Ireland - Back to the Arsehole of Nowhere
My bloggy friend Thrifty posted a link on Facebook -
which is an article from the Irish Times about the recent HUGE exodus of Irish people from the Emerald Isle. I've ranted about my love hate relationship with Ireland before -> here. When I first read the stories I thought to myself, shite - this is identical to my own set of reasons for leaving Ireland in 1988. I felt sorry for the new generation who would have to retrace my steps to find a better life. Ireland is fucked yet again - despite being the strongest economy in Europe only a short time ago. Celtic Tiger me arse - Kitten in a sack drowning in the river more like it!
Irish Work Ethic - Celtic TigerWhat went wrong?
Who fucked up?
Where do we go from here?
Good questions - which need answers and certain politicians and businessmen to be held ACCOUNTABLE!...but fat chance given Irish history of apathy and tolerance of fuckwads and being fucked over! - Granted, it's a role of the dice as to which political party is more corrupt.
This may seem a tad harsh and inconsiderate but these new emigrants will have it somewhat easier than in 'my day' because when I was a lad there was NO....
- Skype for cheap calls home
- Internet for emails home or to contact peeps in the country you were visiting
- Facebook for keeping in touch with friends and posting photos
- Budget airlines for cheap flights home and away
- Savings from when the economy was good
- Network of established successful Mick /Paddys to welcome you with open arms
- Exposure to foreign cultures - a black person in Ireland in 1988 was either a visiting diplomat or a Nigerian prophet
Most of these folks are walking into pre-arranged legit well paid overseas jobs and a welcoming reception from a network of established expats.
1980's expats walked into a black hole of uncertainty and frequent resentment from the local community with minimal and SLOW communication / travel mediums to home.
Don't get me wrong - I wish them much success and I wish they didn't have to leave home in the first place but they're actually half way up the ladder already. Get OUT of Ireland and you are better off - FACT! SAD! but TRUE!
So what's my point? - I'm horribly disappointed my country has fallen from amazing success, back into the abyss of poverty which drove me to leave my home in the first place. I'm glad I left and I'll likely never return to live there again - visit - yes sure, of course.
Even my parents told me tonight on the phone (Skype) they are glad I'm not living there and it's not because I'm an unruly delinquent but because it's a morbidly depressing place to be right now - suicide rates are sky high? - [Update: up 43% year on year - according to official statistics] - I hate to project such negativity about my place of birth but it's a frikkin' mess and I feel even more detached from it now. Am I alone?
Tags: ..Ireland - Back to the Arsehole of Nowhere..
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15 comments:
It's a weird one. On the one hand I think there is an eagerness for change in my segment of the population and younger, but no clear mechanism for achieving that change leading to apathy. There is great anger which is being skillfully directed by the vested interests into harmless bitching and begrudgery. The simple solution is to feck off out of the place, certainly for those younger than myself who don't have kids. And even I will consider it if they start putting punitive taxes in place to help their mates out. If there was one person, just one person whose interests were not so tied up in the status quo and stood up to tell it like it really is then I reckon people would rally around them and we'd have a good old fashioned torch and pitchfork party with hell to pay, but that is looking less and less likely. No, it's a bad place. It was still a bad place in the boom in my view, just made tolerable because you could buy lots of ooobnoxious tat
It is disappointing that the consensus of discontent cannot be channelled into a force for change but even in Argentina where they frequently take to the streets and have been known to topple governments the replacement regime is no better and often sadly worse.
I think we need to wipe the slate clean and let new blood into the system - set up some STRICT controls and laws to monitor /punish finance abuse.
I have a dream....and will keep dreaming!
You are not alone.
Our plan, as rough as it was, was to be back in Ireland by now.
That won't happen for years at least now, if ever.
(suicide rates up 43% this year)
@ Xbox: I didn't realize it was 43% - f#ckin crazy!
Strictly speaking thats the first half of 2009 vs the first half of 2008. So we could still make some gains on that (that's in bad taste isn't it?)
There's always room for improvement! - now that WAS in bad taste
I honestly think that Europe as a whole is clusterfucked :(
We all have critical things to say about our own country. I for one don't really care to live in the U.S. for a long long time, if ever.
As long as the bank account can hold up, life seems much more interesting getting to know different lands, languages, food (but I'll leave the penis fancy to you), and people.
@ Nicole: I think you are spot on
@ Ted: I think it's hard to fit back in when you've had the perspective of living away. You tend to see the 'bad' things more easily. I'm with you on the exploration. p.s. I did not touch the 'Penis'!
Glad I'm out of it. Love to visit. Living there (having lived in a country which has a functioning economy + democracy) would drive me nuts.
Agree with you 100% re Skype, Email, cheap airfares etc.
I don't have any personal experience of the situation down south but the country certainly looks pretty fucked from where I'm standing. Not surprising so many are emigrating. So many of the politicians are obviously corrupt or incompetent. The situation in the UK isn't much better, equally useless politicos all busy lining their own pockets.
The wonderful Thrifty who's blog is no more is a regular correspondant of mine. He put me onto the "Addicted to Money" show which is just airing here in the Antipodes. There is a depression of mind in Ireland that I don't 'feel' in any other country. I have a 21 year old friend who can't wait to get out of the place. Such a shame that that the brain drain will see you lose your engineers, doctors etc. Can I be rude? I think the Irish complain too much instead of 'acting'. Enda you're right they don't protest because they think it's ineffective, they just moan. You're only hope is your vote whenever the next election takes place. A crowd becomes a mob, a mob becomes a movement . . rally people!
@ Wandrmom: I also feel bad for the folks who moved back during the Celtic Tiger and will now have to move out again
@ Nick: Unfortunately it seems to be a global problem of political corruption - not great for the emigrants as they may be out of frying pan into the fire
@ Baino: Yes we Irish are famous for recalling our tales of woe but usually hope it fixes itself which of course it never does. One of the problems with the power of the vote is there is no feasible alternative being offered up and changing the current muppets will just usher in another crowd of muppets waiting to line the coffers
20 years out of Ireland and here in the US. Left during the last f@#k up by a government that could see what was wrong in the county. Now another has f@#ked the country up even more. I wanted to come home, but to be honest, why would I bother at this point. There's nothing there but a shell of a country run by a bunch or idiots who only care about themselves and their mates. Goodbye Ireland, I'll never return to your shores to live. I'll pop in from time to time to visit only to get ripped off and wonder why the f@#k I went home for a holiday in the first place. It's a kip run by idiots, and I am afraid nothing will ever change. Will someone turn the lights out when the leave please. Tanks.....
@Anony - shame our country can't offer more to expats - your not alone in isolation and resentment
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