expected to receive.

The government is now playing catch up as additional doses are finally being delivered.

For more information, visit the Irish governments mandatory quarantine website. For additional news, go to RTE.

The 2021 - and Final! - Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland
is Now Available on Amazon!

For more information, visit Amazon and A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland, 2021 Edition.

Ireland Institutes Mandatory Quarantine for Travelers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 14:35:00 +0000

If you're thinking of traveling to Ireland in the near future, think again.

This Friday, March 26, 2021, sees the start of mandatory hotel quarantines for most people coming to Ireland. Passengers arriving into the Republic from a list of designated 'Category 2, high risk' countries will be required to stay in a designated hotel for twelve nights.

What's more, those people will have to bear the cost: €1,875 for the period of their stay.

Category 2 is made up of a list of 33 countries experiencing high levels of COVID-19. Right now that list includes many African nations (including South Africa), a number of South American countries (Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela make the list), as well as Austria and the United Arab Emirates.

But be warned: Countries can be added to this 'danger' list at any time, and at the government's discretion.

Moreover.... all inbound travelers now require valid proof of a negative PCR test for the virus. If you haven't got a certificate on you, proving that fact, you will also face mandatory quarantine at a daily rate of €150. In other words, if you don't have a valid negative test document, you will be whisked directly from the airport to your quarantine hotel. And don't even think about appealing.

Some people are exempt from the new regulations: aircrews, maritime crews, drivers of heavy goods vehicles transporting items to and from this country, and a few others. And that's it.

But for anyone else? Before you book your next trip to Ireland, make certain that your country of origin hasn't been designated Category 2 by the Irish government or you could be in deep trouble.

Background

After twelve weeks of lockdown, the people of this country continue to suffer from the third wave of the global pandemic. Over 4,500 are now dead from the virus. Analysis suggests that part of the reason for the continuing spread of COVID in Ireland (particularly new variants) is unregulated inbound arrival of travelers from countries that are suffering from the virus worse than we are. Too, some Irish have also been at fault. A few of Irish travelers have chosen to holiday abroad even during the pandemic. When they came home, they've brought back the unwelcome gift of illness.

For weeks now many people including scientists, politicians, as well as members of the general public, have clamored for travel restrictions to choke off entry points for the virus. With the arrival of mandatory quarantine, it seems the government has finally listened to their demands.

Check Before You Book

You might be reading this from a chair in London or a couch in Florida. At this point, neither the United Kingdom nor the United States is on the Category 2 list. But as I point out above, if I were you...

Before you book your Irish-bound trip, check the list. And also realize that even if you book a trip for the summer right now - thinking everything is okay - but should your country of origin make the list before you depart, you might want to cancel. Or, you could find yourself spending almost 2 weeks in quarantine before you can make your way into the Irish countryside.

For more information:

The 2021 - and Final! - Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland
is Now Available on Amazon!

For more information, visit Amazon and A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland, 2021 Edition.

This Year, Saint Patrick's Day Will Be a Bit Different

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 12:05:00 +0000

In Ireland, Saint Patrick's Day is usually marked with a bit of tradition. While we don't dye our rivers green or eat green bagels, nor quaff green-coloured beer (which is considered a sin - why would anyone in their right mind ruin a perfectly good pint by poisoning it with pigment of unknown origin?), we do have a few activities which make the day fun and interesting.

Most Saint Patrick's Days, the weather is intolerable. March 17 isn't summer, of course, but our kids will insist we walk down to town to watch the parade. We'll stand at the side of the road, shivering as the rain sheets down, holding the kids high on our shoulders so they can watch the tractors pulling their floats, and the local school band skipping to the beat of a jig. The dancers and the clowns will sidle past, while the local town officials perch on the boots of their cars, getting soaked in the process.

We'll smile and laugh despite the cold, gamely looking toward the Heavens and praying that the damned thing will be over soon so we can take a bit of comfort. But time ticks on until the last float passes by, and the local fella dressed in the garb of the Saint ends it all as he waves his crook at the sullen skies. With the parade finished, we'll all break toward our just reward - which happens to be a pint or two at the local pub.

We'll sit at the bar, jawing with our friends as the glasses are raised, keeping an eye on the kids who run between tables and chairs like packs of laughing pups. Most of us will have gone to Mass before the parade, and we'll shake the rain from coats and hats as we sit in the warmth of the cozy establishment, drowning the Shamrock with towering pints of Guinness. Many of us will have given up the drink for Lent, and Lent isn't over until Easter, but Saint Patrick's Day is a day of divine dispensation where all drinking sins are forgiven.

When the kids get hungry they lead us home where we might find hot plates filled with bacon and cabbage, or chicken and ham, a full pot of mashed spuds beckoning to be eaten with butter. We'll eat our fill and perhaps watch the telly for a bit and, if we're lucky, we may hear a knock on the door where a good friend drags us again down to the pub, convinced that the Shamrock has not yet been properly drowned.

Saint Patrick's Day is Ireland's national day, a sort of Fourth of July and Thanksgiving all rolled in to one. It's a day for a bit of craic and of time with family. A day for a smile and a handshake and a hug and a laugh.

But not this year. Though Patrick may have banished the snakes, they're back as vicious as ever.

A Virtual Beauty

This year the rain has stopped and instead the sun is splitting the stones. The Met has forecast temperatures of up to 16 degrees C and maybe more. It's as if the Saint is teasing us because he knows that this year we'll not have a single parade. At least not one in person. This year, we could watch the parade pass by with the sun on our pates. But that's not going to happen. Not in 2021.

Like many countries, Ireland is closed. The streets where the parades take place each year are empty. The kids who usually march along with so much enthusiasm are gone home. The tractors are in their fields or locked in their sheds. No floats have been made by the town committees to mark the day.

The doors to the local pubs are shut tight. This year, we'll not have a chance to drown the Shamrock because the Guinness doesn't flow. We won't laugh together, nor sing together. We won't go to Mass together. We won't be able to share the craic.

Instead, we'll do it all virtually. We'll sit in our homes and think of what once was, and look forward to other Saint Patrick's Days. We might turn on the telly, watching the virtual events broadcast by RTE, our national TV station. Or we could turn to the computer or our Smart Phones where a special station, SPF - the St. Patrick's Day Festival - has been set up. We might check the radio to hear the throbbing notes of Riverdance or tune in for some Irish traditional songs and perhaps a Voyage by Christy Moore.

We might open a tin of Guinness and toast the good health of friends and family we cannot see this year. Later in the day, many might take a walk within family bubbles, steering clear from others who come our way for fear of harming anyone.

Today, we'll think of the people who are not with us this Saint Patrick's Day. We'll say a prayer for the 4,552 Irish people who have died from COVID, as well as their families.

We'll go to bed early, perhaps, after watching the sun go down on a far, cloudless horizon.

We'll pray for better times ahead, and ask Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, to throw out the snakes once again.

The 2021 - and Final! - Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland
is Now Available on Amazon!

For more information, visit Amazon and A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland, 2021 Edition.

The 2021 - and Final! - Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland is Now Available!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 11:17:00 +0000

It's been a long journey. What started as a series of notes about this Yank's uncertain decision to uproot his life and replant his soul in Ireland has turned into an Eleven Edition exploration.

Most years, I've edited A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland to reflect this country's current events, imparting the challenges and opportunities present in this country, hoping that it might be of help if you are considering a similar voyage. This year, just in time for Saint Patrick's Day, I offer an edition which explores the difficulties this country faces: pandemic, Brexit, and everything else.

At over 90,000 words, it's the biggest edition yet.

I include an extensive guide that explores how to immigrate into this country and get a job here. I look at the faint, glimmering light of hope that is creeping over the country as its people are vaccinated, and to the opportunities that will again skyrocket heavenward when Ireland re-opens for business.

Once again, I try to answer those questions friends have posed to me over the years: Tom, why did you immigrate to Ireland? How did you become a citizen? How did you get a job there?

And the big one: Can I do that, too?

The answer to the last question is the most challenging. The short answer is: Yes. But the process is much more complicated than one simple word. Which is why I wrote the book in the first place.

This is the final edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. After all the years of writing it, I guess I've finally run out of things to say. Too, this head of mine isn't as young as it once. It's time to move on, just as the world is moving on.

To all those who have purchased past editions of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland (and there are over twenty thousand of you), please know how grateful I am.

To those of you who are looking for an easy read about a nutty Yank's wild journeys in Ireland over the past 39 years, I hope you buy a copy of this 2021 edition.

And to everyone else: living the life of an expatriate has been one hellofa crazy ride. Recently, someone asked me if I'd do it again. The truthful answer is, probably not. It was far more work than I could have imagined.

Yet, though I didn't know it when I first moved here, I was given an immense gift. I've learned that living in a country different from your birth is a tremendous opportunity. Circumstances that are part of an immigrant's experience push you to perform to your very best. You're constantly reaching farther and higher because no one is there to catch you should you fall.

You're on your own, and you learn that the only one you can rely on is the person inside.

I didn't always succeed. Often, I failed miserably. I probably would have made much more money had I never ventured to a country so different from that of my birth. But I know that had I stayed in America, I would never have tried my hand at so many different things to make a living for my family - from weighbridge salesman to writer; owner of a marketing agency to operations director of leased offices company, to the owner of a 'Tent Camping' site resting next to an amazingly beautiful Atlantic Bay. I was forced to learn. Either that, or perish.

I chose the former and decided to survive.

Being an immigrant isn't easy. In fact, it's damned hard. (Think about THAT when you read about a family of immigrants trying to cross a U.S. border river to make a new life). But, it is also incredibly rewarding. And I'm not talking about the pocketbook definition of that word.

'Rewarding', as in learning to realize the innate goodness of people because you've met so many; 'rewarding', as in learning that even when you want to give up and drown yourself because you can't earn a proper crust, you discover that you are stronger than you thought because you'll keep trying; 'rewarding', as in waking up one day after 39 years of expatriate life, and finally understanding that the challenges you've encountered have also taught you many valuable lessons. You'll smile a bit, realizing that your struggle has burnished your soul with the heat of fear and heartache, transforming at last to hope and a bit of joyful triumph.

'Rewarding', as you suddenly realize that the decision you made to stay here was the right one, after all.

To all those who yearn for the life of an expatriate, I wish you well. I also stress how carefully you should plan your journey. If you don't, you might bite off more than you can chew.

Mind you, I never planned and looked what happened to me?

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland, 2021 Edition is out now on Amazon. Just click here.

(If the link doesn't work, go to: https://www.amazon.com/Survivors-Guide-Living-Ireland-2021-ebook/dp/B08YRP3Z9N/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+survivor%27s+guide+to+living+in+ireland+2021&qid=1615887557&s=books&sr=1-1)

My best to all.

Tom

Surviving Rural Lockdown

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 11:06:00 +0000

I hope you'll forgive me for being remiss in posting. Since the death of my friend Liam in May of last year from COVID (see http://survivingireland.blogspot.com/2020/05/thundering-silence-on-life-of-liam.html), I've struggled to put two words together. To be quite honest, even now - so many months later - it's still a challenge.

However, I recognise that I'm not the only person on this planet to suffer. Too many have, and still are. Yet, all of us do our best to keep going. Here, in our little village of Eyeries, we've been in full lockdown since just after Christmas. By my count, this is our third spell of enforced isolation since the virus was detected in Ireland, in February of 2020. Not that I disagree with government policy. I fully support any efforts or methods to quash COVID. I don't want anyone else to suffer the way Liam's family are suffering. Not that my hopes will have much of an effect on the matter.

But still - we do our best to count our blessings. Lockdown in rural Ireland is somewhat second nature to most living here because we're well used to being isolated. After all, Beara Peninsula is situated in one of the most isolated corners of our little country. Yet still, and like everyone else, we miss so many aspects of normal life that we took for granted: family and friends; shopping and holidaying; Mass and singing; concerts and sporting matches.

As for me: I must admit that I very much miss my local pub and the fast friends I've made there. I miss their laughter...

Thar' be Ghosts

Until I moved to Eyeries, I never understood the significance of Ireland's rural pubs, nor the importance they play for smaller villages and remoter outposts. In our village we have two establishments, both located just up the road from where I live: Causkey's Bar (six doors up the wee hill from my front door) and O'Shea's Pub (a short swing left and down the hill). Both are nestled on the main street. Both act as something of a village magnet and part-time therapy centre.

Right now, both are locked as airtight as unopened Guinness Barrels due to the virus. God only knows when they'll reopen. We all miss them, terribly.

You see, none of us walk into our local pub with the expressed intention of getting pissed as a newt. While that happens occasionally, we show up mainly for a chat and a smile. It's part of our nature as human beings to seek like-minded company, after-all. In rural Ireland, and due to the isolated nature of our geography, it's even more important. So we'll march through the pub doors, some to O'Shea's, me to Causkey's because it's that much closer. (And the standing joke is: if I have one too many, all I have to do is walk out the door and roll down the hill to my home.)

For me, Sunday in the early afternoon has always been my favourite time for a visit. Our publican Jay and her son Kenneth know their patrons by sight and by habit. They'll have our favored tipple brewing without our needing to ask for it. In my case, it's always a pint of Guinness. And while I'm waiting for my pint of black to settle, I'll prop my elbows on the bar and turn to the next fella, most often Frank, who will usually start off with a comment on the weather or the state of his business. More lads will wander in - George and Joe, Geroid and Mike - some just back from Mass (like me), or up from the fields having fed the cattle and sheep, or in from a fishing trip. We'll sit on tall stools, having a chin-wag as Jay and Kenneth navigate full pints between strong arms and yapping mouths, plonking our drinks on to the counter without spilling a drop.

As the minutes roll on, more local folk stroll in. Families with their children will assume their positions at the low tables near the far picture window where the kids will have an orange squash while their parents will sneak in a drink or three. Some will wander to the pool table for a game of billiards while others throw darts at the scarred dartboard. Jay's husband, Donal, put that up a few years back. But Donal left us almost three years ago, God bless him, yet as I sip my pint I'm convinced I can hear his laughter and see his eyes sparkle as he leans across the bar toward us to share the jokes he told so well.

Kenneth will turn on both televisions - one hanging near the bar, the other next to the far window I've already mentioned - both tuned in to catch the Sunday Game. It might be a GAA game of football or hurley. Or perhaps a Rugby match (Ireland v England is always a favourite). Or we'll eye the English and European teams playing soccer, weaving the ball between bulging defensive legs as they seek a win. Whatever is playing, we'll sit on our stools clasping our pints as we lean toward the televised images, cheering when something goes right, but giving out shite when things go against our chosen team. Along the way, we'll put up a hand and Jay, who seems to have been waiting for the signal, hands us our next pint already poured because she had seen the state of our empty glasses and sensed we were in need.

I tend to sit at the top of the long, narrow bar, at the very end near the front door. I do it because of the view: I can gaze down the length of the establishment to the wide picture window. It faces to the west, and through the glass I can make out Coulagh Bay, with the small islet of Eyeries near the shore, the larger island of Inishfarnard in the near distance, and the whale-like form of Scariff Island in the distance. Beyond that is the wide Atlantic, and then a far horizon which stretches as flat as a Midwestern corn field. I love it when the weather grows tough. The Bay dances with whitewater chop, curling monsters crashing high against the nearby coastline. If the tide is right, seas build white over a small snag maybe a half-mile off the coast, and someone will suggest we grab a surfboard to try our luck. The comment is made in jest because we all have some idea of the injuries we would suffer, being hurled against the jagged rocks below our village. Whenever I gaze at the Bay in a storm, I figure it's God's television broadcasting nature's fury, and I count my lucky stars.

But whether we're looking out at a storm or up at a match, the visitors to Causkey's Bar are in constant discussion. We'll talk about the game, of course, or the size of the sea swells. We'll comment on recent government policies, invariably berating our politicians for the fools we know they are. We'll talk of cars and tractors, fish catches and animal prices. We'll ask after each other's wives and partners, children and grandchildren, and as we all grow older, will enquire about the latest medical procedures some of us have endured. And all the time as we engage with each other, the pub fills with laughter.

Someday

Those times of good humour are now almost a year ago. Today, as I walk up the wee hill and pass Causkey's, I see the closed, locked door and the curtains pulled at the front window. I'll think of the lads I know, and how some of them are now dead, along with Liam, due to the virus. I'll think of Jay and Kenneth and Donal, and their dog Rocky who always greeted me as I took my stool, leaping up for a pat and to lick my hands. I'll think of Jaime Dixon, another good friend, who also passed from COVID only a month ago.

I'll look across the empty street and remember the throngs of tourists who show up every year to join us in our Summer Family Festival, and how they'd buy locally-made scarves and belts, jewelry and bread, sheltering beneath the awnings set up against the rain as they searched for their wallets. I remember the kids dashing down the main street, their laughter bouncing off the outside walls of our homes, and how later in the day, we'd all pile into the pubs to watch local musicians play a Ceili and join together in a dance.

But now the road is empty but for the rain that streams down the culvert, and an occasional dog that pads silently in the grey mist of February, and I realize that my memories are as intangible as ghosts.

As I glance one more time at my local bar, its door barred against an invisible threat, I think of how good we had it, and how a rural pub acts as a salve for lonely people living on an isolated peninsula. As I turn from Causkey's toward my home, I swear I can hear muffled laughter echo from inside, and for a moment I'm filled with sadness. Then I shake myself, and stride quickly through the rain, and talk myself again into optimism.

We'll get through this, of course. That's what human beings do. We adapt and we survive. Some day, I'll sit at the bar with my mates. On a future summer's afternoon, tourists will again fill the streets and the kids will laugh as they dash down the hill. But I know that, like me, many pray for an ending to this emergency before the ghosts of our memories, and the hope they give, vanish like mist swept before the wind.

Like you, we pray for a new dawn.

Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. The 2021 - and Final - Edition

I'm currently editing the 2021 (and 11th) edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland and hope to have it ready for St Patrick's Day. However, the 2020 edition is still available. I wish you all good health and safe living. Tom

2020 Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland is out Now!

As I write this, the world's people are facing into the strongest headwinds we have experienced in our lifetimes. This tome will not help. But if it provide a bit of humor, a bit of knowledge, a way to sit back and forget what is happening for a few minutes... then perhaps I am right to include it here. Find A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland, 2020 Edition, here.

Thundering Silence: On the Life of Liam O'Neill, My Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 May 2020 09:24:00 +0000

In the last twenty-four hours, following a phone call no one ever wants to take, I have learned that when your best friend dies there are few remedies. Usually when something bad happens I bury myself in work. By immersing myself into a fictional world, the hurt passes. But yesterday the words would not come.

Instead, I have learned that it is best to work on small things; things I can do mindlessly. I have learned I can strim the backyard. I can drive to town to shop for dinner. I can walk into the Church which is only half-open due to the virus that also killed my friend. I have learned that on the day of his death I can light two candles. I can sit at the piano and play three hymns to an empty church with only a few mistakes.

I have learned that I am very good at crying.

I can also think of him, and what we did together, and mutual memories.

Liam O'Neill was my friend. He was a filmmaker, director, and writer. More importantly, he was a good man; a good husband; a good father. We had some things in common. He was born in Chicago six months after my own birth (he always joked that I was the old man) only a few miles from where I lived. We both had to move to Ireland to meet. We were both Cubs fans. We had a mutual dislike of Trump. We both had a passion for film. He was much more knowledgeable than I will ever be.

I can think of how we met; of how I got lost walking to his Fredrick Street, Dublin offices. I ran into his wife, Annabel, who pointed the way. He optioned my first screenplay, even though the writing was poor. He did it, I think, out of kindness and - always the teacher - to fuel my enthusiasm.

We worked on many projects together, visiting Berlin a number of times, and Austria. We grew closer because work became only a backdrop for friendship. When I moved to Eyeries, we talked most days. When the phone rang, it was usually Liam. We used each other as sounding boards, or talked of US politics, or vented to each other about life's less pleasant moments, or shared the memories of family members who had moved on.

Always, there was laughter or a joke. Always, there was support and kindness. And why not? We were mates.

Yesterday, just over twenty-four hours ago, Liam died of Covid-19. He leaves behind his wife Annabel, his children Ben and Ella, his family living Stateside including Una, Tricia, Catherine and Charlie, friends and colleagues all over the world - and me.

He leaves behind a life that is unfinished because it was stripped from him far too young.

Ireland is still under lockdown. I can't drive up to help Annabel and the kids, or say goodbye to my friend. I can raise a glass, however. As I hoist it, the sun sets, the silence cracking like thunder.

It is then I realize the phone will never ring again.

I miss him.

What Could Ever Be Wrong? Surviving the Crisis in Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 11:29:00 +0000

Today, like every day, I get up to thumb through the news. I read that more deaths due to Covid bring the total in the Republic of Ireland to 444. Over 12,500 cases have been identified. About 2,000 people have been hospitalised.

My thumb presses another icon. In my home of America, over 30,000 lives have been snuffed out due to the pandemic.

I decide I can't look further. So I get to work.

Like many countries and people across the world, our village of Eyeries, as well as Beara Peninsula and the rest of the country, are under a government-issued Stay at Home order. Living here, it's easy to follow those guidelines because in many ways, I'm already isolated. Only 60 or so souls call Eyeries home. Castletownbere, 5 miles away, has a total population of less than 900, while only 6000 people live on Beara Peninsula. In the off-season, when tourists are absent (as they will for most of the year, I suspect), I can walk miles along the coast without meeting a soul.

That said, life during Covid, even in the isolation of Eyeries, is marked by worrying disruption. So I maintain discipline to hold onto any sort of sanity.

I write from 9AM until 1PM. The work - editing a novel that I will submit to a literary agent in the Fall - keeps my head full. For those hours, I think of nothing else except the story, and the words on the page, and which words don't work, and which ones do, and what I need to change or delete or add to tell the story in the best possible way. Hours can pass and I think of nothing else except the problems that plague the characters, and the world in which they live, and the conflicts they must endure. When I break I walk out back to take a breath, and for a moment all seems as it always was: a Spring day, the sun on my head, the distant island of Scarrif rising from the sea a few miles across Coulaugh Bay.

Then I remember and get back to work so I can forget for awhile longer.

When I come up for air I think again. I feel sorry for so many of my friends back in the States. Politicians and the press - both sides of the division - war with words and pictures against each other, yet the stakes involve millions of lives.

I think of our own government and press. Here, it seems easier. Ireland's total population is only 5 million or so: maybe that has something to do with it. Here, the government talks with one voice. I have not yet witnessed an Irish politician go after another to score political points. For that reason, perhaps, there is little confusion. We all know what to do and why. I have never heard a word uttered from anyone about any misunderstanding they might have about the advice and directives we have been given from the government. Most everyone is cooperating because we know the stakes are so high.

When I finish writing by closing the laptop, I might work in the garden. I'm painting the back of the house. I can't get more paint because the hardware stores are closed, so I stretch what I have. I concentrate on the brushstrokes that spread blue and white over walls and gates. I can forget with each brushstroke.

When I finish for the day, I might take a walk with the Partner up through the village where we encounter few, and if we do, stand politely out of the way as we practice social distancing. We gab for a few stolen moments, glad to meet other human beings. Then we'll walk on, passing the closed pubs and the locked door of the village church, and I wonder for a moment about the people I know who I can't see right now: my cronies from the pub and the good mates I have there; the church choir I direct, many of the members older than me, and I say a quick prayer for their safety, and that we'll someday sing again.

I think of my children and grandchildren in County Meath, and a father locked down in a Florida nursing home. But there is nothing I can do for any of them, not right now, except keep sane so I might see them, and as I think we amble down the hill again toward home.

Even later in the day, we may drive to Castletownbere to buy groceries and go to the chemist, which is still permitted. The visit is short; the once busy town almost deserted. We make our purchases and leave.

6PM. RTE is on the TV, minutes before the evening news, but before that, the Angelus. The devotional prayers play on both RTE radio and television, at Noon and again at six. While the Angelus is not unique to Ireland, the prayer has always resonated with me, even if I never prayed along with it. It resonates deeper with me today.

Sunset right now is about 8PM. After the news, I go outside to sit on the back deck and watch the sun go down. I'll pour a can of Guinness and, taking a sip, think that when things are back to normal I will never, ever again open a can of Guinness. I will always drink my pint in the pub as I always did before. I hope it won't be too long until then. Canned Guinness is real shite.

The sun sets over a glittering Bay. As I watch it, for a moment I forget again. Then I'll remember and think,

'How can anything, anywhere, be wrong on such a beautiful evening?'

Plenty, it seems.

2020 Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland is out Now!

A Little Light Bird Song to Make Ye Smile

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 09:43:00 +0000

There's not much to sing about here, or most places in the world. For obvious reasons. So we keep busy. In my case it means editing a novel (a heck of a lot of work), painting the back garden walls, trying not to obsess over the church choir I direct (wondering how the members are doing), and making sure The Partner is well.

But rather than extemporize about the present plight of nations and their people, how about a simple piece of joy? A friend of mine forwarded the following to me. I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

So without further fanfare, or even a bit of chirping, may I present the Bird Song Opera.

Blessings to you all.

Tom

2020 Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland is out Now!

A Ministerial Emergency Broadcast: Irish Style Leadership

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 11:13:00 +0000

Last night, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar made an emergency broadcast on local television. The subject: Covid 19.

Though he is not my favorite politician, I was proud of the man. Forthright, measured, honest - a true leader. His words were filled with darkness, but also hope. He reflects the compassion and sensitivity I have long found in the people of this country.

If you're part of the Diaspora and have not seen his RTE broadcast, see the link below.

His warnings were grim.

The HSE, Ireland's health organization, anticipates up to 15,000 Covid 19 cases in Ireland
Ireland will experience more deaths
The country is on an emergency footing, and will action what the government thinks right to protect the nation
Economic conditions will continue to worsen. To support the vast number of people who will lose their jobs, as well as bolster health and social resources, Ireland will borrow billions of euro. The necessity to borrow, and the need to eventually repay it, will affect the Irish economy for generations

And yet, Varadkar came across as very much a human being. As he said, "Never have so many asked so few for so much."

He is correct. And his words made us realize that we must all do our part.

We are fortunate to have a man of his character in office. I can think of other world politicians who could learn from his leadership and compassion.

See his broadcast here.

2020 Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland is out Now!

Despite the World's Covid 19 Suffering, Happy Saint Patrick's Day to You All

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 09:43:00 +0000

It's been months since I've had time to write a post. I'm currently working on a novel, which is taking an inordinate amount of time. However, the present global situation calls for some thoughts.

Like many countries across the world, Ireland is also coming to a standstill. While this day, the 17th of March, is Saint Patrick's Day, the pubs are empty. Parades have been cancelled. The spread of this virus continues, with almost 250 people in Ireland now diagnosed with this horrible illness.

But Life Continues

Yet, it is still Saint Patrick's Day. To that end, let's celebrate the day of our national saint first with a little song, some Saint Patrick's Day Music to let you jig a bit. If you're stuck in the house like I am, I hope this compilation adds a little joy. Wherever you are, I hope you and your family are safe. At the same time, I hope you can raise a glass to friendship and those you love, and perhaps toast all those things that are Irish. As my friends say, this too shall pass, and when it does Ireland will still be here.

2020 Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Ireland

Too, it being Saint Patrick's Day, and knowing the world must keep spinning 'round, you should know that the 2020 Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland is now available.

If you're thinking of moving to Ireland like this Yank, this little tome might help. And though any plans you may have will have to be delayed, I pray your dreams will be intact when the crisis passes. To have a look at this Kindle version, visit the 2020 Edition webpage.

Stay safe. Bless you all. And a Happy Saint Patrick's Day wherever you might be.

Tom

Berehaven Lodge Restaurant - Grilled to Perfection

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 09:28:00 +0000

As an American, I take grilling meals on an open fire very seriously. Back in 1982, when I moved here, few people understood the pleasures of throwing a steak on a BBQ. Ah, the aroma! The taste! The fun of standing near an open fire, beer in hand, hoping you're not burning that evening's steak or chicken or hamburger to cinders!

In those days I had to search high and low to purchase a BBQ. When, in 1984, I finally found one in Tesco - a local supermarket chain - I couldn't believe my luck. I didn't bat an eye at the fact I had to spend twice what it would have cost me in the States. Made no difference. Finally, I could grill my meat in style.

Of course, my Irish neighbours thought I was out of my mind. "What's that pyre of smoke coming from Richards's place?" they'd ask. "He must've murdered someone and is getting rid of the evidence."

Possibly true, of course, but unlikely.

Fortunately for Irish people everywhere, the fine art of grilling meat over an open fire has become de rigueur. And nowhere is that more true than in Beara Peninsula's own Berehaven Lodge Restaurant.

Friday is the Day for Grilled Gastronomic Treats

Founded by owners Grace and Mark (Grace works front of house; Chef Mark handles the

Grace and Mark - fabulous people impassioned by food

cooking), the restaurant is open most days. On any other day except Friday, they stick to a standard menu (go here to have a view of what's on offer - everything is fresh; everything sourced locally; everything divine).

Walk into the open, airy rooms - all freshly painted, I might add, courtesy of good friend Frank McQuaid - and get a friendly greeting you won't soon forget. Have a drink at the well stocked bar (the wine list is extensive and reasonably priced), sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride as you consider what to order.

Or if it's sunny and warm, have your meal on the recently expanded outdoor deck. Overlooking Bantry Bay, you can enjoy your sumptuous local crab claws while wondering which trawler, steaming down the sun-lit waters, caught 'em. And yes, the food at Berehaven is that local and that fresh.

But - if you're very, very lucky, you'll arrive on a Friday. Friday is "Everything is Grilled" day, and the results are to die for.

Mark is South African and takes grilling even more seriously than I do. Working at a huge outdoor grill fired by local wood chunks and charcoal, the pleasure he takes in cooking for his guests is instantly transmitted to the food we eat.

Just this past Friday, Gorgeous One and I finally had a chance to sample the passion of Mark's fine art of grilling. And oh! It was beyond even my demanding American-grill-for-life palate. So let's get started!

From Start to Finish, a Taste of Heaven

Aisling and Gorgeous One

As we consider the extensive Friday Menu, Gorgeous One is instantly served a glass of Pinot Grigio by lovely Aisling, our waitress for the evening. Starters form an extensive list, making it difficult to choose. Open Fire Mussels? Fire Grilled Asparagus Spears? The Seafood Potjikos, a warmly spiced South African favourite?

She decides on the Grilled King Scallops. Because I'm having fish for my main course, I choose the Chicken & Port Liver Pate. Both are (almost) beyond description.

"Look at these lovely little fellows!" Gorgeous One exhales as Aisling serves them up. Grilled to perfection by Mark, the scallops are presented on a long plate accompanied by crispy Parma Ham and an onion puree that is out of this world (I asked Grace and it turns out the onions are first grilled then pureed. I want that recipe!)

I had to beg Gorgeous One for a scallop, almost losing a hand when I reached before asking permission.

The Pate was...honestly, it was the best pate I've had in an age. Served with pickled cucumber and apple chutney, I took real pleasure in forking the above onto sour dough bread, doing my best to make it all last as long as possible. And no, Gorgeous One never had one bite.

The Main Dishes. Oh the main dishes! I must admit it took us awhile to choose because everything on offer sounded fabulous. Do we go for the fresh-out-of-the-sea Monkfish Parcels, or the 12oz Cowboy Steak? The local Castletownbere Black Sole, or the West Cork Summer Lamb Rump?

At the end of it, Gorgeous One chose the 10oz Hereford Beef Ribeye Steak. I dived for the Surf n Turf: a 10oz, 40 day aged Hereford Fillet Steak accompanied by Grilled Prawns served with a bearnaise sauce.

The steaks were grilled to perfection. Gorgeous One's Ribeye was the biggest sample of such a cut I've ever seen; the taste (and yes, she gave me a bite) a rich mouthful of wonder. My Fillet was as smooth as butter; the Prawns a reminder of how lucky we are to have such local shellfish available, right off the trawler.

These succulent grilled delights were served up with a huge bowl of grilled veggies: corn on the cob, tomatoes, immense onion halves, and much more. All roasted over Mark's grill until pieces of heaven.

We had so much we took some home. The next day, all of it ended up on my grill in the back garden of our Eyeries Village Home, allowing us to enjoy Mark and Grace's efforts twice.

We were so full following our grilled meal, dessert wasn't possible.

The bill for all of the above worked out at just short of €90, excluding tip. And it was worth every last penny.

Book Early

The Friday Grill at Berehaven Lodge Restaurant has become a 'go to' celebration by locals

who enjoy Mark's passion. For that reason I suggest you book early (and often).

Where is it? About 4 miles east of Castletownbere, County Cork, on the seaside of the main Glengarriff Road.

For more information, go to their website: https://www.berehavenlodge.com/dining-castletownbere.html, or phone: +353 27 71464.

Opening hours vary on the season that's in it.

Want to learn more? A Survivor's Guide to Ireland 2019 edition is Now Available.

This travel memoir of about 80,000 words follows this erst-while American who has lived in Ireland since 1982. If you want to know more about what you can do to get a work permit, get a job, buy a house, and otherwise live and enjoy life like the Irish, I hope you'll have a look at A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Happy Trail - Tom

Eyeries County Cork: A Little Corner of Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 10:23:00 +0000

As I write, I gaze out the window at the beauty of Coulagh Bay. Its waters glisten in the late-morning light, framed by the Ring of Kerry to the north and Beara Peninsula's Mishkish Mountains to the south.

Beyond, to the west, is Scarriff Island, rising like a magical whale, hiding the mysteries of the Skellig Islands from my view. Further west rests only the deep Atlantic, with Nova Scotia and Labrador the next stop.

The view is captivating. Here, I have found peace within solitude. Here I have made fast friends. Here, I have finally learned what rural Ireland is all about.

Escaping the Big Smoke

For almost 30 years I lived and worked in the Dublin area. For almost 20 of that, I made the daily commute from Navan in County Meath to my place of work in Dublin. When visitors to my new home in Eyeries ask me about the Dublin area, thinking it still an enclave of restful business practices, I can't believe their ignorance.

"Certainly it is not as crazy as my place of work in Chicago," an American visitor will state categorically. "Dublin is part of Ireland, after all. And Ireland - well the whole country is so, so...backward, isn't it? Surely, it must be more sane than any American big city."

Ah the silliness of such comments. So I work to set the facts straight. City life in any Irish big city is just as crazed, just as mad busy, just as stressful, as working in any other large US or European country. "It could take me up to four hours a day to get to work and home again," I explain. "The traffic was a curse. Road rage common. We'd shake fists at each other, cursing like a navvy, such was a commuter's life to Dublin."

I'd have to point out that Ireland has changed drastically since the day I immigrated here in June 1982. Back then, when first setting foot on Irish soil, I couldn't afford a car. I couldn't afford a phone. I couldn't afford many of the items I took for granted back in the States. Commuting to my place of work 20 minutes south of Navan was a matter of sticking my thumb out and praying for a lift from some generous automobile owner.

Back then, I was not alone. Many of us living in Ireland couldn't afford such things.

But then it all changed. As I've previously written, Ireland's economy blasted off like an Apollo rocket bound for the Moon. As pay increased and money poured into previously bare bank accounts, we all bought things: cars, houses, phones, computers... the list was endless. It all fell apart in the 2008 recession, of course. But once again Ireland's economy has blasted off into the stratosphere.

And once again, life in much of Ireland has gone mad with the business of making money. Irish people sacrifice their lives just as many do across the world, spending hours every day in the coffined life of their automobiles. They work hard, save hard, take care of children and elder parents, and otherwise do everything they can to make good and safe lives.

But of course, in the process they've lost something. Perhaps it's the lack of time to look at the beauty of the life around them. I know what that's like. For years, I lived a similar life. I lost my soul in the process.

However, I abandoned that world almost 10 years ago. Instead I moved to Eyeries. And here, I have once again found my soul.

A Village of Tranquility

Eyeries (historically spelt Irees or Iries, from Irish: na hAoraí) is a village and townland on the Beara Peninsula in County Cork, Ireland overlooking Coulagh Bay and the mouth of the Kenmare River in the south-west. It lies at the base of Maulin, which, at 2,044 feet (623 m), is the highest peak in the Slieve Miskish mountain range that forms part of the backbone of the peninsula. (https://latitude.to/articles-by-country/ie/ireland/104119/eyeries)

To say the village is isolated is to perhaps minimize its distant location from what many would define as civilized.

Just over 60 souls live in the village. We are served by the friendly owners of only a few amenities: a restaurant. Two cafes. Three shops. Two pubs (of course). The Catholic Church. And that's about it.

Want to go shopping? If so, we travel four miles south to Castletownbere (the largest white fish deep water port around). If we want something a little more sophisticated than the Town SuperValu grocery store, we must travel to Kenmare, about 60k northwest. If we want a major shop, then it's to Killarney we go (an hour and 20 minutes from here), or Bantry (about an hour), or Cork City (just over two hours).

I doubt Eyeries is for everyone. Many simply couldn't survive here because it does not have the 'amenities' most people take for granted. That said, I now know I'll never live anywhere else. Why? The beauty is staggering. And what matters in my world now rests either in my house, or right outside the back door.

For instance: yesterday I decided I needed a break. I pulled on my hardy wet suit, climbed in the car, drove a mile south (yeah, I know. I should have walked) and went swimming at our local Strand. For a half hour I was surrounded by a world of wonder: jelly fish, pollack, mackerel. A few years ago I was joined by a local seal.

Finished, I stood on the shore and marveled at the life I now lead, and the miracle that had brought me here. No longer do I fight my way through traffic. No longer do I struggle to survive the rigors of a global economy.

Instead, I breathe the solid sea air. I listen to the cry of seagulls. I watch the sun setting, golden, beneath a far horizon.

And on those nights when I am especially lucky, I reach up to the glory of stars swimming in the sea above me; stars so close I think I might grasp a bunch in both hands.

Surely I am a lucky man to have found this place. With any luck, I will stay here the rest of my life, my ashes finally scattered in Coulagh Bay, mixing with this tranquil bit of Ireland forevermore.

For more information on Eyeries, go to their website: https://eyeries.ie/all-about-eyeries

Want to learn more? A Survivor's Guide to Ireland 2019 edition is Now Available.

This travel memoir of about 80,000 words follows this erst-while American who has lived in Ireland since 1982. If you want to know more about what you can do to get a work permit, get a job, buy a house, and otherwise live and enjoy life like the Irish, I hope you'll have a look at A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Happy Trail - Tom

How to Live and Work in Ireland - A Review of the Rules Allowing You to Work Here

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 08:53:00 +0000

A few years back, and having been badgered by many folks wanting to emigrate to this country, I wrote a summary of the Rules. Since then, the badgering has continued. So I thought I'd best reprint the following for those holding tight to the dream of immigrating to this dear country.

Here you go:

If you're an American wanting to live and work in Ireland; if you're a UK resident desiring to maintain your EU residency following Brexit; if you're a non-EU citizen hoping to move to Ireland and make a living here, you need to understand the rules.

Below find (pretty much) everything you need to know on how to get a work permit and how you may qualify to work in, live in, and become a citizen of this marvelous country.

(This is re-printed from a previous post. To see it in its entirely, go here: http://survivingireland.blogspot.ie/2016/11/getting-job-and-living-in-ireland-trump.html)

The Rules

In general, visitors to Ireland are allowed to stay in this country for 90 days. During that time they are not allowed to work. To live and work here for a longer period, there are a number of rules and requirements:

· For non-EU citizens: Ireland is a member of the European Union. Citizens of EU member states are legally entitled to work and live in Ireland. Non-EU nationals do not have this right and must instead jump through many hoops.

· If you are a foreign, non-EU student and studying in Ireland on an approved course: you may take up casual work without an employment permit, but only a maximum of 20 hours per week.

· Working holiday agreements: Ireland has reciprocal agreements with a number of other countries including the United States, allowing non-EU nationals to stay in Ireland for longer than 90 days and work here. To do so you must apply for a Working Holiday Authorization. For more information go to https://www.dfa.ie/travel/visas/working-holiday-visas/

· If you have Irish ancestry: Ireland has a ‘grandfather’ law. That is, if you can prove that your parents or grandparents were Irish you have the right to Irish citizenship. With citizenship comes the right to live and work in Ireland and anywhere in the EU. For more information go to http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/

· Employment permits: Ireland has 9 types of employment permits. Some allow non-EU nationals to work and live in Ireland: General Employment Permits are usually considered for occupations with an annual remuneration of €30,000 or more. Critical Skills Employment Permits are available in a number of categories. To apply, the prospective employee must have a job offer. Upon receiving a permit your family will usually be eligible to join you. Go to http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/migrant_workers/employment_permits/green_card_permits.html for more information.

· Obtaining Irish citizenship through marriage: foreign nationals who are married to Irish citizens can apply for naturalization. For more information go to http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/becoming_an_irish_citizen_through_marriage.html

· Obtaining residency through civil partnership: if you can prove you are in a long-term relationship with an Irish citizen, you are legally allowed to apply for long-term residency.

· Retired and desiring to reside in Ireland: you may be granted permission to reside in Ireland for the longer-term if you can prove that you have: an annual income equal to €50,000 per annum and; savings equal to the cost of buying a home in Ireland and; comprehensive private Irish-based medical insurance. If you can prove that you will not become a burden to the state you can apply for longer-termed residency. For more information go to http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/non-eea-permission.

Gaining long-term permission to live and work in Ireland if you are not an EU national is tough work but not impossible. If you haven’t been to Ireland make sure you visit first. Check out the place. See if you think you can fit in and survive in Ireland as I have. If your answer is yes, if you are determined and focused, you could well end up living the Irish dream just as I have. I wish you so much luck.

Want to learn more? A Survivor's Guide to Ireland 2019 edition is Now Available.

This travel memoir of about 80,000 words follows this erst-while American who has lived in Ireland since 1982. If you want to know more about what you can do to get a work permit, get a job, buy a house, and otherwise live and enjoy life like the Irish, I hope you'll have a look at A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Happy Trail - Tom

2019 Edition: A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 08:40:00 +0000

Well, I'm late this year with a new 2019 edition of the bestselling travel memoir, A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Sorry about that - I've been up to my eyes with one thing or another. However, if you have a penchant to follow in the steps of Tom Richards, an ex-pat who has lived in Ireland for over 35 years, and learn how to settle in to modern Ireland like the Irish do, then by all means please read on:

Come for a week – stay for a lifetime! That’s the lure of Ireland. Essential reading for anyone considering a move or visit to Ireland. 6th edition! Over 15,000 copies already sold!

This 2019 edition of a Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland gives you the low-down on this wonderful country, and the latest international headaches that continue to rock the country.

Will the continuing political melees of Brexit and Trumpism affect your plans to move and work in Ireland? Are you entitled to an Irish Work Visa? If so how can you get one? Is Ireland the land of your dreams? Have you ever thought of staying for a prolonged visit, establishing residency, or creating an Irish business? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in Ireland? Find out in this rich volume of almost 90,000 words devoted to the ever-changing tapestry of living and working in Ireland. This fun, easy to read book contains (among other things) a brief history of Ireland, the opportunities present here for would-be immigrants, and tips on how to get a work permit, become a citizen, buy a home, cope with taxation and the cost of living, and enjoy this amazing country for yourself. As an added bonus, a Dictionary of Irish Slang and Phrases is also included!

In 1982, American Tom Richards, fresh out of UCLA, took a four-week holiday in Ireland. He’s been here ever since. Witty and insightful, Tom tells how he overcame the culture shock of living in the Ol’ Sod, learning to twist his middle-class American thinking into a more European point of view while managing to pay his bills at the same time. Along the way, he’s learned some practical lessons that he now shares: From how to understand the Irish to how to drink a perfect pint; from finding a job to how to get a work permit; from purchasing your fist dream home to learning to take soaking walks on a soft Irish day.
Here, he reveals that to survive in Ireland all you have to do is discover the magic of this wonderful country for yourself. A Survivor’s Guide to Living in Ireland has already sold over 14,000 copies. With it you can learn to Talk like the Irish, Drink like the Irish, Work like the Irish, and Live like the Irish. Essential reading for anyone considering a visit or move to this fabulous country.

If you're thinking of living and working in Ireland; if you think you're entitled to citizenship or a visa to move here; if you're considering a visit and want the low-down on how to best enjoy the Irish and their staggeringly beautiful country, this book is for you.

Purchase A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland for that friend wanting to live and work in this wonderful country. Or, buy one just for you...

Happy Trails - Tom

Surviving Ireland in Style:The Park Hotel, Kenmare. Go!...Despite the Price

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Feb 2019 13:34:00 +0000

Now and then life throws a curve ball or two. In this case it was placing my father into Nursing Care. And I must admit it was one of the most difficult missions of my life. For those readers who have not walked through this particular circle of fire and who may face such a challenge, all I can say is gird your loins.

It's not only the fact you have to close down your father's old apartment, sorting through family memories that cause an avalanche of emotional joy or pain. Or must figure out what to do with Florida-based furnishings you can't possibly take back to Ireland. Or move Dad and a few selected belongings to a single room studio apartment, knowing you have only a few days in which to do it, and certain he'll never particularly like the result.

Or get rid of the car. Get rid of the firearms. Get rid of the detritus of a full life that is now ebbing. Or find time to take care of Dad while also talking to bankers, lawyers, financial advisers and additional professionals as you attempt to put into place various measures that just might let you manage his affairs from a distance.

Along the way you're hauling stuff hither and yon. Pleading with everyone and anyone to take this or that, knowing you'd rather see it used than thrown onto a rubbish heap. Eating little. Sleeping less. Keeping in touch with family and friends who ask you about your father because his dementia now prevents him from using email or social media or on occasion even the phone.

And when you're finally finished; when you eventually climb onto a home-bound plane, you wonder if you've done enough for his safety. And the wondering means you'll sleep hardly a bit for the next few weeks.

At times like this you know in your heart and soul you need a break. A place to lick your wounds and recover. A retreat and a bit of respite from life where, for once in your life, people will take care of you rather than the other way around.

Which is why two days ago I placed The Gorgeous One in the truck and sprinted to The Park Hotel in Kenmare, County Kerry.

I must say: it's the best thing I've done in years. A few hours of life about which Gorgeous One and I can only observe - We'll never, ever forget. And here's why:

Luxurious Survival Through Thoughtful Care

The Park Hotel, hidden from prying eyes by vaulting trees and assorted green stuff, is located on the south side of the wonderful Irish town of Kenmare. Situated at the crossroads to the Beara Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry, the care...the attention to detail...the feeling you've fallen off a cliff into the laps of the Gods of Luxury, starts the moment you drive up the winding drive toward a towering castle of welcome.

Enter the elegant 19th Century stone cut mansion and senses are accosted from all sides. The Victorian fireplace is all aglow with a warmth of welcome. The reception area filled with antiques and paintings. Rich carpets muffle the outside world. And as I'm greeted by staff who treat me as a long lost relative rather than a guest paying for only a single day's break, do I imagine things? Or have our bags just disappeared?

"What have you done with them?" I ask, not quite used to such caring treatment.

"Why, they've already been taken to your room," the woman in black responds with a smile.

And the room? Such a room! They've placed us on the second floor, room 210. Open the door (with a long, brass key, I might add. None of this 21st Century key-less technology. Not in The Park!) and step into wonder.

Two adjoining rooms. Near the door, an immense bed with the fluffiest pillows I've ever encountered in a hotel. "We'll get lost in that monster bed," I say to Gorgeous One.

"Not that we'll mind. Nor will he," she ripostes, referring to the lovely white stuffed lamb grazing on the bed.

Step down into the living room. A lovely overstuffed couch. Marble topped bureau. Terrifically comfortable stuffed chairs. And our bags? Found magically resting on suitable suitcase frames, ready for unpacking.

Complementary bottle of The Park Hotel water. Two perfect cups - not glasses! - and a delicate bag of sweets. A welcome note from our personal concierge also confirming times for massage and manicure (massage for me, manicure for Gorgeous One). Breathtaking views over the very eastern bit of Kenmare Bay. It's low tide and a single punt sits unperturbed on a nearby bank.

The bathroom: a definition of pampered luxury. Full bathtub on one side. Two sinks in the middle. A wet-room styled shower at right, toilet next to it. In the closet: complementary thick white robes.

I breathe in. I begin to relax. I take Gorgeous One in my arms and say: "I have a feeling we're never going to forget this." Later, I know I was right.

Fingers and Figures of Relaxation

If you're not Irish or not living in Ireland, you possibly do not know John and Francis Brennan. They've been at the hostelry business for years. Most Irish folk know them by name because they host an RTE television series, At Your Service. In this long running troubleshooting programme, the lads visit various hotels, B&B's and guest houses across Ireland, helping owners to sort out the most basic problems; transforming existing situations into visitor-friendly experiences.

Gorgeous One and I have watched it for years. And now, visiting the Home they've owned and nurtured since the 1980s, I understand why they are so effective helping others to help themselves.

In short: the Brennans are very, very good at what they do. The Park Hotel is not a hotel. Rather: it quickly becomes a loving home.

Why? Undoubtedly it's due to the people who work there.

Let's start with the Bar. Having been bowled over by the room, we wandered down to have a drink. There, we met Connor - erstwhile bartender - and John, the Hotel's Porter and also an accomplished sommelier. Though I stick at that point to my usual pint of black, Gorgeous One takes the advice of our new friends and tries the Blanc. It is absolutely marvelous. We enjoy an hour, then it's time to get ready for true relaxation.

I go first. Down to the SAMAS Experience, a haven for those requiring healing of the spiritual kind - and aptly named because it IS an experience. Seamlessly secured to the Main House, I started my treatment by walking through a dusky hallway surrounded by walls of water, the glow of candlelight, and the wafting odors of unguents. Out to a reception area of modernity, walls of plate glass filtering in Kenmare's natural beauty.

I am met. I am escorted to a changing room. I am shown around: down a short hallway. There, a wonderful Sauna / Laconium rests next to an Aroma Steam room. A shower with various tropical spray fittings. An ice fountain to chill out heated joints. Out a door and there, the Vitality Pool. It's outside but you'd scarcely notice because the water is heated perfectly.

I spend an hour there. Into and out of the sauna and steam room. A bit of ice. A shower. Through the door and into the natural reserve of the Pool resting beneath tall Kenmare pines.

I'm told there are two of these luxurious suites, one set of relaxing structures reflecting the other: one for the ladies, one for the men. And I discover: it's true. With no one else around I strip off my soggy, unnecessary swim suit. It is then I remember Dad and I sob. I sob, I think, because within the beauty of this setting, alone in my nakedness, I begin to heal.

But my session is not yet done, not by half. With the hour over, and having also spent a few minutes in a gorgeous Relaxation Room with comfortable Day Bed and personal music to match, and more views of tranquil gardens, my masseuse awaits.

Her name, as I remember, is Valene. She is lovely - and as strong as Hercules. She leads me to an appropriately lit, incredibly comfortable room. We start with - and I can't believe it - a cup of natural tea: ginger, honey, lemon. It courses warm and welcoming through me. Then it's onto the bed and I know instantly I am in knowing, professional hands.

When the hour is done, Valene has worked the days of nursing home stress and father worry from arms and hands; feet and legs; back and head. I am transformed.

I look at wall clock. Dinner is still hours away. I smile. I know my stay in my new Home has only just started.

Meal of Magic

The Irish Restaurants Association deemed The Park as having the Best Hotel Restaurant in Ireland only last year. Now I know why.

Initially, I had opted for dinner of slightly lower fare. As John, our Porter, pointed out: "Tom, do move up to the Tasting Experience. The price will be about the same. The experience unforgettable." He was right.

John also helped me navigate the wine list. I am ignorant of wines. I am also always faced with a miserable budget. John solved both challenges by recommending a bottle consisting of 75% Sauvignon. Oh my.... I've never experienced such heaven.

But the tastes on that night! Extraordinary. It's a set menu so don't think you can easily switch things. A seven course or five course. We opted for the five. We were right. We could not have eaten more.

But the volume had nothing to do with it. It was all about the ingredients and method. Start with small Hor d'eouvres... one of goats cheese in an aromatic shell. The other of fantastic meats. Folllowed by

Scallop in a wonderful soupy sauce. Followed by

Crab meat in all its fulsomeness. Followed by

Turbot cooked beyond heaven. Followed by

Venison, its pinkish meat beyond description. Followed by

Dessert of a rich chocolate cake with lovely vanilla ice cream and amazing sauces

Followed by... the final glass of wine. Coffee for two. And smiles from host Lucas.

Finished, we stumbled to the Terrace Lounge for a final glass of wine. An hour being entertained by a lovely piano player, tinkling tranquil tunes on a baby Grand Piano. Then bed. But before I stop going on and on about the food, I must mention breakfast.

Obviously, we have it the next morning. In the same lovely restaurant overlooking Kenmare Bay. Served by the same amazing staff. And such a treat! Eggs Benedict to die for. I've had this dish in many places. But this? This was absolutely amazing. Accompanied by bread, homemade delicate scones, fresh local butter and jam, and gallons of rich coffee. What was not to like? Nothing, that's what.

Yes It's Expensive. But Go Anyway

In an article like this, the writer must mention those cloying bits he did not like. And yet - I can't think of one thing. This is a little piece of magic. A home away from home touched by thoughtful gestures that elude many other hostelries.

For instance: I never quite did get used to Ryan, a relative newcomer to The Park team, opening the front door for me at every occasion. His youthful exuberance, his fresh smile, the fact that he truly meant what he said and did... his very human persona to me symbolized the care and joy The Park staff has in helping its guests.

(Note: John and Francis, if you ever read this - may I commend Ryan. You have a wonderful fella there. I know you'll continue to nurture him: the lad has a great future in store...).

And yes, The Park is expensive. Our stay in the luxurious room was 210 euro for the night. The meal: 85 euro each. Bottle of Wine: just short of 60 euro. The Spa treatment: for me, 125. For her: 65.

But on this one single occasion, I simply did not care. I blew our entertainment budget for the entire year. Because... we needed this.

We needed someone to look after us for a bit. As Francis himself told me when I phoned the day before our visit, worrying we'd arrive too early: "You two just get here. We'll take care of you from there."

Which is exactly what John n Francis n all the staff at The Park did. They took care of us. And at a time when I needed it most, all I can say is: I'm terribly grateful and will never forget. Thank you all.

For more information on The Park Hotel, go to their website: https://www.parkkenmare.com/

Five Reasons Why, Even After 36 Years, I Still Choose to Live in Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 14:14:00 +0000

Scariff Island, off the coast of Eyeries

Recently, during a visit with my father in a Sun City, Florida, active retirement community, a rather nice woman approached me. We chatted for a bit and as inevitably happens my foreign residency came up:

Her: "It's so lovely talking to you, Tom. But you haven't told me where you live."
Me: "Ah, somewhere overseas."
Her: (eyes twinkling) "Really? Are you in the military? Where are you posted?"
Me: "No Ma'am. Actually, you see, I live in Ireland."
Her: "Oh I love Ireland! How long have you lived there?"
Me: (gulp) "For thirty-six years."
Her: (after a shocked beat of silence) "Is someone forcing you to stay there? Don't you want to come home?"
Me: "Actually, Ma'am... I'm an Irish citizen now. You see, Ireland is my home."

She studies me closely.

Her: "How can you say that? You told me you were born in Chicago." (she bristles a bit). "Don't you like America anymore? It's the greatest country in the world. We're making it even Greater! (glaring hard at me). "If you're a REAL American you'll come home right now!"

Then she turned on her heal and walked away in a huff. And all I can do is sigh.

This sort of conversation comes up with my fellow Americans again and again: when I'm in the States visiting; on airplanes when I'm travelling; even in my local pub where I'll be having a quiet pint and engage in conversation with an American tourist or two.

So why have I stayed in Ireland for all these years? The answer is: because I've fallen in love with it.

Five Reasons Why This Yank Stays In Ireland

Many Americans I meet simply cannot (or choose not to) understand why I continue to call Ireland my home. It's about time I came clean:

1. A Future for my Children and Grandchildren

When I first moved to this country in 1982, Ireland was just shy of a banana republic. The country was in the depths of a horrific recession. Over 17 percent of the workforce was out of a job. Infrastructure was non-existent. Interest rates approached 20 percent. Hell, I couldn't even get a telephone. The plight of the country made me think I'd made the biggest mistake of my life.

And frankly, I was worried for my children. I wondered: Would they ever be able to carve out a future in Ireland?

Over the years, however, Ireland has pulled its socks up. Today, it is one of the most successful countries in the world. Unemployment is at an all time low. Infrastructure (at least near major cities and towns) has been fully modernized. The country is renowned for its diversified industry. It is a center of excellence for I.T., pharmaceutical, food, agriculture, and a wide range of other industrial segments. The country's artistic endeavors (everything from painting to creative writing to the film industry) are flourishing.

Today, I can even get a telephone!

But back in 1995, desperately homesick for America and fed up with my life as an Ex-pat, I came very close to loading my family onto a plane for a move back home. Before taking that irreversible decision, however, I compared notes with friends living in the United States. What I found changed my life.

Ireland has some of the best education in the world. The country's primary and secondary schools ensure that students become truly literate in the fundamentals to succeed. As importantly, they begin the process of learning how to think for themselves. Ireland's universities and technical colleges offer students a wide range of first-rate subjects that are crucial for success in a growing world economy. Depending on the major, they also receive practical, hands-on education and training.

Since making the decision to stay permanently in the country (like forever) my children have fared well: a daughter with a degree in business studies; another daughter with a degree in marine science; a son with a PhD in the Irish language. My kids' success are a reflection of the educational opportunities available to anyone living in this country.

And the cost? Recently I had a conversation with an American friend of mine who is facing the daunting financial task of putting his own children through college.

Him: "We've been saving forever and we're almost there. By God we can afford to send the kids to college!"
Me: "Why that's terrific! Do you mind if I ask: what's it costing?"
Him: "Well, one of the kids is going to an Ivy League college. The second will follow in two years. They'll attend an in-state school where tuition is a bit cheaper. So..." he breaths in deeply, "it should only work out to 250 or so."
Me (impressed): "Two hundred and fifty dollars a year, each? That's terrific!"
Him: "No. Two hundred and fifty thousand. For the lot! Of course that's only for the tuition and fees. We'll have to work on room, board and spending money. Fortunately, the kids are both eligible for student loans. We'll take a 2nd mortgage on the house. But at the end of it," (I can hear him grin victoriously) "the total debt will be less than a hundred grand. Which is amazingly low compared to many."
Me (shocked): "Well hey Fred, that's just terrific."
Him: "Sure is. Ah, Tom, do you mind if I ask... what did it cost you over there in the Emerald Island?"

I think hard, trying to figure out how not to destroy him.

Me: "Well, you know, all the kids have finished college now. But it was pretty affordable."
Him: "Affordable. As in?"
Me: "Well, ah, er, about 10K per kid per year."
Him: (a moment of deep silence) "Do you mean like three kids x four years x 10k per year? That's a total of $120 k for them all? But that's just tuition, right?"
Me: "Actually, Fred, that's the whole taco. Tuition, room and board, spending money..."
Him: (getting a bit ridiculous) "But, and I'm not saying anything bad here, the colleges were sort of, what, sort of third rate? They're a bit dumb?"
Me: (my turn to bristle): "Actually, Fred, they're some of the best around."
Him: "What kind of loans do the kids have? What kind of loans do you have?"
Me: "Well, we don't have any loans. None. Nothing. Nada."
Him: "Oh."

And he hung up.

2. You Ain't Going to Go Broke if You Get Sick

A few years back, Dad had keyhole surgery. Obviously, he went to hospital. What was supposed to be a simple out-patient procedure grew a bit more complicated: he was force to stay two nights.

A month later he received the bill. I saw it and was astonished: $80,000. Fortunately, Dad has excellent medical insurance.

In Ireland, we all bitch and moan about our health system. However, seeing Dad's bill got me thinking. I checked with a local medical practitioner and asked the question: "If I had to go through the same procedure as Dad, what would it cost me in Ireland?"

The answer: A little less than $1,500. And that includes everything.

Like the UK, Ireland has socialized medicine. We pay a great deal in taxes for this privilege, and the down-sides of public health can be frustratingly cruel (complete disclosure: we have a very high incidence of troubling 'trolley-times' - meaning that those coming into hospital can wait days for a bed and are forced to wait on a trolley, often in a public area. It's an outrage that health professionals are trying to address - but it will take forever). However, despite this I have the comfort of knowing:

Drugs - no matter what I'm prescribed, it will cost me a maximum of a little less than $200 per month

GP visits - average approximately $70 per visit.

Hospital visits - on public health, max out at about $1000 per year no matter how many days I may have to stay in hospital.

Public health services have many challenges. For instance, Ireland would not have the most advanced healthcare sciences or procedures in the world. For those, by all means go to America! But here, and particularly as I grow older, I know one fact:

No matter what my body or mind might face, I know I will not go broke.

3. It's Safe Here

Open an American paper or any online News site and you'll invariably find a report of the latest daily shooting, with scores of people - often children or teens - dead.

In Ireland we don't have that problem and for a simple reasons: most weapons are outlawed.

As a gun owner in the United States, and a used-to-be fervent supporter of the 2nd Amendment, it took me years to get my head around this. However, as the years passed I grew up.

While Ireland has murders (and the murder rate is increasing), most assaults do not involve guns. Certainly, Ireland has never experienced a mass school killing. No one walks into a newspaper office with an assault rifle. Here, guns are the exception rather than the rule.

Yes, you can apply for a permit to hold a shotgun or small caliber rifle. But automatic weapons and handguns of any kind are verboten. It's that simple.

Here, I don't have to worry that my grandchildren will die when they attend school. Here, I will in all likelihood never be assaulted by a thief holding a Glock.

Here I know that my loved ones are safe.

As time goes on I find I simply do not understand many American's obsession with guns, or their die-hard attitudes of protecting so-called rights associated with extreme views of the 2nd Amendment. For me it's simple:

Kids first. Guns decidedly second. In Ireland, our gun laws uphold this simple value of protecting life.

4. The People

It's true. The Irish are probably some of the most friendly bunch of people in the world. I like these good folks. Heck, I've come to love the Irish.

Their good humor, welcoming nature, intelligence, and caring attitudes entranced me years ago. There is a gentleness in these people that is hard to describe or define.

All I know is I'm comfortable with these folk. And while I am not Irish at all (except by naturalization), and have no Irish blood in me, I can finally say:

I feel one with the people of this country because they have given me my home.

5. The Beauty of Finding Home

Eight years ago I moved to Eyeries, a small village of just over 60 souls located on the Atlantic coast, way, way down in the southwest of Ireland.

It is magic.

Each morning I sit at my dining room table, sipping a cup of coffee, gazing out at the serenity of Coulagh Bay and the Atlantic beyond. If I sit at the outside table I can hear the surf crash onto the rocky coastline only a half-mile away. I hear gulls scream as they search for their morning meal, and smell the fragrance of salt spray mixed with budding gorse and fuchsia.

I close my eyes and take a breath. I feel the sun on my brow and the wind in my face. I'll spend the day writing upstairs then eat with my partner and go out for a pint or two with my mates up in Causkeys.

Here, there is little divisiveness over political issues. Here, we do our best to listen and make a bit of room for each other because most are reasonable creatures. Here, we do not call each other names (except in jest) and do not embrace hate.

Yes, Ireland continues to face many challenges. Its housing costs are once again astronomical. Its debt mountain intolerable. The cost of living is once again soaring.

But... and a big but...

Here, I think I've finally found a little corner of the world to call my own. A place, me-thinks, that approaches heaven.

Here, I have found my home.

2018 Edition: A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE TO LIVING IN IRELAND NOW AVAILABLE!
A Perfect Gift for Saint Patrick's Day.

If this blog interests you and you want to learn more about Ireland why not consider purchasing A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE TO LIVING IN IRELAND 2018 EDITION.

Are you thinking about living and working in Ireland? Would you like to move to Ireland? Do you want to know how to get an Irish Work Visa?

Do you need to know how Brexit and Trump policies may affect your plans? If so, consider purchasing the 2018 EDITION OF A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE TO LIVING IN IRELAND by Tom Richards.

Now almost 90,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Over 14,000 people have now learned how to live, laugh, and drink like the Irish by reading this Kindle ebook. I hope you enjoy, and my very best - Tom

Tent Camping in Eyeries: Meeting Folks from Around the World

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 May 2018 10:41:00 +0000

Dutch Dad & son sharing a loving
moment at sunset in Solas Mor
tent camping

Six years ago, we decided to allow people to use our back garden as a tent camping site. Since then, we've been visited by folks from all over the world.

Fortunately, life has never been the same.

"You Really Should Let People Camp Here"

It all started six years ago. As usual at mid-Spring here in the very southwest of West Cork, it was pouring. Bucketing. Rain coming down in humongous sheets. On that early afternoon I was lazing on the couch with my nose stuck in a book, when a knock on the front door.

Opening it, I discovered a poor fellow who resembled a drowned rat. Utterly soaked. Shaking with the cold. Water dripping from all extremities. He held onto a bike, in a similarly distraught condition, and I wondered what the hell this poor fellow wanted.

"Would you mind," said he through clacking teeth,"if I camped in your back garden?"

Turns out the poor fellow had just finished cycling from Cork City all the way to our tiny village of Eyeries. He had intended to camp along the seashore. While it would have been a stunning location in which to set up a campsite, the rain and gale-strength wind proved too daunting.

Thinking he would die of pneumonia at any moment I of course agreed. Mind you, I'd never had anyone camp in our backyard before. It seemed a sort of - odd - request. However, with introductions quickly made, and as I put on the kettle for a cup of tea in hopes of warming the visitor, he wheeled his bike to the back yard and as I watched from the shelter of the back room efficiently pitched his tent.

Magically, at that very moment the rain stopped. The clouds and mist parted. His gaze turned toward the stunning horizon: blue seas, the silhouette of the Kerry Mountains and Ring of Kerry to the north; the finger of the jutting, craggy hills of Beara Peninsula to the south; the islands of Eyeries, Inishfarnard and Scarrif directly west.

And nothing but the Wild Atlantic Ocean beyond.

As I came out of the house to join him, my camper turned slowly to me. "Wow, what an amazing view," he said. "You really should let people camp here."

Camp? In our garden? Like all the time? I'd never considered such a thing. But he persisted. and as it turned out, I did.

The Plan

My camper - the first of many - had bicycled all over Europe. He had stayed in any number of back gardens - space which homeowners had turned into campsites. I grilled a hamburger for the fellow, and as we ate together beneath a cloudless sky he told me exactly what needed to be done to turn our wee little back garden overlooking Coulagh Bay and the Atlantic into a welcoming location to pitch a tent.

We followed his directions to the letter.

Today our visitors can pitch a tent anywhere in the back yard. They have use of the downstairs toilet and shower. In poor weather they can hide in the back room. They have use of our WiFi. If they're good folk, Carm - my erstwhile partner - will often throw in a morning cup of tea and slice of toast.

We don't advertise (other than a listing on AirBnB and a mention on Google Maps). Rather, we welcome anyone who happens to tromp by and needs a place to pitch a tent.

When we set up six years ago we didn't think we'd get anybody. But since our first visitor from Cork, we've been delighted with the number of people who have visited us from as near as the next county and as far away as New Zealand.

Stories from Abroad

We don't get many visitors to our little camp site, and for a very good reason: the Beara Peninsula, upon which our little village of Eyeries rests, is one of the most isolated spots in all of Ireland. Most people coming to set up a tent in our back garden are hikers (walking along the absolutely stunning Beara Way) or cyclists determined to knock their legs off on the steep, potholed roads you find here.

But those that do visit us are some of the best people we've ever met. Carm and I have talked about it, and we're guessing that it takes a special kind of person to make it all the way down to Eyeries. Invariably, these people seem to be looking for some stunning views; a bit of peace and tranquility; a place to unwind and enjoy each other's company.

That sums up what Eyeries and the surrounding Beara offer.

We've had folks from the UK, Scotland and Wales; France, Germany, Spain and Portugal; Dutch folk, Finlanders, and Swedes. People from North America and South America, Australia and New Zealand. Iceland and the Isle of Man, as well as Israel, also spring to mind.

Each of the people we meet has a story to tell. If we're lucky, and if the weather is fine, Carm and I will sit outside and chat with our guests over a beer or cup of tea. And as they relax and their minds become filled with the peace of the area - as they listen to the early morning cuckoo that nests down the hill, or watch the gulls soar squaking above, or breath in the smells of the distant sea and its shoreline, they'll share their lives with us.

I particularly remember a German lad who visited us a few years back. He was 18 and built strong as an ox. He was here with five other buddies, all German, all about the same age. For some reason or other, we started talking about the War. And for reasons I don't understand, we began chatting about the lad's Great-Grandfather.

In World War II, his Great-Grandfather had been a sailor on a U-Boat which was interesting. But more interesting than that was the fact that his relative had survived to tell the tale.

However, when the lad mentioned that he was ashamed of his great-grandfather, my heart broke for him. "My great-grandfather was a member of the Nazi Youth," he said grimly. "He idolized Hitler like so many of them did back then. I never like talking about him."

Gently, I mentioned a fact he had never heard: over 70 percent of all German submariners were killed during the War. His great-grandfather had survived.

"If he did not survive, you wouldn't be around to share your story with me," I said quietly. "What he did, and what he believed, were also believed by most Germans at the time. You should be proud of your Great-grandpa. He served his country, and by doing that, gave you a future.

"It's been 70 years since the end of the War. Don't you think you can forgive him? And be proud of his bravery at sea? And his survival?"

I saw a change in the lad's face. Later, I met him at our local pub, Causkey's, just up the road. He bought me a pint and smiled hugely at me. The next morning, when he and his friends broke camp he shook my hand. "Thank you," he said. "You have made me think differently."

And he made me think differently too: Of how all of us are only here because of the brave survival of our relatives, and the heritage they give us so freely.

But the lad's heartfelt tale is only one example of the many stories people share with us. We're grateful for these simple gifts of trust and friendship they give us, having come so many miles to stay.

The Serenity of Beara

I've lived in this neck of the Irish woods and along a stunning coastline for almost eight years now. Of all the places I've lived - and I've lived in many parts of the United States and a number of locations in Ireland - I've finally found home.

There's something special about Eyeries and Beara. It has to do with the people here: their warmth and welcoming character, and the laughter often hidden behind kind eyes. It has to do with the setting sun on a glorious summer's day, or the sweeping seas during a winter's gale. It has to do with the peace found midst barren rocks, or the song of distant bleating lambs, or the stunning view of a falcon hovering over a field hunting for prey.

We've named our small tent camping site Solas Mor - the Place of the Sun. No matter what the weather, the spirit of Sol's warmth seems to shine through.

With campers from all over the world, we can now share the welcoming warmth of Beara's serenity.

For more information on Solas Mor Tent Camping check out Google Maps

2018 Edition: A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE TO LIVING IN IRELAND NOW AVAILABLE!
A Perfect Gift for Saint Patrick's Day.

If this blog interests you and you want to learn more about Ireland why not consider purchasing A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE TO LIVING IN IRELAND 2018 EDITION.

Are you thinking about living and working in Ireland? Would you like to move to Ireland? Do you want to know how to get an Irish Work Visa?

Do you need to know how Brexit and Trump policies may affect your plans? If so, consider purchasing the 2018 EDITION OF A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE TO LIVING IN IRELAND by Tom Richards.