Dear All,
As a seasoned globe-trotter, I confess to being one of the numerous foreigners who swamped your nation during this summer’s peak travel season. My first voyage to Ireland took place back in 1978 when I journeyed across the country on two wheels, since then the transformation is immense, illustrated by the development of motorways, urbanisation and retail evolution.
Now, in the twilight years of my life, I often ponder, why was I drawn to Ireland? What does it signify to me? The answer, I soon realised, was the simple joy of engaging in heartwarming conversations with locals. I found delightful pleasure in the interaction that began with a cheerful ‘G’day mate’, invariably leading to curious inquiries about my origins and culminating in extensive dialogues about the less than warm summer.
Everyone seemed to harbour a connection with Australia in some form.
Mention of my hometown, Castlemaine, in Australia always sparked keen interest. I recall a particular encounter where a gent serenaded me with The Wild Colonial Boy, a ballad about an outlaw originating from Castlemaine, truly encapsulating the Australian-Irish fusion. Everywhere I looked, I saw amalgamations of cultures, familiar faces, similar phrases and that quintessential Irish tone of voice.
However, the core of my elation was connecting with you. Imagining my forebears witnessing the famine pits, reminiscing their departure from the docks of Cobh, and offering prayers in their churches were profoundly moving experiences.
Much has been written about the hardships inflicted upon Ireland, yet my departure was marked by a renewed realisation, similar to what I felt in my younger years, of my fortified connection and ensuing pride in ‘Irishness’. Encapsulating the resilience of Irish spirit, the joy of being Irish and the accomplishments made here, this spirit thrives and shapes other countries, carried to distant lands, fostering positive change and development.
This robust Irish essence is not just surviving but flourishing, as I tell people during my travel tales of Ireland. It is a story that always brings smiles.
Yours sincerely,
JOHN KILNER,
Castlemaine,
Victoria,
Australia.