Dublin Life’s Storyteller Series focuses on the people who make Dublin great – people who have made improving the community a part of their life, people who have been able to call Dublin home for a long time and people who have watched Dublin evolve over the years. The Storyteller Series tells the history of Dublin through his or her eyes, and sheds light on what living in Dublin was like decades ago. With the help of these special people, Dublin has undoubtedly become a better place.
Although the home has been renovated by Joyce's brother Jim, it still stands in Historic Dublin today as it did when Joyce's mother, Aly -- pictured above on the far left as a child -- grew up there. Photo courtesy of Joyce Richards
Dublin only received City status in 1987, but some residents are still able to recall a time before, when every Saturday, residents dragged chairs from their homes and sat in the middle of the street in Historic Dublin to watch films from a projector; when places like “Ethel’s Bottom” and the Scioto River were regular spots for Dublin children to play; when a typical graduating class from Dublin High School consisted of between 10 and 20 students. One of these residents is Joyce Richards, born Oct. 1, 1931, in the house she still lives in today in Historic Dublin. In her 84 years, she estimates only about 10 were spent living outside of that home, where she and her brother – Storyteller No. 3, Jim – grew up. Joyce, a member of a pioneer family and a descendent of Holcomb Tuller, has quite literally watched Dublin change over the years through her front windows. Despite her many travels, Joyce says she could not imagine a life outside of Dublin.
Joyce in her home in Historic Dublin. The house has been in Joyce's family since 1864, when her maternal great-great-grandfather purchased the home. Photo by Amanda DePerro
My roots are here. Like Jim, I’ve never had any desire to go anyplace else. This house has been in my mother’s family since 1864, and Jim and I were born in this house. My mother’s great-grandfather purchased the house, and her grandfather inherited it from his father and was reared in this house. My grandfather and his 10 siblings were all reared in this house.
Back then, there weren’t very many people in Dublin; it was a farming community. We were just one big, happy family, and you had to be careful what you said, because everyone was related. Now, I’m surrounded by businesses.
I went through 12 grades, and I was one of four cheerleaders, when we only had a basketball team. Back then, we didn’t have TV, so we’d play tag, hide and seek and hopscotch. I think the boys kind of shunned the girls; they had their own things, and sometimes I think they wouldn’t take me to play ball because I was too little, so I stayed home with my mother. She’d find something for me to do to take my mind off of not being able to go.
I graduated on May the 25 with 16 other students and I went to work on June 1. I got a job with the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, back when none of the suburbs had their own chambers. It was my only job, but they moved me around a lot, and it turned out that it was just like family; they treated everybody like family. If you didn’t know something or you needed help, they were right there to help you. It was a really great place to work. They kind of raised me, really; I was 17 when I started, and worked there for 44 years until my retirement when I was 62.
I thought it would be hard to retire, and everybody said, “Oh, you’re going to get stuck in Dublin; you’re going to miss Columbus.” Well, I didn’t. Retirement is wonderful. It’s the best thing that ever happened. I was going to work until I was 65, but a friend said, “You won’t really make that much more money if you work until you’re 65,” and I’m really glad I retired at 62 because it really is delightful. I love to work outside, I like to read and I belong to my church choir and a singing group called the Mother Singers. We sing at retirement centers.
It's always been Dublin ... It's in our blood.
My mother and I traveled to Ireland and the British Isles by ship. I can’t take ships, so going over I got sick and coming back I got sick, but I really liked Ireland. It was so green, and the people were so friendly and nice. I went to Hawaii and Spain, and some friends and I went to Athens, Greece during the time that Turkey and Syria were having a war in 1974. We were supposed to go to Istanbul, but they couldn’t take us there because of the war, so we went to Egypt instead. The one thing about travel is that you learn about other people, other cultures. That’s what’s interesting.
We’ve traveled around different places, but it’s always been Dublin. I’m always glad to get back home. They say home is where the heart is, and that’s true. We’ve lived in the Dublin area most all of our lives. It’s in our blood.
