My earlier post about my first impressions of Ireland was about the thin line of darkness and lightness, sadness and happiness that happens simultaneously through the exchanges I had with a few people I had met and my relationship with nature and learning about the history. I still stand by that observation that the Irish people, “…treat a joke as serious thing and a serious thing as a joke,” as O’Casey put it in The Shadow of a Gunman.

Upon learning more about the history of Ireland, with it being an island that has experienced waves upon waves of conquerors, along with gaining deeper understanding of the troubles and the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, it is completely understandable why dark humor is essential to the way Irish people communicate. Being a Black American, I could completely relate to this way of viewing the world and communication. When faced with oppression and a history of violence, all one can do is laugh to keep themselves from crying or to allow the woes of the world consume you. Being able to connect with people in a different country by understanding and relating to some of the plight to experiences of my own, has made this country feel like a temporary home.