Cork people gear up to mark  Lá le Pádraig overseas...

“WE MISS THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT BACK HOME”

Anthony and Amanda Fenton are from Hollyhill and Dublin Hill. He is a Project Manager and she is a stay-at-home mother. The couple are living in Perth, Western Australia

“We moved to Australia in 2011 on a 12 month working holiday visa. We had wanted to travel and explore work opportunities. Ten years later and we are still here with our young family. We have three children, Charlie, Aria and Millie. Life revolves around our children nowadays with sports, dancing and some activity always happening.

“We love going to the beach and the park in our down time along with catching up with friends. We have a great group of friends here who became our Aussie family.  We are all in the same situation away from our own families which brings us closer as a group.

“The biggest difference for us in life since we moved was that we had nothing to fall back on when things got difficult while we were settling into Australia. There was no Mammy and Daddy to the rescue. We were both in our early twenties when we left so we had to grow up fast.

“The best thing about Perth has got to be the good weather. Although a lot of times it’s too hot, we would take that over the rain and cold any day.

“We miss our family and friends (St Vincents GAA included under family), we miss the community spirit a lot as well. Australia just doesn’t have that community vibe like we had back in Cork. As the saying goes, ‘There’s no place like the northside’ - it’s never been so true for us.

“I work a lot on weekends but when I’m not working it’s usually sports and dancing in the mornings with the kids and we would catch up with friends throughout the day. A BBQ is a great way to get a group together.

“Every St Patrick’s Day we go to a parade in the city, but it’s been cancelled this year. We will get together at a friend’s house and catch up to celebrate Paddy’s Day.

“It’s on our bucket list to get home this year for a holiday. We need to see how things go with travel restrictions.

“It is difficult to say if we would return to live in Ireland as we think that currently there isn’t much of an opportunity for us to settle back in with three kids.”

“THE QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IS MUCH BETTER – 300-PLUS DAYS OF SUNSHINE”

Helen Byrne, from Ballincollig, is a Senior Director at North America Support Delivery in Twilio, and living in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

“I left Cork in 2013 to take up an international assignment in Amazon Japan. While living in Japan I commuted regularly back to Ireland as my son, Daniel was finishing secondary school. Once he settled in college I continued my international movement which saw me land in Seattle, Washington, in 2016.

“In 2018, I had a career gap and I volunteered full time with a local downtown Catholic Church, Christ our Hope. I am currently the Senior Director for North America Support delivery at Twilio and I also continue my volunteer work on a part time basis for Christ Our Hope remotely.

“I don’t have any immediate plans to leave the U.S. Flexible remote working has enabled my partner and I to leave Seattle and we have found the quality of life to be much better in Las Vegas; 300-plus days of sunshine is good for the soul.

“When I lived in Seattle, and actually prior due to many business trips there, I was introduced to the Washington Athletic Club (WAC). I became a member in 2016 and this enabled me to meet my US family! The club isn’t just a fitness centre, it has a bar and restaurant, inn, spa and pool amongst other community activities, but most importantly it was a safe place for me to meet people and build a network of friends in Seattle. It was in the WAC I met my partner Roberto and some life-long friends.

“The sunshine is without a doubt the best thing about where I live now. We are 20 minutes from the Las Vegas strip and in the opposite direction we have Red Rock Canyon. We are surrounded by mountains and some great trails.

“Without question, my son, family and friends are what I miss most about Cork. Admittedly the pandemic made things easier in some ways as it increased contact with every one and we were all in the same position, so it didn’t seem or feel like I was missing out on too much.

“I’m so thankful Barry’s Tea is sold on Amazon. It would be great if Ballymaloe relish was so easily available.

“It can definitely be as busy or quiet as we want. I like to sit out, read and natter with neighbours, but on the other hand it can be bright lights and big city, and we enjoy the variety of shows, concerts and wonderful restaurants on offer.

“Last summer I finally got to see The Rolling Stones live in concert, and this weekend I’m hosting a friend from Seattle and we will go to the Katie Perry concert.

“There is really only one place I’ll be (on Paddy’s Day); RiRa’s Irish Bar at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Fellow Corkonian, Martin is an awesome bartender and the Black Donnelly’s perform six days a week.

“ I’m excited to visit home for my birthday in June. I was home in December, 2021, but due to the pandemic and visa restrictions prior, I hadn’t been home for a few years.”

“WE ARE LIVING SO FAR FROM HOME – BUT WE’LL STILL CELEBRATE LÁ FÉILE PÁDRAIG”

Étaoin Waters Ó hAilpín, from Loughane, Blarney, and Neil Waters, from Gurranabraher. She is a teacher in Special Education currently on maternity leave and he is a head mechanic at Good Year Autocare. The couple are living in Melbourne, Australia.

“We decided to head to Melbourne in 2013 as Étaoin had two brothers, Aisake and Setanta, living there. They brought us straight to their favourite Irish pub, The Snug, for some Irish grub.

“We moved as Étaoin wanted to further her study and complete a Diploma in Education, so what better way to study, travel and see family all at once.

“Neil also wanted to experience Australia as he was so used to me going and coming from visiting my brothers yearly.

“We just celebrated our 9th year living in Melbourne. We don’t have a set deadline for a return to Ireland, we always said when the time feels right.

“We have a British Bulldog called Bunty and Neil and I had our son Levi last October. Family life is truly amazing and we have adapted well to sleep deprivation.

“Our neighbours are just fabulous. We have become best mates, they are always BBQing and smoking meats, they have fed us all throughout lockdown.

“The street we live on is so friendly. I miss Penneys and being able to pop in for a few bits but coming out two big bags later.

“We miss not being able to be around family and friends physically, you can’t just pop over for a cuppa, have a chat about your day, how their day went or occasions celebrating birthdays, milestones, or having a baby! “If Covid has taught me anything, it’s the little things in life matter the most.

“Australia has a more comfortable outdoorsy lifestyle weather-wise. There are always some major sports or music events on your doorstep like Australian Open tennis, Formula 1 or Aussie Rules football.

“We’ve been to see Des Bishop and Pat Shortt here over the years.

“There are loads of beautiful coffee shops around and it’s a massive staple to any Melbournian. It’s funny Neil is a coffee snob and he has to have one in the mornings. He knows which cafes have the best blends and often rates a cafe on how well the coffee is rather than food first.

“Now, having Levi, we do love a beach trip and bringing him out for a walk down the park, catching up with mates or walking the trails close by. On a week night we’d walk 5km most nights and at the weekends walk 10km.

“For Paddy’s Day we will head to St Kilda where there is a huge Irish community and they have an Irish festival. They usually have games, performers, Irish tunes, dog shows, amusements, Irish dancing, the works... and even Guinness on tap for the parents and grandparents.

“It’s definitely nice to be around home treats when living so far away and to mark Lá Féile Pádraig and celebrate all things Irish.

“We’ve just applied for Levi’s passport. Our best mates Malcolm and Sarah are getting married this year in Cork so we ant to get home for that and to bring Levi onto Rebel soil to finally meet our close family and friends. It’s going to be very special when that day comes. I have a tear in my eye just thinking about it.”