Returning emigrant finds Irish peculiar

Today's Irish Times Health Supplement takes a look at a returned emigrant who, recently diagnosed with cancer, is seeking to set up a centre for people who are looking to cope with a "life challenge".

While the focus of the article is on business consultant Joseph Daly's fight against his ailment and intentions to set up the Tamhnach Center, it also contains some interesting thoughts on his return.

Joseph came from Longwood, Co Meath and left Ireland to see the world after finishing school. He lived mostly in South Africa but also in Germany and Greece, and traveled extensively. Of his return he says:

We found settling into Ireland one of the most difficult things we had ever done. It is my home country but so much has changed in the past 20 years. We found it easier settling into a completely foreign country like Greece where we knew nobody and spoke a different language.

The Irish are peculiar. If you have been abroad and have been successful in any way, there is a certain begrudgery; you are seen as coming back with fancy ideas.

Read the article on the Irish Times website.