This article is from page 15 of the 2012-01-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
IT’S been a blast, with some work, some rugby and plenty of playtime thrown in.
This parses Éanna Canavan’s ninemonth life experience since embarking on his Antipodean adventure with a friend.
In his native Doolin and beyond across the county, Canavan is best known for mounting a Facebook campaign to see a revival of the Lisdoonvarna Music Festival.
That campaign is still very much active, and if it happens you can be sure Canavan would be on the first flight back for the occasion, but for now there’s the festive atmosphere of downtown Syndey and greater Australasia to enjoy.
“It was at this time last year that a friend and I decided to go to Australia along with the thousands of other Irish people that are already here,” recalls Canavan.
“We actually arrived on March 25 so Christmas Day was an anniversary. The time has really flown since we got here and Christmas was always going to be very strange when it falls in the middle of summer.
“I have been doing a bit of travelling around Australia since I got here and managed to fit in eight days over in New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup, which was an amazing experience.
“Since October I have settled in Sydney working for a sales company. It’s a great lifestyle here even if the cost of living here is very high. There are quite a few people from Clare living in Australia so there is a bit of a community here, I can think of at least fifteen people from my area at home that are settling in well,” adds Canavan. As for Christmas on Bondi – he admits to having home thoughts from abroad, missing the craic of a different kind around North Clare, but only to a point as the contrasting conditions bring him to his senses. “In Christmas 2010 we were in the middle of one of the coldest winters in years with snow and ice and treacherous road conditions and it was minus ten,” he recalls. “To say that Christmas 2011 couldn’t be more different is putting it mildly. We started off with Christmas dinner on the roof of a friends house in Bondi in 30 degree heat followed by a trip to the beach for the afternoon; to say it was surreal would be an understatement. “Bondi beach was packed on Christmas Day and it was fairly easy to spot all the Irish people due to the white skin and the drunken antics! It was certainly a Christmas that I would never forget. “Then for New Year’s we headed into the city for the fireworks near the Opera House, something everyone in Sydney has to see. Another thing not to forget,” he adds.