By Kuldeep Joshi
Transcript
Landing in Dublin after a long 14-hour flight, I see rain, wind and kids playing in the soccer field. I am five thousand miles from India. It is June 2016 and I have landed with my family of 4: Chitra and our two lovely kids, Dimpy and Himanshi.
It takes us a bit of time to find a sweet house, which we make a home. It is a little like a roller coaster where many things are moving all together: house, car, revenue, PPS and, one of the most important, TV licence.
There are many new things but what we love most is the people. Like in India, here everyone is so welcoming and kind, making us feel at home here in Cashel. Whether you need oil for heating Billy is there to help you in cold winter even if you call him at the last minute or Dr Murphy’s GP service.
Within the first few months of settling in we got our first car. The first drive to Clonmel included many stoppages, checking speed limits and car seats. Finally it took one hour to reach Clonmel. I will never forget that drive and Dimpy screaming, “Dad, drive faster!” There were many new experiences in this journey but once we got started, we began to see the beauty of this lovely country.
I can’t forget the day when we went to drop Dimpy at playschool outside Cashel with a friend in her lovely car – that shows us how friendly people are – every extended support makes us feel comfortable in this place.
One such beauty was the sight of the Vee, where the pink and purple colours of the Rhododendrons took our breath away. All I could hear from my wife and my kids was “wow, look at this” and “look over there!” I was so traumatised driving round the hairpin bend of the Vee I could not take my eyes off the road. Not until I reached the top and stopped the car could I see this beautiful lake surrounded by pink and purple colours. The peaceful feeling was magical.
Each evening at 6 o’clock we hear the sound of the bells ringing through the town from the church bells. I introduced cricket to my friends in Amneal Cashel and it shows how much they are willing to embrace my traditions, it is great fun and near the end of the game it becomes a bit competitive.
The willingness of people to invite my family and I to their homes for Communions, Confirmations, parties is overwhelming. On entering their homes we never feel like outsiders as everyone is so friendly and welcoming. They even go out of their way to have a vegetarian dish for us – of course it’s potatoes. By the end of the evening the kids are so tired from playing on the bouncy castles and mingling with the other kids they just fall asleep with happy thoughts.
After one year we planned to go back home to India for a couple of weeks and coming back, as we entered from Junction 7 towards town and see the Rock of Cashel, our kids started calling “ Back Home!” It’s the Rock of Cashel that gives you that great feeling.
In 2021 we had a new baby here and while finding the name for her to match Indian and Irish commonality, we ended up with the name Shelly, also called Michele in Irish. That’s how this little Indian family got into Irish traditions and started becoming Irish, whether it’s running home with the kids for Halloween or getting the house ready for Christmas.
After seven years now we are proud Irish citizens and as my friend the young politician of the town called me, “a proud Cashel man”. I feel finally settled in this lovely town where you walk and see many known faces whether it’s on Friar Street or Old Road – people know you and make you feel it’s home away from home.