LIVING IN AUSTRALIA – WEXFORD EXPATS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES
FOR the third part of our series on Wexford emigrants, we return to Australia and the rich and varied lives of those who have settled Down Under.
Vikki Murphy, Monageer
‘I have wanted to live in Australia for as long as I remember. My Dad says when I was a kid I always said I wanted to “live in Bondi Beach with the kangaroos”. There are no kangaroos in Bondi, I’ve been living here for almost three years.’
Yet despite the lack of indigenous species, life in Bondi Beach has almost exceeded Vikki Murphy’s expectations, so much so that she doesn’t see herself living in Ireland again.
‘I plan to stay in Australia for the foreseeable future,’ says Vikki. ‘My boyfriend of two years, who I met here, before we went on our third date I asked him if he planned on going home ever as I’d made my decision I was staying and I want a life and kids here. I want little nippers in Bondi Beach. Anyway, he said “yes, I’m staying”.
‘He’s now a citizen and I’m currently waiting on my permanent residency through work. So we went on that third date and here we are, living our best lives in Bondi Beach.’
Having grown up in Monageer and attended the National School there, Vikki went to secondary school in Coláiste Bríde, Enniscorthy.
She subsequently graduated from WIT with a honours degree in graphic design and then started a six-week internship with The Daily Mail in Dublin, an internship that promptly ended after five weeks when she was offered a permanent role with the national newspaper.
Over the next five years, Vikki progressed through the ranks of the paper, eventually becoming lead digital designer. Although her career was flourishing, there was ‘an itch’ in the back of Vikki’s mind – an Australian-sized itch.
‘I’ll never forget the day (I decided to go). I was sat at my desk in Dublin and I couldn’t concentrate, I couldn’t stop thinking about Australia and the regret I would have if I never tried it, if I never gave it a go.
‘But I had a good job and I was doing well in Dublin, I knew my mam would kill me,’ she recalls.
Her desire to leave outweighed everything else though – even the fear of telling her parents.
‘I just hopped up, went into a quiet room and called the visa company. I spoke with some guy David and I asked him how long does it take to get a visa for Australia? How quick can I move?
‘He said we can have you in Australia in 48 hours if you want. I froze and eventually said “can I call you back?” Then I went out and sat at my desk for about two hours, I stared at the screen, I couldn’t get any work done, all I thought about was Australia; I had never been, I had no idea where I wanted to go in Australia but I wanted to go to Australia.
I called David back and said “do it; get me the visa”.’
Reasoning she had to give four weeks’ notice before leaving her job, Vikki booked her flights for a month later and set about informing the important people in her life.
One of those was her boss, who was empathetic.
‘The following day I came in and told my boss, he was awesome and so understanding. He knew I always wanted to go, he just didn’t think it would be now. A day later I was called into the Managing Director’s office and he said “why don’t you work for our office in Sydney?” “Can I?” “Yes, let’s set it up.” ‘I reached out to the team in Australia and they were keen to get me started out here as they didn’t have any digital producers here.’
Work sorted, Vikki’s next step was telling her family members – but it took longer to tell some than it did others.
‘I never mentioned a thing to any of my friends or family, except my dad, who was hugely supportive and happy for me to finally be making the move I’ve always wanted.
‘I was a bit nervous to tell my mam. It wasn’t until two weeks later when she picked me up from Dublin and in the car on the way home to Wexford I told her, “I’m going to Australia”. I don’t think she believed me until I said, “No, I am, I leave on the 22nd.”
‘Well, I could see her face drop. But over the following two weeks she was nothing but supportive, making sure I had everything I needed to go. She kept reminding me I could come home whenever I wanted and I wouldn’t be failing if I didn’t like it.’
Vikki didn’t fail though, far from it. She has thrived in her new role with The Daily Mail and is now digital producer for the Australian edition of the paper.
And from a social perspective her life has never better.
‘It’s more relaxed here, less stressful. I have Crohn’s Disease and I was constantly sick when I was at home. There are so many better food options and just being outside, moving more, eating better, working on stress and my mental health are all factors which have hugely improved my Crohn’s along with my physical and mental health
‘It might seem a bit selfish to some people but, for my mental health, I have found the place I’m meant to be; the environment, the lifestyle, the ocean, the beach; this is where I am meant to be and this is where I am happy and content in my life and in myself.
‘Sorry Mam, I love you but you know now I need to be here.’
Louise Sullivan, Crossabeg
When Louise Sullivan was 23, two of her best friends moved to Melbourne. And they weren’t the only ones. Many people from her school had emigrated to the east coast of Australia, travelling on working holiday visas, taking in the usual sights and attractions.
However, despite seeing so many of her peers leave Wexford, Louise wasn’t tempted to follow suit, at least not initially.
‘It looked fun, but I had no interest at the time as I was focused on my career. I missed my friends but I was happy with my life, so it wasn’t enough to entice me,’ she says.
That career had seen her find work in an insurance brokers in Wexford town, a job she says she ‘loved’. But as time passed, Louise’s circumstances changed. At the age of 27, she was single and living with her parents. Her friends’ lives were changing, they were moving on, and Louise was ‘feeling flat’ and ‘bored of the same routine’.
Adding to this sense of ennui were the stories her brother relayed during his regular phone calls home. He had moved to Perth in 2012 and had made a new life there.
But it was only when Louise and her family travelled to Australia to visit said brother that she made up her mind to go.
‘During my first 48 hours in Perth I made up my mind that I was going to move. Seeing how well my brother was doing for himself, with a good job, living in a lovely house, a network of friends that he had made and obviously the beautiful weather. It was enough,’ she says.
Louise made the move, joining her brother in Perth, utilising his knowledge and experience while she acclimatised.
After applying for ‘everything and anything’ she got a job as a receptionist in government offices just 17 days after landing. From there, she eventually found work in her chosen profession, insurance, with a company that was willing to organise her Permanent Residents Visa on Louise’s behalf, saving her thousands of dollars.
Settling into her new home wasn’t without its difficulties though.
‘The first couple of months, I found it difficult to meet friends. I was lonely but I knew I needed to give it time. I seemed to meet people who were not my fit.
‘With being so new to the country, it was sometimes difficult to find common ground, especially with Australians. I had to put myself into situations where I felt uncomfortable and go to events I didn’t feel like going to. It was a challenge but the more I tried the easier it became.’
And although she has met and befriended many Irish people during her six years in Australia, for Louise it was more about experiencing life as it came and sampling everything Perth had to offer.
‘I wasn’t focused on meeting other Irish people. I wanted to embrace everything Australia had. I moved here by myself and I wanted a change.’
Describing her circle of friends as being ‘mainly Scottish, with a couple of English, Irish and Aussies in the mix’ Louise says that the number of Irish people in the area is slowly decreasing.
‘There are definitely not as many Irish as there were when I arrived. The majority of Irish tend to eventually move home. A couple I know are moving back to Limerick this year after eight years of living in Perth.’
What of her future plans: does she envisage herself moving home, as her brother already has, in a few years?
‘I love my life in Perth. It is not always easy, but it is too much to give up on. We never know what is around the corner but unless things changed drastically, Perth will be my home.’
There are some things Louise misses though: her nieces, having her dad on hand to fix things in the house, and one particular Irish tradition.
‘There are definitely times where it gets lonely, mainly in the winter months, and I miss the comfort of a nice cup of tea by the fire.’
Damian Ennis, Wexford
Damian Ennis was already living in Australia when he made the decision to move there full time. As a year-long trip with his friends drew to a close, he realised he wanted to extend his stay.
That was 12 years ago.
SO WE WENT ON THAT THIRD DATE AND HERE WE ARE, LIVING OUR BEST LIVES IN BONDI BEACH
Damian now has his own consultancy firm which advises on major infrastructure projects across the country.
‘I studied architecture in Waterford, which is what I wanted to do since I was a kid. I first worked in Dublin and then Limerick, before heading off to Australia,’ he says.
And those qualifications, that expertise in the field of architecture, would serve him well once he began his travels.
‘There was a shortage of people who had studied architecture, so I was on the skills shortage list for visas,’ Damian says.
Helping him along the way was an organisation of like-minded people.
‘I got involved in the Lansdowne Club (Irish Business Club) after I received my Sponsorship Visa to ensure that I had a large Irish group of friends in my life – as I have only worked for Aussie-owned companies.
‘The Irish Consul General Owen Feeney goes to great efforts to ensure that the Irish clubs, sport, business, music, all interact with each other.’
Having lived in Australia for most of his adult life, Damian says the difficulty comes in deciding when, and how often, to return home to see family and friends.
‘I typically (get home) every two years, but this year I am back for my sister’s wedding, having been back for a wedding last year too.
‘There’s the bigger events that you can’t get back for – significant birthdays, weddings, sporting events. It’s a trade off in terms of opportunities, and lifestyle – and it’s not always an easy one.’ And the future?
‘Depends if you are asking on my Mum’s behalf. Let’s say that I have no immediate plans to move.’
Adam Parle, Ramsgrange
After six years of studying at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) Adam Parle needed a change. He had left his home in Ramsgrange to relocate to Cork, settling in the Southern capital, and had been offered a full-time job in the marketing department of a major retail company.
But it wasn’t enough.
‘I was offered the chance to stay on at the end of my placement, but I felt like I needed a break and a chance to see a bit of the world. I felt like travelling, that experiencing new cultures and ways of doing things and meeting new people would ultimately lead to me developing as a person and having a more successful career a bit later in life,’ he says.
Yet in Adam’s case his reasons for leaving Wexford and the opportunities he has availed of in another part of this country are arguably as interesting as those behind his decision to emigrate.
‘I left Wexford when I finished secondary school so that I could further my studies. Obviously not having a university in the county made it an easier decision to leave as there wasn’t much of an alternative.
‘Since then I have completed two undergraduate degrees, in recreation and leisure management and business management respectively, and I have also completed my master’s in marketing practice, all at Cork Institute of Technology.’
Armed with those qualifications, he left for Australia last year at the age of 25. And, for the time being, he is focusing on enjoying his time away, making it an adventure.
‘My initial experiences have been amazing. I stayed with family for a bit, which made the transition easier, and I’ve been travelling since. It can be daunting travelling alone but I’ve found it extremely easy to meet new people and make new friends. It really is true; everybody loves the Irish.
‘Because I’m spending my first year travelling, I haven’t looked into serious employment yet. I’ve just been doing some casual shifts as I go in bars, etc., to keep the funds topped up.’
And even if he doesn’t find long-term employment in Australia, he is determined to make the
most of the next few years of his life.
‘I’ ll definitely stay here for the foreseeable future. I’ll do my farm work in March to get my second year and then I’ll start to look for a more serious job. Then it’s down to whether I get sponsored or not. If I do, great; if I don’t, then I’ll go home but not permanently. There’s plenty more places I can be backpacking around.’ Brian Lynch, Gorey
It was a ‘night of passion’ that gave Brian Lynch the impetus to emigrate to Australia. Having met an Australian girl in a Dublin bar, and made a connection, he took her number and they kept in touch.
A further meeting in Scotland cemented their romance and by June 2015 he made the decision to move, new girlfriend in tow.
There were however, other factors at play. ‘Things at home were changing and there wasn’t a massive amount of work to sustain and I didn’t really feel at home in Dublin. I’ve always been that guy who’s never afraid to do anything, regardless of consequences at times, so moving to Oz wasn’t a huge issue for me. It just seemed like a good option.’
Sadly, his relationship didn’t endure, but that hasn’t hampered Brian’s progression since he landed in Australia.
A multimedia graduate, he ‘made a conscious effort to stay off the sites and work in video as I had been doing. I managed to find a company willing to sponsor me and take me on which enabled me to stay here. And I started working there in July 2016 as head of their video department,’ Brian says.
This success was replicated on the sporting front, with the Gorey man thrown into action almost as soon as he’d stepped off the plane.
‘I arrived on February 1, 2016 to start life here. I had made contact with a local hurling club, Michael Cusacks, and was out at a match the following day,’ he recalls.
Acclimatising to the weather was more challenging however, and led to him spending a week sleeping on the floor in the shower as he struggled to cope with temperatures in excess of 40 degrees.
As someone who emigrated a little later in life (Brian was 36 when he left), he has a broad perspective on life in his new home and is engaged in local politics and knowledgeable on the intricacies of the Australian economy.
‘Most places are slowly being pushed west as the cities grow and integration is inevitable as it becomes more expensive to live. The only thing left for most young people is an apartment to try get on the property ladder.
‘They are very reliant on coal and that industry here. There is a sense of still living in the 80s and just being a little behind everything. They were never really hit by the global financial crisis and I think they’ve just kept going as normal.
‘There is a huge gambling industry here, all propped up on the pensions of the older generation who are catered for hand and foot, so they’ll queue up at 9 a.m. every morning and spend their earnings in the Returned and Services League clubs.’
All of this means now is a good time to live and work in Australia, and Brian is determined to maximise his earnings during his time away.
‘There is a lot of money here, more than enough for me to want to stay and make a life. I have no real intention of moving home for quite a number of years, if at all.
‘There’s just too much opportunity here and with a little effort it can make a huge difference. Maybe in 20 years I’ll return and buy a pub and a house or two and set myself up that way,’ he says.
Darragh Keeling, Oylegate
An average working day for Darragh Keeling begins at 4.45 a.m. and only ends some 12 hours later when he returns home a little after 5 p.m. And yet, despite this punishing schedule, he is entirely content in his work, and life in general.
‘I was working within three or four days of landing (in Melbourne). My good friend Richie Farrell from Enniscorthy set me up with a job with a carpentry company ‘Little and Large’, which is owned by a guy from Wexford, Rory O’Sullivan. I have been working with the guys ever since.’
Having tried his hand at a variety of jobs back home, Darragh found himself working in a role he had ‘no passion for’; a situation exacerbated by his girlfriend Christine’s problems in her job.
‘She worked as a nurse in Wexford and was under increasing pressure in her job with the bad conditions in the hospital, the understaffing, low pay. We had heard that Australia paid more to nurses and that there was more staff and less patients, which meant she could provide better care to the patients assigned to her.’
Having made the move, Darragh appears to have found his calling, a trade which he has taken to seamlessly.
‘I actually had no experience in carpentry, but thankfully Rory gave me a chance to work with him which I’m very grateful for. It was very difficult at first, I had so much to learn but I kept the head down and picked it up quickly and it turns out that it’s something I really enjoy doing.
‘The work is tough labour, six days a week. I wake up at about 4.45 every morning and I don’t get home until 5 p.m. in the evening, depending on what site I’m working on around the city. But it is very rewarding and hopefully within the next few years I will be fully qualified.’
And Darragh is living proof that if you work hard in Australia you can expect to be remunerated accordingly.
‘The wage difference is massive. In Ireland, I could barely pay my bills even though I worked full time and didn’t live a lavish lifestyle. While over here money isn’t something you really have had to worry about, so that’s a major relief and without that stress on your mind all the time, you can enjoy your life a lot more and do the things you really want to do.‘
Since they left in 2018 Darragh and Christine have not yet managed to return home but he says that will soon change and that one person in particular will be left in the dark until the very last moment.
‘I’m really looking forward to getting back for a visit, I’m going to scare the life out of my sister Sinead so that’ll be good.’
Sadly, Darragh’s grandfather has passed away since he emigrated and, although the two were very close, he was unable to make it home for the funeral.
And although he and Christine are working towards gaining citizenship in Australia, Darragh says Wexford will always be home.
‘I plan to stay here as long as possible, but I do see myself returning home at some point as Ireland and Wexford will always be my home, but I don’t think it will be for a good few years.’
MAYBE IN 20 YEARS I’LL RETURN AND BUY A PUB, A HOUSE OR TWO, AND SET MYSELF UP THAT WAY