I was just wondering, what with all the financial craziness going on, what it was like for people living there, urban and rural?
I was chatting to a friend who has moved back from Greece as it’s a nightmare over there so was wondering if it’s similar.

No first hand experience, but have a lot of family on the west coast over there. There’s a lot of anger – People there in their 50s will have grown up under the austerity measures of the 70s, emigrating to find work whilst fraudsters such as Charles Haughey ran the country. That generation now have kids who are leaving school to face the same story – economic meltdown and bleak prospects all round.

It doesn’t seem like any of the current Irish political class are in Haughey’s league as embezzlers, just guilty of incompetence and mass delusion.

I have friends in Dublin, they’re not expecting an influx of Greeks…

I was wondering about prices for stuff, housing Market, jobs etc.

Was over there a few weeks ago and go over every month or so to the very rural South West. Things we have noticed in the last year or so; a lot of youngsters are leaving the rural areas again, this time Australia seems a big favourite, children of freinds and youngish builders we’ve used out there have all had to go. There are lots and lots of empty house up for sale and there seems to be a resurgence in farming in a bid to diversify from the building related boom / bust. As mentioned there is a lot of anger but I noticed a touch of resignation that the crooks and charlatans will get away with it as usual while the poorer suffer the cuts and a feeling it will get worse before it gets better. One of the interesting things that we’ve been told by a few people is that they feel the younger generations haven’t lived through this grim situation before and this puts them at a disadvantage whereas the people in their 50’s would have grown up with similar problems and a future of emmigration.
Shops, pubs and restaurants are still expensive but there have been a lot of places we go to shutting up and the pubs we go to are a lot quieter nowadays.
Still a lovely place to visit (go there, drink guiness and by doing so help the people of Ireland!)and with some of the freindliest people you could hope to meet. Not found much good mountain biking yet in the south west, any tips appreciated.

Garry_Lager – Member
…It doesn’t seem like any of the current Irish political class are in Haughey’s league as embezzlers, just guilty of incompetence and mass delusion.

Perhaps google the Mahon Tribunal, fairly recent political past.

There are lots and lots of empty houses up for sale

This is an understatement.
There are fields with these Mcmansions all over Galway and Mayo, half finished monstrosities left to ruin because either the speculator ran out of cash or the bank foreclosed.

Fortunately, none of my inlaws tried building on their land, Unfortunately, they invested in Anglo Irish bank commercial properties… 😕

A lots of Ireland’s woes seem to be greed related.

I left Cork about 2 years ago as it was pretty depressed then (I am in construction) and it hasn’t looked up since. My GF’s family are from there and we left, one brother is in Oz (dry liner), the other is not secure in his job (plant fitter), one sister is on the dole (CAD technician) and the other is self employed as a child carer and worried about her job security (ie parents with enough money to pay for childcare).
The sister on the dole is stuck like many young people, unable to sell her house and leave the country. A lot of my friends over there refuse to believe that they were in anyway part of the problem, but most bought large houses with large mortgages, cars on credit and have several credit cards they can’t pay off. Nobody really thought the boom would end or really understand how bad it is/will be.

Oh and Bertie Aherne wont be on many people’s Xmas card lists…

just guilty of incompetence and mass delusion.

That sounds like almost all politicians then! 😆

Ireland saw huge growth due to an era of low taxation. She followed a similar model to that of Hong Kong.

Even now, some 43% of working people in Ireland pay no income tax whatsoever!?

Ireland draws funding from Brussels, money provided by our taxes. So in essence, we UK and other European tax payers have been funding an income tax free lifestyle for the less well paid Irish.

If they are angry about this, i’m puzzled as to why!

The advantages of this low tax economy have benefitted them and to the detriment of UK businesses. Ireland still has a very unfair advantage. You only have to cast your eye two inches up this page at the banner ad. for a clear example of this! There are numerous electonics giants and other multi-nationals who set up there to take advantage of tax breaks – Dell Computers as one example.

For many Irish itinerant workers, working abroad was an essential way of life until the Eurozone funded Ireland as a special case. So, given all the money Ireland has had out of the EU, why are they still in a mess? I’ll tell you why; they splurged the money on luxuries! As one small indicator; there were more BMW’s per head of population there than in the UK.

As for friendliness, hmmm that’s debatable. Personally, when ever I have come into contact with an Irish person, the Irish pride thing nearly always turns into “we’re better than the English”. It’s the usual friendly racism! They basically hate the English, but are happy to take the money.

Speculative development was a luxury afforded to those with either too much money, or no sense. I blame irresponsible lending of which the Irish banks lead the way in grand style!! Most individuals took on development out of sheer greed. Oh my heart bleeds for those get rich quick types!

Ireland had a golden opportunity to build a tangible stable future for itself, but the politicians blew it. Now we’re having to bail them out.

Great stuff this Eurozone socialist ideology!

One day, the bail out pot will be empty.

You only have to cast your eye two inches up this page at the banner ad. for a clear example of this!

Which company is that? Cant see an Irish one.

I know Bertie claimed not to have a bank account for a time when he was a TD – Did he also not claim to be picking up his salary in the alehouse at one point? Like a political version of Father Ted really.

If you are referring to CRC they are based in NI. Bike stuff is outrageously expensive in Eire and most people use CRC as it is cheaper (my LBS told me to get stuff from them like decent lights etc as he couldn’t compete so didn’t stock them).
And the Irish are very friendly, but they are a proud nation, and some struggle to look past the “800 years of oppression”. In the past we have not done a great deal to help our relationship with the Irish, but it is not something that is really covered in the UK curriculum (or it wasn’t at my school).

We moved to Ireland from UK last year. Good points? Quiet, simple, slower life style. Bad points? Hard to get a job, expensive shops.
Last Saturday we went to Kildare Village, it’s supposed to be a large shopping centre with low(er) prices. 15 mins into the visit we decided to leave and go somewhere for a meal. The town of Kildare was almost dead, nowt open. To get a bite we went to a pub, at least the food was spectacular. 4 of us – 45 Euro.
I’d love to come back to UK as I always found the Brits more civilised than an average Irishman is. My problem is the OTT levels of PC, stupid rent prices and the lack of prospects for us there. We’ll try to succeed in Eire, some have managed.
BTW The vast areas of unsold properties around co. Kildare are unreal.

Hey Hairychested,

Any chance you would elaborate on the following please: ” I always found the Brits more civilised than an average Irishman is” ?

Thanks.

Also, while you’re at it, would you mind posting your definition of an ”average Irishman”? I’m intrigued.

Thanks

Afterall, if you moved here a whole year ago you must be some sort of expert…

There’s a lot of anger – People there in their 50s will have grown up under the austerity measures of the 70s, emigrating to find work whilst fraudsters such as Charles Haughey ran the country.

So it’s all the fault of politicians then, and not of the people who freely chose to elect them ? How many general elections has Fianna Fail won/lost since Southern Ireland’s independence from British rule ?

…..I always found the Brits more civilised than an average Irishman is. My problem is the OTT levels of PC……

I can well understand that it might pose a problem for you.

Average Irishman has ginger hair, freckles, and wears green don’t they?
😀

LAzy……………

Right, have you ever been abused for buying a book? In UK not, in Drogheda – yes.
Most Bits I ever met were able to hold a conversation without swearing all the time, most Irish I’ve met couldn’t do it.
In London you wouldn’t be threatened with violence for supporting Ireland, fancy wearing an England top over here?
BTW If the Irish are so clever as a nation, why the hell have you chosen this bunch to ru(i)n the country? And why, when there’s a mass protest, only a few hundred people turn up?
I’m not an expert, that’s why I stated I moved a year ago. I’m learning from HERE 😉

I think now that Ireland has effectively ceded control of its economic policy to the IMF, this is only the beginning of the fun and games.

Not exactly an organisation renowned for its cuddly benevolent air is it really. The austerity so far is about to pale into insignificance next to whats about to come

And seeing as Ireland presently seems to represent the absolute pinnacle of the ‘s**t always rolls downhill’ theory, I don’t reckon its going to be much fun.

on a plus point
SS worlds in Ireland

It’s quite obvious that the ordinary worker in the South is paying the price of mismanagement by bankers, regulators, developers and politicians.

However, they re-elected Fianna Fail in the midst of revelation after revelation about the party leader’s financial delaings at the Mahon tribunal.

The public knew the sort of people they were electing but didn’t care about it as times were good. As they say, you get the government you deserve.

You only have to cast your eye two inches up this page at the banner ad. for a clear example of this!

I assume you are talking CRC, last time I was in their shop they were in the UK.
However as it’s you Spongebob you must know better.

Daily Fail ignorant pontificating at it’s best!!!!!

Kinda odd for the most part.

A lot of housing up for sale at quite low prices – despite the attempt to keep prices artificially high – my town is not too affected by this as the lack of a proper sewage system limited growth.

A lot of people I know owe 2-300K on a house that is worth 2/3’s that and are pissed off/nervous as nothing is selling, so they can’t escape that way. Banks are making the lending criteria virtually impossible as they try to limit their exposure (mortgage defaults are rising like crazy and I reckon we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg atm).

Lots of big, big houses with 6-7 bedrooms on a relatively tiny plot of land up for sale (in rows and rows) with a “i’m a tradesman, honest guv!” van outside. As the chancers can no longer earn 3K a week tiling/fitting doors badly etc.

Conversely the good builders are very busy as older people with savings are improving the house they have already paid for. Also now, shops are advertising how low their prices are – whereas for years a lot of stuff here didn’t have a price on it and you had to haggle (spesh cars) which put me off buying anything.

I’m just happy that when I arrived in ireland i thought the bubble couldn’t last and borrowed loads less than the banks were offering us and we are fine even if one of us loses their job. For 4-5 years I looked a bit silly and was kicking myself but I’m sooooo happy now.

General consesus is that we’re stuck paying for the mistakes of others because the state gaurantee’d the banks debts but even when the state found out the banks had lied about the magnitude of the debts (so they could cancel the gaurantee) they didn’t. Yes people joined in the mad rush to get a house and some did speculate, and a lot of people spent stupidly to get stuff to look like they are doing well.

But it’s not them that created the massive national debt. 1 bank alone ran up debts of 36billion and the state said it would cover it. It’s not even a normal bank – it was an investment bank. Ireland has a population about the size of manchester but without the infrastructure (yes there are some new dual carridgeways but the railways are single line, there is no train from dublin to the airport etc etc)
to dig it’s way out of the situation.

Also
Hairychested, I received far more racial abuse from the Scots when I lived there than from the Irish, including being threatened to be stabbed for wearing an England shirt in a sports bar on the Grassmarket. **** is not a swearword as my GF always points out. In fact the rules on swearing in general are far more relaxed with mild swearing on 2FM 1st thing in the morning.

As for the politicians, look at how our very own have been taking us for a ride with their expenses. Glasshouses and all that…

My problem is the OTT levels of PC, stupid rent prices and the lack of prospects for us there. We’ll try to succeed in Eire, some have managed.

you saying there are to many computers in the uk?

must be a Mac man

have you ever been abused for buying a book?

I think we need to be told what the book was.

Saccades, have you heard they’re talking about building an underground line to connect the airport with the Dublin centre? Huge money will go into it I’ve read.
FAIW It’s still possible to live on a single wage (2 adults plus a child) when you’re renting, not the case in England IME.

The public knew the sort of people they were electing but didn’t care about it as times were good. As they say, you get the government you deserve.

Yup, the truth is that they bought the whole neo-liberal bollox ….. lock, stock, and barrel. And those who came enthusiastically rushing back to the Celtic Tiger wanted a piece of the action. They chose to ignore all the lessons of history concerning the non-sustainability of fictitious capital. They didn’t even have to look that far back either – just to the early nineties UK, with it’s house price inflation, recession, and negative equity.

But of course like many other people in the Western World they allowed their blinkered greed for instant baseless wealth/get-rich-quick/money for nothing, coupled with slick media provided marketing, to leave them completely blind of the long-term consequences.

Capitalism does not provide an endless source of wealth nor a constant win-win situation for ordinary working people, only for a very select few, no matter how much credit they cram into your hand to live the dolce vita. Eventually the day of reckoning will arrive, and Capitalism, as always, will demand its pound of flesh from ordinary working people – be it Greece, Spain, Ireland, the UK, or wherever. The only people who will stay unscathed and wealthy, are the select few – they always do.

Want to buy into the Capitalist “dream” ? …..well then be prepared to accept the nightmare which it inevitably delivers.

ernie – a biography of Cromwell 😀 The guy at Waterstones went colourless with rage when he tried bollocking me for wanting the book, I asked him to repeat and he stormed off. Probably a temp, but why should I care?

Hairychested, I received far more racial abuse from the Scots when I lived there than from the Irish, including being threatened to be stabbed for wearing an England shirt in a sports bar on the Grassmarket.

No need to go that far to get abused for being from elsewhere. Any city centre in the north of england will do it.

The guy at Waterstones went colourless with rage

I’m glad to hear it………makes him a good lad in my books.

ernie – a biography of Cromwell

Given the part of Ireland you inhabit, you were fair game I reckon.

Brits Go Home.

ernie – a biography of Cromwell The guy at Waterstones went colourless with rage when he tried bollocking me for wanting the book, I asked him to repeat and he stormed off. Probably a temp, but why should I care?

If you’re ever at auschwitz, let us know how buying mein kampf goes!

TimP – Member
…including being threatened to be stabbed for wearing an England shirt in a sports bar on the Grassmarket.

A bit like wandering into a mosque distributing free bibles… 🙂

You just got caught out by a nasty bit of work – any excuse would have done eg “You looking at me, Jummy?”

The sports bar bit was the annoying bit. I have the sense not to wear it out and about on Cowgate but mid afternoon in a sports bar during the RWC I thought would be pretty safe.

Have you actually ever been there? Auschwitz, that is? I have, several times. And I did buy Mein Kampf as I wanted to know. It went down normally as we have a more complicated history with Russia than Germany.
There’s a good book on Cromwell out now, by an Irish history teacher from Dublin. Understanding the enemy is the main priority there. Worth a read.
How many Irish realise Cromwell killed more people in Yorkshire than he did in Eire? (An old girl teaching history in Skerries told me that.)
Right then, beer? When and where?

Mine’s a Murphy’s please!

Fine, let’s organise a meet for a few pints somewhere. Seems it’d be an excellent idea.

Have to be after Xmas – I’m on orders to stay dry til the new one drops.