This week’s Independent News & Media/Mediahuis Irish regional newspapers’ column.
Michael Commane
I made a quick spontaneous decision, like so many of the decisions I make in my life, to travel from Dublin to West Kerry on Friday of the St Brigid’s Bank Holiday weekend.
I had originally planned to stay until Sunday but circumstances meant that I had to return to Dublin the following day, which was Saturday. A short turn-around trip. But I did manage to get a swim in in the Atlantic, which was invigorating, even intoxicating, honestly it was magic and certainly not as cold as I expected it to be. I had missed my Christmas swim. Friday’s swim made up for it in spades.
My home is approximately 30 kilometres to Tralee and I usually manage to get a lift from someone who is heading into town. Unfortunately this Saturday my luck had run out and no offers of a lift to Tralee. I had a seat booked on the 15.05 train. I decided it was time for Plan B so headed out the road to try my luck at hitching.
Within 10 minutes a car pulls up, ask me where I’m going, I say Tralee and they beckon me to hop in.
They are a young couple in their early 30s. Within seconds I realise that English is not their mother tongue.
They are from Russia. I’m immediately fascinated. Anyone who reads this column will know how interested I am in Russia and its history. It was one of those moments when people make some sort of magical connection and are immediately interested in each other, wanting to know so much about them, where they come from, what they are doing and why the are here.
From the moment we met I was taken by them. They exuded genuine friendship. I felt they were interested in me and I certainly was interested in them. They are a few short months in Ireland. They are learning English and one of them is now in a research programme and teaching.
We spoke about Putin and the war in Ukraine. They did not understand how it is possible to go to war, destroy the lives of people, even kill people. They blamed Putin for it all. They told me how they loved Russia and said: ‘We can’t live there and pretend that nothing is happening’.
Arriving in Tralee we had some time to spare so I invited them to coffee in the Daily Grind, which is a lovely spot in Tralee. It was their first time in the restaurant and were delighted with it.
Looking at them I kept thinking the young man could now be fighting in Ukraine, killing his fellow sisters and brothers, while she would be distraught at home near the Ural Mountains missing desperately her newly wed husband. We exchanged telephone numbers and email addresses.
To think what Vladimir Putin is doing. But also to realise how the far right and xenophobes in Ireland are attempting to stir up hatred and all sorts of vileness towards those who are seeking refuge in our country. But for Putin I may never have met my new Russian friends. Think of all the qualities this young couple bring to Ireland. Russia’s loss is Ireland’s gain.
Their kinsman Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote: ‘It takes a fool to rush off to war.’ How true.
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