Newfound Friends in Dublin

Four of our students found a second home in Dublin this term, and some new friends in that home. Up the hill from our residence is a pub called Tom Kennedy's. It's what you'd call a local's pub. No tourists, no pretenses, and like most pubs of this sort, no women. Tourists and women would certainly be welcome, they just don't go there for some reason. Just a bunch of guys sitting around drinking Guinness, watching sports, playing darts and telling stories. You know, having a laugh, or the craic as it's known in Ireland.
These four students started hanging out there and after a while became part of the gang, including going on excursions to Howth and even golfing with the regulars.

Kevin LeSage even wrote a piece about his experience meeting these guys for one of his classes, and he's allowed us to post a small excerpt from it about his new-found Dublin friends.

'The next Monday was their last Monday together. Upon entry it's like something out of a gangster movie. Each guy turns around and says hello with a handshake or hug. Clinton the owner tosses up a hand to say hello and starts to pour the Guinness. They make their way down the bar taking time to soak in the moment, making sure to say hello to everyone. Derik, Aton, Clinton, Robbie, Mick, Eddie, the funny guy who none of us can understand, and at the end of the bar are their new brothers, Patty, George, and Joe. They stand up, brush themselves off, pull out a chair, and extend their arms for a hug. None of them have ever felt so welcome anywhere. It's like a second home. It's funny because some of the other guys they don't know look at Kevin and his roomates with jealousy, like 'who are these kids and how do they know all these guys?' Kevin loves it. He planned on making good friends over in Dublin, but nothing to this extent. Especially not with guys 30 years older than himself. It's like making friends with his father's friends; it's different, but he wouldn't change it for the world.'


-- Stephen