The Strange, Beautiful Pull of a Country You’ve Never Been To

Posted: May 6, 2025 by Mary Oluonye

Have you ever felt an unexplainable pull to visit a country you’ve never set foot in? A place you have no ties to—no family roots, no ancestral connections, no practical reason to go—but still, something deep inside whispers, Go there.

It’s a funny kind of pull, isn’t it? Mysterious. Intangible. Almost otherworldly. It makes you wonder if it’s from another life, a past existence, or maybe even a parallel one.

Why would you feel so strongly about a place that, on paper, has nothing to do with you?

And yet… the feeling lingers.

That Country for Me Is Ireland

Now, I have no personal connection to Ireland. No Irish heritage. No family stories passed down. I’m not Irish-American. And yet, somehow, I feel a deep draw to that little green island across the sea.

Maybe it’s not just Ireland. Sometimes, I lump in Scotland and Wales too—they’re in the same neighborhood, after all. But it’s Ireland that pulls at my spirit.

Why? I’m not entirely sure. But I have a few guesses.

The Lilt of Their Voice

Maybe it’s the way Irish people speak—the cadence, the rhythm, the musicality of their voices. I remember once listening to an Irish man talk. I don’t even remember what he was saying. That wasn’t the point.

What caught me was the sound of his voice. It felt like a little musical performance, like poetry with a melody. I wasn’t listening to the words—I was listening to the song underneath them.

Is that strange? Possibly. But it was beautiful.

The Landscapes That Call

And then there’s the landscape.

Those emerald-green hills, dramatic cliffs, moody skies, and lonely coastlines. The kind of scenery that makes you feel like you could sit for hours, staring out at the sea crashing against the rocks, and just be.

It feels like a place where you could walk with your thoughts. A place for quiet reflection, for journaling, for reconnecting to yourself.

It looks like the kind of place where stories are born.

The Warmth of the Culture

Maybe I’m drawn to the idea of Irish pubs, filled with laughter, storytelling, traditional music, and warmth.

A space where people gather—not just to drink, but to connect. The kind of cozy, lively place where you don’t need to know anyone to feel welcome.

And oh, the music. Celtic music, especially when paired with traditional dance. Fiddle, flute, drum. It’s full of life, rhythm, history, and joy. I’ve always loved it. Maybe the music remembers something I’ve forgotten.

Maybe It Was the Books…

Or maybe it started with a book I read long ago. One of those sweeping family sagas set in Ireland, where the characters were strong, the land was wild, and the stories dug deep into the human spirit.

Sometimes the seed is planted early, and we don’t even know it.

The Pull Is Strong

I haven’t been to Ireland. Yet. But I have a feeling I will go. One day.

The pull is too strong to ignore.

And when I do go, I imagine I’ll arrive and feel something familiar. Not necessarily like I’ve been there before, but like I’ve finally stepped into a story that’s been calling my name for years.

What About You?

Have you ever felt that kind of pull?

To a place you’ve never been—maybe you saw it in a movie, read about it in a book, heard its music, or caught a glimpse in a photograph—and something inside you stirred?

Maybe it’s Morocco, or Bali, or Ghana. Maybe it’s Paris in the fall, or the quiet beaches of Zanzibar.

And here’s the question: Have you gone?

Have you followed that whisper and turned it into a journey? Or is that place still waiting for you?

What If It’s Time?

Maybe now is the time to explore that mystery.

Book the ticket. Make the plan. Follow the pull.

Sometimes the places that call to us—without explanation—hold something powerful for us. A lesson. A memory. A piece of our soul we didn’t know was missing.

So go. Follow the nudge. You never know what you’ll find.