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I’m Irish, and I spent ten years living in a small town in Hiroshima. During my time there, I was always surprised by how many people I met who loved Ireland, from fans of U2 to people who knew Irish traditional music, Yeats and Joyce better than I did!
Every year I looked forward to Hiroshima’s international fair, where I’d set up a little table to share my country with anyone who stopped by. I brought music, photos and stories, and I loved watching people hear and sometimes even dance a jig for the first time! Those afternoons are some of my happiest memories.
The more I talked about home, the more I noticed how much our countries share. We are both island nations, shaped by the sea and by quickly changing weather. We have green, misty landscapes and a deep love of nature. In Ireland we have stories of fairies in the hills and wells, and in Japan there are kami in the trees, rivers and mountains. Different words, but the same feeling that the land is alive.
We also treasure storytelling and poetry, and we’re proud of our friendliness. The Irish say Céad Míle Fáilte, “a hundred thousand welcomes,” which isn’t so far from the warmth of Japanese omotenashi.
If you’re curious about Ireland, I’d love to chat about it in our lessons while we practise your English. Slán go fóill! (See you soon!)
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