I can still remember the moment when I decided to move to Pamplona just for a few months . . or so I thought!

I was living in New York, after working there as a journalist and I was on the point of moving back to Ireland but I had a year to kill before doing a secondary school teacher's course. I thought, well why not make a move to sunny Spain after the chill of Manhattan and Cork's rain.

I did a TEFL course after my Masters in Modern English literature, and applied for teaching jobs south of the Pyrenees. I had three offers: Madrid, Oporto or Pamplona. I hate to admit it but the mental image of Pamplona was given to me by a certain American writer who admired the fiestas here. I thought that being a small town boy (I grew up on a small island, called Cobh, in Cork harbour) Pamplona would be perfect. And it is. I met my beautiful wife here and we have an amazing son.

I've always felt most welcome here and privileged to work with the great team in CNAI, doing what I always wanted to do, teach. Though I've never taken to the chaos of San Fermin, I love the atmosphere of Christmas in the old part here, and the never ending dinners . . .