In the lead up to St. Patrick’s Day, we asked you to tell us what you feel are the best things about being Irish, and a common theme among the responses was the remarkable resilience of the Irish people in the face of hard times, poverty and oppression.
The days of famine and struggle against “No Irish Need Apply” signs may be well and truly behind us now but that doesn't mean that the fighting Irish don’t need to buckle down every now and again to get themselves out of a tough spot.
The people featured in this beautiful video by Irish channel Line are a perfect example of this resilience and it will warm your heart to hear of the strength and bravery shown by this set of Dubliners as they faced some of the biggest changes in their lives.
Read more: The absolute best things about being Irish on St. Patrick’s Day
From the woman who ended up homeless and in a women’s refuge when her husband left her but has found herself back on her feet, to the young American woman who learned to take more risks, including moving to Ireland, on the death of her sole family member, they are shining examples of the courage people show every day in the face of adversary.
“Tough bird, tough cookie I am,” said one of the contributors.
“You wouldn’t want to bring me home for Christmas anyway. You’d put me in the oven.”
Asking the participants one simple question, “What has been the biggest change in your life and how did you deal with it?" the video shares some truly remarkable tales, including that of a man who grew up in the Liberties in Dublin in a family of 11 and lost his brother, aged 13, on Christmas Eve when he was just 15 years old.
A place “renowned for their resilience,” he remarks of the Liberties.
“I never had a problem that got me down completely.”
“I got on with it,” comments the women who found herself living on Dublin’s streets. “Pull up your socks and get on with it. As they say, life's too short, love, you just get on with it.”
Thankfully, the woman in question, unlike many others in Dublin, has come through the experience and now has a place to live.
“There’s other people out there worse off than me,” she said. “They wouldn’t have a roof to go home to tonight, sleeping on corners. I’ve a roof over my head.”
Take a look at the complete video below and feel proud of the strength of human and Irish character:
What’s the biggest change in your life and how did you deal with it? Did you Irish family or Irish roots help you in any way? Let us know in the comments section, below.
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