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31.01.2025 - 16:01 / cntraveler.com
This is part of Why I Moved, a recurring series about Americans building a life abroad.
While Michael Sable had never given much thought to living in a different country, Ireland had always been at the back of his mind, thanks to his family history there. So after an unexpected career change in 2016, he decided to take a chance on Dublin. Cut to eight years later, and he’s still there—running his own string of comedy nights, documenting his life as an American in Ireland on Instagram, and building a robust life filled with friends, family, and community. Does he ever contemplate moving back? “I wouldn’t be opposed to it in the future, but not right now,” the 31-year-old communications manager tells Condé Nast Traveler over the phone. “The people really keep me here.” Below, Sable shares how he started a new life in the charming Irish capital, how he settled in, and the one thing he thinks could keep him in Ireland forever.
PROFILE
NAME: Michael Sable
LOCATION: Dublin, Ireland
JOB: Communications manager and comedian
DATE OF MOVE: 2017
FROM WHERE?: Washington DC
Where did you move to, and why this place?
“I had been to Ireland twice, once when I was 6 and once when I was 18—two very different trips. But I'd met some family there, and some had also visited DC, where I’m from. So [living in Ireland] had been something that was just kind of in my head. I also had a very lucky situation: my grandparents emigrated from Ireland, meaning I was able to get Irish citizenship through descent. My dad had actually gotten it for me while I was growing up, so once I decided I wanted to move to Dublin, all I had to do was apply for a passport. That was back in 2016. I figured, you know, I'll try it for three months and if I don't get a job I'll just move back and call it a really long vacation. But here I am, eight years later. ”
What prompted you to move out of the US?
“The joke answer is that in 2016 I had been saying that if Trump won the election, I would move to Ireland—and the second part of the joke is that they kicked me out for saying that [laughs]. But in reality, the company I was working for was bought out by a different company and moved their offices outside of DC, which meant that at the ripe old age of 24, I had a severance package that I could use to move somewhere. I suddenly had this opportunity where all the pieces—citizenship, finances, having family already there—lined up.”
Did you move alone or with a partner, family, or friends?
“I moved by myself—but it was made easier knowing I had an uncle and cousins to help me get set up.”
Give us a top-level explanation of the process of moving.
“I was very lucky having family members who were willing to help me settle in and provide me with
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