Why Dublin?

Trinity College ID, 1983

Took my huaraches outside for the first time this afternoon. A pleasant five mile run in damp weather. Still got to get used to that cord between the toes, but I’ve gotten much better at tying them. Fall leaves beautiful.

There have been two great cities in my life. One is Philadelphia, where I've lived for most of the past thirty years. The other is Dublin, where I spent the best years of my twenties, and to which my heart will always belong. When I was about to turn forty, nearly ten years ago, I marked the occasion by running the Philadelphia Marathon. As I prepare to turn fifty at the end of next year, it seems only fitting that I mark that occasion by participating in the Dublin Marathon.

I had three extended stays in Dublin. In spring of 1983, I spent a semester at Trinity College as part of a study abroad program through Temple University. From fall of 1984 through spring of 1985, I did the whole wannabe-writer-in-exile gig in a small apartment on Herbert Place. I didn’t get much writing done, but I took a lot of great walks along the Grand Canal. I forget at the time how I explained my long stay through the spring of 1989, but the real reason was that I had fallen in love with the sister of one of my friends. But that’s a long story.

Anyway, I spent enough time in Ireland back in the 80s to put me at risk for mad cow disease, according to the American Red Cross. Which is why to this day they will not accept my blood.

Dublin has remained in my life. In the past ten years, I’ve been back to a number of times with Donna, my fiancée. First, just the two of us, then with her two children, Erin and Alex, and the last time, with the kids AND her parents. To which I can only add, Whew!

All my old friends are now Donna’s friends too. My old stomping grounds her places to revisit as well.