When Brendan and Natalie Smyth posed for engagement photos at a pub in Dublin, Ireland, they had no idea their marriage would take them 3,570 miles away to a town with a familiar name.
Brendan was born and raised in Shankill, Dublin, Ireland and now spends his time with his wife in Dublin, Ohio.
“It’s a lovely place to live, that’s why we chose it,” he says. “We just got lucky with the Irish theme. It makes it very homey. You can tell there is a genuine interest and it gets people curious about the culture of Ireland.”
The Ireland native has noticed similarities and differences between his hometown and the City of Dublin.
“Irish people are very loving,” he says. “They really want to help people, and you really notice that in the community. It’s a behavior you wouldn’t find anywhere else.”
That Irish charm is one of the things that led Natalie, a Maumee, Ohio native, to marry Brendan in 2012. The couple met while she was in Ireland for a friend’s wedding in 2010.
“It was the three American girls and three Irish boys on this road trip,” Natalie says. “We spent a weekend at this tiny, dot-on-the-map town. It was such a wonderful time that we had to stay in contact.”
“I came over here to visit and then she came over there to visit,” Brendan adds. “That continued for a bit, so we decided to marry, and I made the move over.”
Since the move, Brendan says his morning commute is the biggest change.
“Going to work for me is a 20-mile trip, but traveling 20 miles where I’m from would be insane,” Brendan says. “Nobody would go that far. The max people travel is about 10 miles.”
When it comes to weather, the unpredictable nature of Ohio is the opposite of Shankill.
“It’s nice to have seasons, but I wish winter was shorter,” Brendan says. “In Ireland, our weather stays basically the same all year round. Winter will sometimes reach low 30s, maybe even high 20s. Our summers, they don’t get that hot – 65 (degree days) are beach and barbecue days.”
And speaking of barbecue, the indigenous Irishman has noticed a discrepancy in how U.S. citizens eat.
“The Irish have a very plain palate compared to Americans,” he says. “Condiments are everywhere here. We have so many choices to put on our food.”
Washing down a meal with a nice pint is a complicated issue for Brendan.
“I miss the Guinness the most,” he says. “The breweries around the world will use ingredients closest to them, so they’re not using the Irish wheat and water. It’s such a sensitive drink and it takes on flavor of whatever it is in.”
Brendan works for Miller Pipeline and Natalie is the shopkeeper at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, making her a corporate resident of Dublin.
She has hosted an ice cream social for a Dublin Jerome High School special needs class and helped design “The Leins
ter” – an Irish-themed ice cream treat – in honor of The Presidents Cup held in Dublin in 2013. She also helped Jeni’s win a 2013 Living the Irish Attitude Award for its embodiment of Irish culture and attitude.
“We’re one of the cornerstones of Historic Dublin,” she says of the shop, which is at the southwest corner of High and Bridge streets. “We try to participate in everything and work with the schools when we can. After all, everybody loves ice cream.”
The couple can be found around Dublin, shopping at their favorite store, Ha’penny Bridge Imports of Dublin, or having a drink at the Dublin Village Tavern.
“The bartenders know him, and they know what he likes to drink; it really has that Irish pub feel,” Natalie says.
When there are sports on TV, Brendan says he has no compulsion to cheer for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
“I’m a Buckeye, and that’s just the way it is,” he says.
Stephan Reed is an editorial associate. Feedback welcome at laurand@cityscenemediagroup.com.
An Irishman on Irish Culture
- Kilts: “Everyone wears kilts at the Irish Festival, but that’s not right. Wearing one at a Celtic festival is acceptable, but Irish people do not wear them. Those are from Wales and Scotland. That’s my one pet peeve.”
- Potatoes: “We have potatoes with just about every meal. You have your meat and then you have your potatoes. You get French fries and a side of potatoes.”
- Red hair and pale skin: “Ireland has the highest redhead per capita in the world, but it’s not that common. Not every second person has red hair and pale skin.”
- St. Patrick’s Day: “It isn’t such a big deal anymore. It’s sort of worn out now. They have stuff for the tourists, but it’s not that big. They have a parade, but it’s pretty tame.”
- Leprechauns: “Irish people don’t like the whole leprechaun thing. No one would ever talk about one in Ireland unless they are an American tourist.”
- Gaelic Language: “Gaelic is Irish for Irish, but they just call it Irish. Any official document or sign has to be in Irish and English. Only about 6 percent speak Irish, even though they have to learn it in school.”
- Corned beef and cabbage: “I’m sure we have corned beef in Ireland, but it’s not well known. I never heard of it until I was here.”
- Irish Car Bomb: “The Irish Car Bomb is an insult. Car bombs were a real thing. I’m not that old, but it’s been in my lifetime where they’ve had them go off. You can’t blame people for that, though. They haven’t been in the situation so they don’t really know. It’s mild now, but it was very rough in the 90s.”
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