http://vimeo.com/59084889

Vimeo/Matthew Johnston

FILMMAKER MATTHEW Johnston is moving away from Dublin after five years. He made this short piece to say goodbye.

Matthew writes:

I moved to Dublin five years ago, at a turning point in my life. I didn’t know what to make of it at first, with its unfamiliar faces, foreign voices, filthy streets, and shiny, yet inhuman progresses. Yet it still wormed its way into my existence, it is where I’ve become an adult, made (and lost) friends, fallen in love, made stupid mistakes, and grasped opportunities.

Áth Cliath might not possess exotic climates, bleeding-edge advances, or even competent overseers, but it is the friendliest, most welcoming and forgiving place I have known. Love, laughter, time and poetry are embedded in every brick of the city; it will hug you when you’re down, kick you when you’re ahead.

Leaving here, I will leave a part of myself behind, as well as friends and family, but I hope to fill the gap with new experiences. I know, more than anything, that I will return, because it is home. If you are lucky enough to be here, look beyond the rain, the mess and the idiots in charge, get out into that day and find your city.

This is my short love letter to the town I will miss.

The music is by the always-excellent Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, the words are from Dublin, by Louis MacNeice. Enjoy.

via Darragh Doyle at World Irish

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