Diaries of an Egyptian in Ireland Travelling to Ireland

Diaries of an Egyptian in Ireland

Travelling to Ireland

By Salwa ELhamamsy

Normally, I start my travel writings from the moment I get into the airplane, as it is a defining moment I live; it usually carries feelings of hope, anxiety, nostalgia, sorrow.
The hope that the journey I am approaching now, will be a successful one, the anxiety of potential troubles that next days and years may carry there, the nostalgia to my homeland Egypt, to my relatives, beloved people, the sorrow which fills me as I am leaving the land that my mother, was buried in after my father and my grandfathers.

I visited my mother’s grave two days ago, this time I was in a hurry to travel, this is the first time for me to be eager to travel, may be because I think that it may relieve my sorrow for my mother’s passing away, maybe I find some solace and comfort there, maybe I managed to persuade myself that she is still staying in Egypt waiting for me to return back home.

I am putting here my first words on my journey to Ireland. As I wrote my diaries before on Singapore and Ukraine. I start my book on Ireland, the land that I only know too little about , as I am still a new comer.

Usually a Muslim like me travels in the last 10 days of Ramadan only to Mecca to perform the rites of Umrah. However, I have to go to Ireland to be with my husband. His work as a diplomat took us to many countries around the World and normally we stay in each one for few years .

The flight was on Egypt Air, the beloved carrier to our hearts as Egyptians, to Paris CDG Airport, as there was not a direct flight to Dublin .
The stewardesses on the plane were so kind, the flight went smoothly without any turbulences. I was thinking all the time in Ireland which we did not know yet, how would it be? would my kids be happy there? would I find something to inspire me to write about it there as I did in other countries?
At Paris Airport, we looked for the transit hall, we should wait there for 4 hours to get another airplane to Dublin.
By the security checking point, we were one by one carefully checked as other passengers were too, the French female officer rebuffed me when I did a small movement while she was checking me, after she finished, I told her that she was wrong to do that and that we used to receive guests in Egypt with a big smile not like what she did.
She looked at her mat and smiled sarcastically.
I remembered when I sat in the transition hall at Paris Airport, how the Ukrainian airport staff received me with the same grim faces, and coldness, I forget all about that as soon as I moved to the airplane as the Irish stewardesses received us with a nice smile, and warmness that let us forget about the cold weather in the French airport.
We got into the small airplane that would take us to Dublin, the Irish capital. Fortunately all the stewardesses on board were Irish , they were so nice and friendly to everybody and, that made me believe what I read before about the Irish people.. warm and friendly
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The Irish people
A beautiful smile; That is the best thing an Irish citizen can offer you . Maybe he says good morning to you, or greets you with his head, or maybe he offers his help if it seemed that you need it, or maybe he apologizes if he crossed your way while you were in a hurry

In other countries like Singapore, perhaps you do not find anyone smiling at your face, even your neighbour, until you tell him first the morning greeting, May be because they were originally a closed society. They were not used to welcoming foreigners often. In Ukraine they also do not welcome foreigners and even if you smile at them they will not smile back. Some may even frown at you because they perceive that foreigners came to steal opportunities and jobs in their country.

From my experience living in many different countries, I have learnt to appreciate friendliness when I experience it. I truly like the Irish people, as they are really friendly. I know that sometimes I walk in Dublin streets and do not hear any sound except the rustle of tree leaves, neighbors are so quiet in the morning and the evening, as everyone is keeping busy on their own, they may not say a word to each other but they will be there if you need them.

My Irish friend Sarah, who is 75 years old, told me that the Irish people have changed a lot since she was young. The doors used to be open all day in cities and the countryside. Families used to be closer than today, Nowadays you cannot visit any one right away without an appointment. She believe that they are not as friendly and open as before. And then added ( you say that the Irish are friendly! The Egyptians are friendly too, I had been to Egypt and saw how they welcome the foreigners.)

Another Irish who lived abroad for a long time may have another opinion, like Rob 50 years old, a friend of us who said ( I spent about 20 years outside Ireland before I returned to settle down ,I found everything nearly the same, there is a kind of change but less than other countries, we still have our good traditions and spirit of friendship).
Irish people are always optimistic, or at least are always trying to be optimistic, if you speak to any of them, you will find them smiling in good spirit, as if they are flying in the sky of happiness, while he may be having real problems or feeling sad from inside. They are always trying to forget their troubles , to get along with life or at least won’t show their sadness in front of others. Is it a kind of Faith? Is it a habit maybe?

My friend Shivon,60 years, told me that her grandmother was in the hospital and she used to tell her some jokes when she visited her, one time she asked her granny ( what does the duck say when she sees her friend in the morning? The granny then smiled and could not reply, then Sheivon said ( granny, I will Quack instead of you today).
She asked her one day how could she get along with her husband’s long sickness and death after that, she said: My darling, every day I wake up to find a new day, I thank God to give me the chance to see a new sun.)

When the postman comes to your door to give you a mail or so, he will smile to you and wish you a very good day before he goes.
If you take a taxi once, it is most likely that the driver will chat with you, and before you go you may hear him saying: Isn’t it a beautiful day, he will say that even it was raining heavily . Then you can’t do anything except you smile back to him.

I remember a story my husband once told me, when he first arrived to Dublin ,he was trying to get around with a map in the city centre when he stopped an Irish man to ask about directions, then the man had a friendly chat with him, He asked my husband where is he from and then pointed to the map and said( you are outside the map) and showed him where to go to find his destination.
After few minutes, my husband met the man again in another street, the man then stopped and told my husband with a big smile:
( Now you are inside the map).

About Ireland
Although they were neighbours, added to their long historical ties for hundreds of years, Ireland , which was under the control of Great Britain, were completely different from its bigger neighbour. The two cultures could not completely melt into each other except for the language. Each of them kept its unique traditions, specially arts, their political ideologies, and religion.
The Romans saw Ireland as a cold inhospitable place, so they left it for another land which is now France.

The Viking found Ireland as a warm place to settle
in comparing to their land, a place that deserves sailing for hundreds of miles firstly for exploring and secondly for settlement.

The Normans were Europeans descending from the north, they went through different parts of Europe, some of them chose to settle in lands which is known now as France., Others settled in what is called now England, and soon the war broke out between them and lasted for years.
The British rulers thought that they can control Ireland and consider it as an extension of Great Britain.
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According to the Irish history, the great famine revealed the fact that Britain did not pay great attention to Ireland, and showed the neglecting of the British government to the Irish people that time, and it is said that if the great famine happened in a British city, the British government would have paid more attention to end the famine on her own land, that attention could have saved hundreds of lives that died of hunger in Ireland.

.The Irish People see that, those who sought to gain from Ireland often found that it merely presented them with further problems .
Ireland was a neighbour that just could not be ignored, and any gains made there, did not come cheaply.
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Ireland has one of the oldest cultures and vernacular literatures in Western Europe. The language of the colonizer could not delete the Irish language, which is
still being taught in schools and also used in some radio stations in daily news bulletin. .
It is said that Ireland is the land of saints, they mean Saint Patrick who introduced the Christianity for the first time to the Irish people.

Ireland is also the land of scholars and Nobel winners in different fields of science and literature like Seamus Heaney, the famous poet who died in 2013 after enriching the Irish literature with his great works which mostly concentrated on the Irish traditions.

Ireland introduced many faces of heroes and victims along its history, victims of the great famine, important people as you will read in this book.

This small island with population of 5.5 Millions became a very important centre for electronics industry, added to its natural wealth like coal, metals, specially its wonderful natural country side, its green extended fields, its high and low hills, its cows and cattle which decorate her wide green pastures, seemed like flowers from a distance.
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Michael D. Higgins is the current president of Ireland. He was elected in 2011. The Irish regime is parliamentary, Mr. Higgins is the head of the country.
Edna Kenny is the elected prime minister and the leader of Fenna Gale, the party which gained the majority of the votes, he is heading the government and dealing with political, economic affairs, and all internal and foreign affairs with the help of Eamon Gilmore his deputy , coalition partner and the minister of foreign affairs and trade.
It is really impressive that Ireland managed to economically recover after the big economical crisis that it faced in the last few years.
For 4 years , Ireland was helped by the a bail out program that rescued the national economy and injected tens of billions of Euros to the country . That was not just a foreign aid , it was actually a sign of international confidence that Ireland was able to overcome the crisis and rise again . Ireland did very well and managed to economically recover again . The price was not easy for the Irish people but it really paid off.
4-
The Flute Player
I don’t know why I chose him in particular to mention to you, but that’s what I felt when I saw him as he was lifting the flute to his mouth and playing the most beautiful melodies. I was walking through Grafton Street for few minutes , I checked various shops. It was not my first time to visit Grafton Street in heart of the Irish capital, I’ve visited it several times before, it is one of the most important pedestrian commercial streets of downtown and the longest one, as well as the Henry Street which is also a pedestrian only in which Ireland you find stores that sell everything from clothes to furniture, books, ice cream and chocolate , coffee shops of all sizes are located.
I don’t know how I did not turn to the music at first, maybe because I am used to listening to music in the streets of Dublin, I felt a kind of optimism running in my body, then found that the source of this optimism was the 60 years old artist. Sitting on a simple wooden chair , he lifted the flute to his mouth , opened his eyes ,stared away and started to blowing in the flute steadily, the melody of the most beautiful ones was heard.
I Blamed myself that I did not stand to listen to him, I did not pay attention to him, I returned back to where he sits and I stood on the sidewalk opposite to listen and looked at him, I looked at the Jersey of cumin color , coarse and beige pants , his shoes which was torn, to his hat, to his beard which has long gold hair with some graying whiskers, his shaggy hair which the hat Improves its appearance, his eyes far away with the absent-minded ringtones that lead me to happiness, sometimes, and other times leading me for some sorrow which I saw in the flute player’s eyes.
I came close to him and put some coins in a black hat which was placed next to him on the ground.
I wondered how the passers- by did not give him a look as they are walking to their ends? While they were circled around a poor painter bent down on the floor to his paintings, he was using new special liquid paraffin and a machine produces strong flame, the passers-by eagerly watched him until he finished his portrait then applauded with admiration.
I looked back at the flute player and wondered how a great talent like him does not have a place in the theatres of the capital?
5-
The Horse Race
They Pushe
d him strongly, snubbed him, and put an eye cover on his eyes, and then continued to push him. His feet moved a bit forward.. they took off the cover above his eyes, he returned back to his first place, but he was then forced to re-enter the race track. The horse started to run against his will as he was given a kick from his Jockey. This is life, we were all forced to enter it against our will, and some are running in the race while others are just watching.
Now it is your turn, will you enter the race? Or will you remain in the spectators’ seats? If you entered the race, you should know that if you worked hard you will have a great result, if you win, you should do your best to remain successful or you must leave your place to other persons who can achieve success and remain successful. If you fail, it is an honour that you continued to the end of the race. If you choose to remain in the spectator seats, do not be negative, either clap or express your resentment, do not be like water without colour, taste or smell.
The above was a scene which I’ve seen in a famous horse race in Ireland, I meditated a lot and understood that this scene which affected me must have a meaning, so I wrote my thoughts about it. It struck me strongly. That horse who refused to move, I wondered about the secret behind it, was he angered by his coach, perhaps beaten, or insulted.
I know that horses are intelligent and sensitive animals to a large degree. A horse can feel your tender when your hands touch him, and he looks you in the eye if he beholds tenderness in your eyes. Relationship between horses and humans is very special, he feels the joy or sadness of his coach from the tone of voice, or from his coach’s whisper in his ear.
I remember that on a sunny day which is rare in Ireland, I was walking near an Irish pasture in the archaeological Powercourt Castle when I saw a nice absent-minded horse in the distant horizon. I approached the Green bushes which separate between me and the horse, something momentarily, then I thought to call out to him, but I wondered in which language I would do, would he understand me if I call out to him in Arabic? I finally chose to call in English and I thought it is the most common language here, it may be familiar to him, hear from people who are passing by. I greeted him for morning, and asked him how is he today? I waved to him with my hand and smiled, he turned to me and looked at me a little and then stepped toward me a little, we exchanged warm looks, I contemplated the beautiful brown color, and black hair , long tail and black eyes, I touched his hair, I apologized to him that I had no candy or any food to give to him, , he stood in front of me for a moment and then moved away to the pastures where stands nearby, his white mate .
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I had to read and research about the Irish horses which are scattered across the green pastures, especially in the countryside. I learned that there is historical relationship between Ireland and horses, the Irish vast green pastures provided an opportunity for owners of pasture to import horses and breeding them . Therefore Ireland today became one of the most European countries that is famous for horse breeding . The reputation of the great Irish horses of good health and strength is very well known . The local horse races which take place throughout Ireland during the year, as well as international races such as the international Dublin race and the Olympic race depend mainly on Irish horses.
It is said that the old Irish mythology often mentioned horses and the link between them and the old Irish Warrior. That strong knight who rode his horse and flew him over his enemies. The old stories also told about the sea horse, which represents a real being you can see at the Museum of marine organisms in Dublin but it is a small horse and not as great as envisaged in the ancient myths.

The horses were scattered across Ireland such as the car spread of our time, cars were pulled by horses and horses also helped in the movement of people from one place to another, but it was a symbol of social welfare. Only few persons could afford having private carts pulled by one horse or more . The more number of horses pulling the vehicle the more richness of their owner and social status.

It’s interesting that in the seventeenth century, Irish horses were sometimes used as a dowry for the bride, or some of them as compensation for loss of or serious damage.

Horses often inflamed passions of writers and poets; they described good horse as that which has the ears of a fox, the legs of a deer, the chest of a lion, and the back of a sheep.
There is such an old Irish saying: sell a cow, buy a bull, but do not ever get rid of a horse.
At the moment, Ireland hold a number of horse races such as * Christmas Racing Festival held from 26-29 of March of each year. if you had the opportunity to visit Ireland you can attend one of the events of that race, specially the tickets are not expensive.
Horse racing is one of the popular sports here in Ireland. It is a custom that spectators go to the venue of the race in their formal attires, you see the expensive coats of fur, stylish hats of elegant designs, as if they are going to a royal ceremony, some used to make bets on horses, bought a large number of betting tickets as they believe it is an opportunity to make money.

easts of Sun
The Sun is very rare in Ireland winters, it coquets on people so much. In many days we do not see sun light, there is only dim light of the Sun, and the clouds predominate the sky, sometimes we enjoy the golden light of the Sun for half an hour in winter days or for a few hours . The Irish see that as a feast .
I remember the day I was returning to my house and found one of the neighbours in front of her car . I greeted her and she smiled back and asked me if I was new in this neighbourhood.
I said yes, and introduced myself .
She smiled and welcomed me and said “It is a beautiful sunny day, .. I said yes ,however I used to see the sun in my country every day . she said: We deserve it today, don’t we? I nodded and said to her goodbye. I wondered at the idea of deserving the grace, the idea did not come up to my mind before, I have always thanked God for the many blessings but I did not think if I deserve them or not.

On a sunny day , I went out to enjoy the sun with an Egyptian friend. I noticed that many young mothers seized that precious chance to take their babies in their carts to enjoy the cold winter dear sun .
In Saint Stephens Green Garden, many young people and University students were sitting here and there around the garden. Some were chatting . others were lying down with face up to the sky exposing their faces to the sun light . that nice scene was pictured in many oil paintings of some famous artists.
A sunny day in Ireland is like Easter Day in Egypt when many families go to the parks and open spaces with fish dishes and colourful eggs.

Now it is Spring , the day time is longer, till 8pm , and when it is summer the sun set will be after 10pm in July , which is our Ramadan ,so God helps us.

A visit to an Irish family

John and Mary invited us for lunch one day when we told them that we want to see their first baby grandson and to congratulate their daughter Loisa and her husband.
The grandparents’ house looked wonderful from the outside: A warm red roof, a set of pearl white-framed glass windows and lovely green bushes which embraced the main door from both sides.

Moments after ringing the bell, the family members received us graciously, John at the front, then Mary, and then their son and his fiancée as they welcomed us in.
The reception was small but the white framed windows gave it a widened feeling.
The walls were also white, a big sofa next to the wall, facing the entrance, two arm chairs, one on each side. Simple and classy.

There were some shelves fixed to the wall, above the big sofa, filled with a lot of books and some souvenirs, the rest of the walls were decorated by many family photos. A wooden book case separated the reception and the dining room.
We sat, joined by the son and his fiancée, while John and Mary were standing as they smiled at us
You do not drink alcohol, do you?
No we said.
I will bring you some juice then.

We asked about the grand son Dara, John said that he will come with his parents after he is done being fed for lunch, and then he went towards the book case and brought a photo album.
He gave it to me as he smiled warmly: here are Liza’s weeding photos, it was last year.

Then Mary arrived with the juice tray, she put it on the table and stood beside her husband as they explained every photo for us.

I picked out a photo for the bride in her wedding ceremony at the church, Mary said: this is my daughter in Abby hall, it is a beautiful Abby near the sea, it was a wonderful sunny day.

A sunny day in Ireland, she must be so lucky, I thought.

We picked another photo of the bride and her arm in her father’s arm, who seemed to be a bite worried; we looked at John who said: it was a touchable moment when I give my daughter to her groom.
Another photo of the dress of the bride from the back showed its long tail.
John then said: have you seen her dress? It took her along time to choose it; it is wonderful, isn’t it?
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Then we picked out a photo for the couple in a romantic kiss, and another photo for the family members, and then John and Mary started explaining to us who is who?
We saw a few more, and then we stopped in front a photo of Mary, she was singing and holding a microphone in the wedding party, I could not prevent myself of saying: I think you were a brave to do so in your daughter‘s wedding, without your tears flaw.
Mary smiled and said: I would not be able to do it without training before, yes it was not easy at all.
We drink the juice as we were enjoying a great amount of warm family memories, as we felt while watching the wedding album. I looked at another photos were on the wall, this is for Mary and John in their wedding, another one for them later with their children, one for Louise in her graduation ceremony.
I was thinking, how could Mary and John manage to keep their same youth slimness in their age now? The only difference I noticed in their faces in the old photos and the recent ones was the whiteness in hair and few simple wrinkles.
I presume from being here about three years now, that sports has a huge impact on the Irish, it helps them enjoying their life happily.
The car of Louise and her husband Roby appeared from behind the glass of the window, every one shouted happily, they all moved to the door to receive the new family member Dara, the honor guest.
Louise entered carrying Dara in her arms, Roby behind her smiling to us.
We shake hands, and then john started to introduce us to them before we sat.
Everybody was looking the baby: look at his curious eyes to see new guests, look at his hair, and look at his shoes.
We chatted for some time and then Mary was done of setting the table by the help of her son Johny, and invited us to the lunch.
She made us an Irish tasty dishes, a chicken with cream and broccoli scramble.
There was some potato salad, butter and brown toast. The brown toast is very popular .

We were then invited to the garden to have the lunch there, I noticed a big black and white family photo on the wall, and I asked Mary about it, she said that it was for her father and mother in law, and she pointed to another big photo and said: this photo for our all family, as we meet every year in our oldest cousin’ house.
I likes the idea of the annual family gathering, and I was taken by the green wide pastures appearing in the background of the family photo. The country sides are always attractive with its nature wherever the places differ, wherever the maps change.

I had a chat with Louis about her baby Dara and his recent habits in sleeping and playing.

After finishing the lunch, I went to help Mary in making the tea, John was there in the Kitchen, singing while he was washing dishes. How was that nice of him.
End of part one

By Salwa ELhamamsy
Egyptian writer