By Jessie Power, Communications Specialist within the Global Communications Group
I grew up in Newfoundland, on the east coast of Canada, where there are half a million people in an area the size of Ireland, so Dublin feels like a metropolis and I love it.
During my business degree I had a four-month Erasmus to Dublin and fell in love with the city. After graduating and working in the Canadian advertising industry for a number of years, I decided to return to Ireland and bought a one-way ticket to Dublin for a new adventure. My love for the city endured; and, while I’ll always be a Newfoundlander at heart, I was never a fan of cold weather so am very settled here.
I believe home is where you make it, though COVID has made the world feel much larger at times. My fiancé is from Galway and while we have our house and wedding planning to keep us busy, we try to escape to the west coast as much as we can. The smell of the Atlantic Ocean makes it feel like my friends and family aren’t so far away.
One of the reasons I love Ireland so much is the storytelling connection; whether through music or literary pieces. Newfoundland is very similar, and in fact is the only place outside of the island of Ireland that has a name in Irish – Talamh an Éisc. My family has always supported the arts and the strong connection helps make it home.
The influence of storytelling has played a big role in my career choices and Intel has given me space to connect with people on a very different level. Even outside of work, I try to keep a notebook with me at all times. Writing helps me clarify how I feel about things and reading poetry gives me a romanticised way of looking at the world. Though I still can’t quite define the essence of Ireland in my writing, I continue to try and capture my thoughts on paper with the hopes of a landing a book deal in the future!
A love letter:
I’m sitting here, Dublin, in one of the pretty little restaurants that line your streets.
My view shows me lines of red and brown brick houses,
the soothing green of a church dome not far off in the distance –
The sky is that same grey it always is.
The kind that fills me with peace and reminds me of your rawness.
You’re genuine.
You’re always pulsing with life,
albeit a little slower when Monday morning regrettably rolls in again.
You’ve got a quick wit, a charming smile
and the kind of presence that would make any heart melt.
You’re accepting. Forgiving the brashness because you’ve been there.
The 5am evenings, the nights that were a little too loud,
the whiskey that added up to a little too much.
And you know that a life is not made of ambition, grace and mischief all being mutually exclusive.
The melody of your songs carries through the air long after that last pint is pulled.
And your streets tell the stories of millions.
I’m sitting here, feeling sentimental, and I wanted to tell you I love you.
I love your rolling hills and crashing waves.
Your cobblestone streets and dirty pubs.
The energy of new industry and the passion behind the arts.
I love the pounding rain that ruins any good outfit
and that little sliver of sun you let through when we least expect.
I love how the smell of last night’s lager mixes with church bells as I walk to work.
How any day of the week can turn into a sensational story
and how the hustle of the city feels most inclusive when it’s match day.
You’ve given me beautiful people to turn into friends,
a charming man whom I adore,
Saturday nights full of laughter and long Sundays by the seaside.
You’ve given me a city where I can truly be myself
and the confidence to know I’ll never regret committing to you.
We make the impossible possible and empower millions around the world through great technology, good corporate citizenship, and inclusive culture. We are Intel, and these are our stories.