From Ireland to Russia: how a true Renaissance man found his home

Hugh McEnany left Ireland many years ago and has visited different parts of the world, from bustling New York and Japanese Osaka to the quiet monasteries of Thailand. Hugh worked as a teacher, translator, business coach, festival organizer, and even an actor. But it was Russia that became the place where the endless globetrotting journey of the Irishman finally ended.

Hugh was brought to Moscow by love: surprising even himself, he wound up staying there for almost two decades. During this time, the Irishman not only got used to his new country, but really grew into it: he created a family, began acting in films and became famous in the Moscow community. Today, no noisy and fun Irish festival in the city is complete without Hugh!

This interview tells the story of a man who has been looking for his place in the world all his life, and found it in Russia. Why was Moscow closer to him than many Western cities? How did the country he came to almost by accident become his home? And what is it about Russia that made an Irishman accustomed to constant change, hold his ground for the first time?