When Belfast-born dentist, Ed Donnelly (41), whose family emigrated to New Zealand when he was seven, got the travel bug and sold up his successful practice in Auckland, little did he or his Australian-wife, Bronwyn think they would end up in Lisnaskea.
But, that's what happened, thanks to a simple letter drop through the McKeogh Dental Practice in the town after he was foiled in getting a promised job in Derrylin. Today, the family of five live on the Brookebrough Road end of the town, opposite St Ronan's Primary School which twins, Ryan and Connor and their little sister, Jessica attend.
"It was in 1974 my father made the decision to emigrate. He was lucky in that he had a brother and my mother a brother and sister living there, in Aukland in North Island. It was exciting for me as a 7-year old, although I had no recollection as to why they were doing it. Now I know it was my parents' way to get out of the Troubles".
Ed graduated in dentistry in 1981 and, in 1993, worked for three years in the UK and it was there he met his wife-to-be who is a pharmacist. They returned to Down Under and, finally, settled in Melbourne at Christmas, 1996 where Ed bought his dental practice.
"I worked it for 10 years and, just over the last couple of years, I decided I had done as much as I could with it and, in the end, we would head off for Europe. We bought a camper van last April in England and last November we sold it.
"Initially, we wanted to set up working in Ireland somewhere. We started off in Belfast where a lot of my relations are still residing and, finally, I got a chance of work in Derrylin/Ballyconnell, but things didn't work out".
Ed had planned a three-month Winter family skiing holiday in Austria this year, so he was looking for something to tide him over Christmas and, after April.
"I woke up one morning I typed a little letter and dropped copies into all the dentistries in Enniskillen and, on my way to Ballyconnell, into the two in Lisnaskea, McKeough's being one of them. Brendan (McKeogh) was on the phone two hours later and I told him what I was looking for, six weeks' work to get me through Christmas.
"He promised to sort me out and, within three days, he told me to come in.
"He also put me on to another dentist in Aughnacloy where I did my six weeks and, suddenly, Brendan told me that one of his mainstay dentists was going off on maternity leave in March, and I took the job".
As someone brought up in the southern hemisphere, far away from the Troubles of the 70's, Ed Donnelly was pleasantly surprised at how Belfast, Fermanagh and, in particular, Lisnaskea were looking.
"To start with, it's a great practice and great people. As for the clients: they're very appreciative of seeing someone they weren't used to, especially someone so far away. They have all been lovely people and, even the children who are usually quite hesitant at the best of times with dentists, they have been quite open about coming in. So, so far so good".
He reported that his own children were happy with their new school ('they absolutely love it') and, besides Lisnaskea, he also gave Enniskillen the thumbs up.
"It's a great town, but over the years I have seen changes for the better here. And, what I like about Lisnaskea where we're living now is the amount of space you have, like when we lived in Australia. Big cities don't excite me anymore".
