Wednesday 2 October 2013

Ireland is dying? Pacific Standard article.

Our "republic", readers will know, has always specialised in exporting its people - mainly because it's always been such a rotten kip.

Some reading this live abroad now, having voted with their feet (or because their parents did); some have lived abroad in the past, and made the mistake of coming back; some will undoubtedly evacuate in the near future.


It's so ironic, when you consider that so-called "confidence" of the bubble years...

B-B-Bertie Ahern was holding lectures on how to run economies.   Vested-interests economists were explaining how the Irish "boom" was "different" and how we were "catching up"...and it made perfect sense that a semi-d in the arsehole of nowhere was worth as much as a swanky apartment in Berlin.   Paddy and Mary were topping up their mortgages to plonk a new S-Class in their driveway every new reg-plate year.   

And the gobshites - many of the "blameless" Irish peeple Michael D so adores, the property tax-break politicians (many of whom had/have investment properties), the bankers, the media, the economists and the estate agents were manically dropping yet more incendiaries on the disastrous Ponzi-scheme conflagration.

And now the aftermath.  At least some of us can say we were never surprised.


The following, from the Pacific Standard, was sent in by a reader.  Well worth a read.

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Ireland Is Dying

Why so many people—an average of 10 every hour—are fleeing the Emerald Isle.


Remains of the 12th-century Trim Castle in County Meath, the largest Norman castle in Ireland. (PHOTO:ANDREW PARNELL/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
Rest in peace, Seamus Heaney. The latest exodus from the Emerald Isle has reached hyperbolic speed. The Financial Times titillating its readers with data porn:
Ireland’s rate of emigration is continuing to increase and at one stage one person was leaving the country to live abroad every six minutes – the highest number since modern records began in the late 1980s.
New figures published on Thursday show 397,500 people have emigrated since Ireland’s financial crisis began in 2008, with most travelling to the UK, Australia and Canada in search of work.
During the same period 277,400 people have returned or moved to Ireland, giving a net outward migration figure of 120,100. In a 12-month period from April last year, 10 people left every hour.
Using the same cited data for the same 12-month period, more than 20 people moved to Ireland every hour. Of course, that also means over 30 people emigrated from Ireland every hour. The centerfold shot:
Almost a third of 15 to 24-year-olds, who grew up during an era when highly paid jobs were plentiful, are now out of work and even those with jobs have seen their wages slashed. More than a third of people leaving the country in the 12-month period to the end of April were between 15 and 24 years of age. Some 50,900 of the 89,000 people who emigrated were Irish citizens while the rest were nationals from other countries.
Yes, throw some dirt on dear old Dublin. The Celtic Tiger can no longer hunt. Time to put her down.
Two variables explain much of outmigration, age and educational attainment. I’ve posted quite a bit about ties between a college education and geographic mobility. Concerning age, the younger you are (as an adult), the more likely you are to leave. Relatively speaking, Ireland’s population is young:
In contrast to general European trends, the birth rate in Ireland is soaring. According to the Economic and Social Research Institute’s latest Perinatal Statistics Report, Ireland’s birth rate increased nearly 30 percent over the past 10 years, equating to about 17,000 more births in 2010 than 10 years before. The island boasts the highest birth rate of any European Union member.
Galway, a small college city on the Irish west coast, likes to tout itself as the “youngest city in Europe.” In 2001, 40 percent of Ireland was under the age of 25. When the going gets tough, the young and college educated get going. Everywhere, not just in Ireland. All those babies will grow up and go to college.  Then they will move away like all the other twentysomethings around the world.

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18 comments:

ponyboy said...

Completely empty then by 2064!! Ah shure it'll be grand entirely...

Nenad said...

In contrast to general European trends, the birth rate in Ireland is soaring. According to the Economic and Social Research Institute’s latest Perinatal Statistics Report, Ireland’s birth rate increased nearly 30 percent over the past 10 years, equating to about 17,000 more births in 2010 than 10 years before. The island boasts the highest birth rate of any European Union member.

Could it be this is because some people have nothing else to do but staying at home watching TV, playing computer-games, getting fat on junk-food and fuck? And last but not least: there's no money for an abortion-trip to UK ...

DC3 said...

Ireland was always that anomaly to good sense. The problem with Ireland is the Irish. As individuals they are not the most intelligent, sincere or genuine, as a group they are worse, much worse. Group Think par excellence. Could it be problems like Vit D deficiency?

Said it before on GN, GM, I have no doubt that there is a hidden Tsunami of depression in Ireland that is undiagnosed. That's the sadness but practicality GM of it is, if you stand up and swim against the prevailing stream of stupidity in this country, your marked. That's one of the dangers. It will never change as it can't.

Anonymous said...

@DC3

Goodness DC3, what an enlightened view. It has inspired me to produce a set so that individuals can choose, based on their own particular prejudice. What do you think?

The problem with Africa is the Africans. As individuals they are not the most intelligent, sincere or genuine, as a group they are worse, much worse. Group Think par excellence. Could it be problems like Vit D deficiency?

The problem with Israel is the Jews. As individuals they are not the most intelligent, sincere or genuine, as a group they are worse, much worse. Group Think par excellence. Could it be problems like Vit D deficiency?

The problem with Romania is the Romanians. As individuals they are not the most intelligent, sincere or genuine, as a group they are worse, much worse. Group Think par excellence. Could it be problems like Vit D deficiency?

So tell me DC3, as Rolf Harris might say... Can you tell what you are Yet? I'll give you a clue. It begins with an R :)

albert hall said...

I lived with my wife and family from 1971 to 2003 in Ireland being a blow in from the UK having been born there. We had a wonderful time. 2002 my wife said that Ireland was going to go down the drain and sold our house in Killiney. She knew about these things. She and He went back to Blighty and bought a flat. As He was now retired She and He had a ball cruising to all the places people cruise to. Sadly She died of cancer in 2008, leaving He on His own - no complaints. He got fed up and pined for his family and many friends. Now He has His flat up for sale and will be going back to Ireland to be with His family and mates, where He will eventually be buried in the same grave as She in Wicklow. Strange old world?isn't it.

DC3 said...

Hit a Nerve there. Too close to the truth. The PC opening there belies a supressed (If not openly racist) "GENUINE" "RACIST" attitude.

Very telling that you choose to "exclude" my observations of mental illness among a sizeable cohort of the Irish population. A phenomenon which people like you and your ILK have traditionally blamed the victim for. What do "you" think?...

Don't get me wrong, as I said before on GN, there is a lot of decent people in Ireland, but there is also an awful lot of the exact opposite as well. You "Anon" included.

It really is pointless though Gombeen Man. Pointless. I have an Irish Passport, GM, WHY IN THE NAME OF CHRIST IS IT, whenever ANYONE DARES (and by the way they are very few and far between in Ireland) to QUESTION THE WISDOM OF THE IRISH MASTER RACE, ARE THEY LABELED?

It really is melancholic, and demonstrates the deep immaturity at the heart of any debate in Ireland. Has to be said as well, this nauseating jibe is to frequent for comfort. Deeply unsettling actually, and shows the level of intolerance and nastiness which traditionally sought to take all it possibly could, to undermine and destroy your argument. The polar opposite it has to be said, of the British sense of fair play.

Happens all the time, make even the smallest remark, which criticises the GROUP THINK in this country and you are either fobbed off, or labelled a trouble maker, your intellect is brought into question, or whatever the hell else the nutters can spew out. It's not regarded as Irish or patriotic to question.

Being called a racist though, for speaking my mind about the people that I share this Island with, is heinous, genuinely heinous. A downright sinister accusation! It truly shows the level of dishonesty and complete lack of CRITICAL THINKING that exists in this country...

Sweet Baby Christ I despise this country. It's the dishonesty which does it or me. Gets me every time.

The Irish (for all that care to listen) are not ALL great craic. They are not "all" happy only to blarney all day, and wonder at rainbows, while they ponder what shade of green to adorn. They are not all, genuine honest sincere people. Ireland is "NOT" perfect, despite what the MEEJA would have you believe.

Ireland is a deeply flawed country, with a deceptive and deeply dishonest culture, which was allowed to fester since the foundation of the state. Nothing, (REPEATE NOTHING) IS ACCOUNTABLE IN IRELAND, they UNORTUNATELY have an abundance of the fine specimens Anon represents. Thanks for that by the way.

Albert, life is strange.

The Gombeen Man said...

@ Anon. The big difference here is that DC3, and most of us on the blog, are criticising our own country, our own countrypeople and ourselves. Maybe if there had been more self-criticism in Irish life we would not have had all the horrific scandals and we would not be an economic basket case. And remember too, that Irish politicians who have done wrong (Lowry is a case in point, have been re-elected in increased numbers. There are problems, and we must address them. There is a paralysis here, and anyone who criticises Mother Ireland and its mores is fair game, it seems.

@ DC3. There is a serious lack of critical thinking in this country. The educational system has churned out an unthinking populace – for the most part – whose heads are stuffed with rote "learning". And they are the lucky ones. We have very high functional illiteracy levels here in Ireland, and whole swathes of Dublin are populated by an educationally deprived class who do not even trouble the Official Ireland radar. The elites are the loudest in this country.

Let's hope the Senate gets scrapped and at least a few of them are out on their arses.


@ Albert Hall. I'm sorry to hear about 2008, Albert. I can only imagine how awful that must be.

I hope it al works out for you back here – at least you are not in the jobs market, which is an advantage. Property-wise, I suspect there could be a bit of a dead-cat-bounce thing going on here at the mo', so if you're thinking of buying you might look into it (lots of Nama properties to hit the market, and repossessions to take place).

Other than that, if your mates are here it's probably the place for you - if you can ignore all the rest!



DC3 said...

Thanks for been asleep at the wheel there GM. Good to know I'm despised of by the Blogs biggest haters;) I can sleep easy at night knowing if or when they get their emerald Jackboot state (Nazis without even the pretence of a brain) I'll be the first to be disposed of.

I hate bullies and all ilk of Neo Nazis and they hate me. Simples.

Albert, my commiserations to you Sir.

The Gombeen Man said...

@ DC3. Think I was asleep in bed, to be honest!! They're out there, I'm afraid. But nice to be able to get up their noses.

Nenad said...

Anonymous said...
So tell me DC3, as Rolf Harris might say... Can you tell what you are Yet? I'll give you a clue. It begins with an R :)

Well I can tell you Anon what you are and it begins with an A :)

btw: Why don't you ask the Aussies what they think about the irish? Aah, I know because they are all racists ...

cheers from Germany

DC3 said...

"Think I was asleep in bed, to be honest!!" Yeah GM I trust you;)

Nenad thanks or that. I'd say you're glad to be out of it!

Nenad said...

DC3, I'm a happy man ... a happy camper. Said it already and will say it all over again: Germany is paradise!

cheers lads :)

Anonymous said...

If only you had 'old Ireland' ---- > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4CPezSV198

DC3 said...

@ANON ---From the song--- "Nothing to hold on to Nothing to trust
Nothing but chains" Two words "tolpuddle martyrs." Social agitation gives way to moral consequences and acceptance and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of reality.

Nope, Ireland is not England. The good lands of England produced continuity and decency. Albeit far from perfect. There is HONESTY in the English psyche while the Irish have the opposite.

Irish history is one of manipulation, and fobbing off reality for the betterment of a cutehoor elite and rump of population. They have brain washed a willing population into believing black is white. Funny feeling I'm too close to the nerve again.

DC3 said...

Thanks Nenad. Glad for you. Lucky you!

The Gombeen Man said...

Yes Nenad. Lucky you. Good to hear from you by the way - glad you still have some sympathy for we poor sods on Gombeen Nation and are still tuning into the madness of our little land.

Oh, they voted to keep the Senate! Here's their chance to kick a section of the elite out of office and they spurn it. You're better off out of the place, my friend.

Nenad said...

Thanks lads! I have to tell you something. It might sound stupid but: when we left the ferry in France after our voyage from Roslare to Roscow I felt like being released from prison! Now back in Germany I realize that for the last 9 years I was living in a vacuum, not able to breathe or move. I didn't realize that from the beginning but the vacuum closed in year after year. In the end I felt like living on Alcatraz!

In my point of view Ireland is like a huge mental institution managed by a bunch of crooks who are crazier than the inpatients. To know that for a short while I was one of them left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Of course there are decent people in this country but they wont make any difference I'm afraid to say.

So much from a Kraut who will never ever go back again ...

Jim Spriggs said...

The headline of the article should be changed to Ireland is Dead. It has been dead since the foundation of the ridiculous little "Free" State and subsequent Banana "Republic". It was dead during the years of Rome and Dev rule. It was dead as the swathes of immigration left for a better life over the decades. It was dead during the years of what I prefer to term the Gombeen Tiger, when the, as usual, unthinking citizens were sold a pup about the "transformation" of the BR into something it wasn't and could never be, and it is surely dead now as emigration is ceaseless, along with a booming birthrate in the midst of penury.
It was all so bad under the Brits, though, wasn't it? At least we can all still cling to that going on a hundred years later.