75 Comments

• GeorgeDillon | May 06, 2012, 10:23 AM EDT

  CasualMBA: I am interested in your story about Chapel Hill School District dropping Chinese. (I did some graduate study at UNC-Chapel Hill---Go Tar Heels!). I tried to google the story but can't find it. Any chance you could give us your source. I think investing in Chinese is a waste of time, be it in Ireland or the US. Most Chinese would prefer us to speak to them in English. The ones high up the totem pole are the likeliest to speak good English. Lower down, they won't speak English, but who needs low level employees to make a deal? Further, Chinese is of little value outside China-- it's not a lingua franca like English, French, Arabic or Spanish are. The only reason to learn Chinese is if you're going to be living in China for a considerable time. In fact that's probably the only way to learn it! Of course the day you leave China is the day your Chinese skills start to deteriorate. Also, Chinese has little transfer value. Learning Chinese doesn't help with other languages, unless you mean tone languages, and there aren't many of these that people would want to learn. And then there's the Opportunity Cost. To learn Chinese well, including reading and writing, you'd need to spend many years working on it intensively. During those same years you could master Spanish and French, or make significant progress in Arabic or Irish. Or master something completely different--quantum mechanics, or Surrealist Art! There's already a billion and a half Chinese speakers in the world. We don't need any more.

• Curitiba | May 06, 2012, 10:12 AM EDT

  You base your entire identity on and accent. I've always fancied working in New York, so I'm going to perfect an American one. They'll have to let me in then, won't they? I am sure you have had a hard day studying yesterday, so I'm not going to argue with you, I'm going to give you a chance to come up with a better one that that.

• ciaradexy | May 06, 2012, 07:40 AM EDT

  Those of us from ireland have a very strong identity which is why we dont consider those who arent from Ireland as Irish! When I travel and I hear an irish accent, I can be assured that that accent is coming from someone I will have lots in common with and we will have plenty to chat about in regards home (Ireland). If I hear your accent I will hear a London accent, we will probably chat and as you are not from Ireland, you will be English to us. Its not rocket science.

• ciaradexy | May 06, 2012, 07:36 AM EDT

  If youre not from Ireland then youre not Irish.

• Curitiba | May 05, 2012, 06:52 PM EDT

  What a load of rubbish. People who are born abroad of irish parents are Irish, end of. Are you seriously suggesting that somebody born in Spain or Saudi Arabia of irish parents are Spanish or Saudi? You plastic paddy mates might be scared stiff of a tongue lashing from you for asserting their Irish identity, but I most certainly am not. I am trying to disprove the theory put about by you that the Irish identity is the weakest in the world. En garde!

• ciaradexy | May 05, 2012, 05:52 PM EDT

  And Ancavker, as for your lady gaga statement, shes popular all over the world so I have no idea why you felt the need to mention that. Irish music isnt a niche, its part of everyday culture here. The Chieftans were on Jools Holland last weekend, Damien Dempsey plays trad, Delorentos sing in irish as do lots of contemporary irish bands and musicians. its not a secret group. Trad music is out there every single day, not just when the tourists are out but again, you dont live here so you wouldnt know that whereas those of us in Dublin city centre every day of the working week and the west and south of the country at the weekends are well aware of it and we are well use to it.

• ciaradexy | May 05, 2012, 05:48 PM EDT

  Sirpete, I speak from experience of being irish born and bred unlike the foreigners on this site who assume to know everything about the Irish. Someone Irish dancing in England with an English accent will still be called Englsih when theyre here. If their mates in England call them Irish then great but if the irish dont consider you Irish, then youre not. Ancavker, I have plenty of English mates with irish parents, they are English not irish and they arent as stupid as Americans who like to tell us theyre Irish. we dont care because they aren't Irish at all! The reason i mentioned British is because anyone born in Britain is British so Curibita is British! My dad is from Monaghan, that doesn't mean that when i go to Monaghan i tell the locals Im also from Monaghan. My dad is, end of discussion.

• Curitiba | May 05, 2012, 12:40 PM EDT

  Agree with you 100%, ancavker.

• ancavker | May 05, 2012, 10:21 AM EDT

  curtiba: Don't worry the Plastic Paddies in England and the Dumb Yanks in the U.S. are doing a fine job keeping the culture alive, and we can be proud of that, The Irish in Ireland can have Lady Gaga and Jedward, we in both the U.S. and England will take care of the culture.

• ancavker | May 05, 2012, 10:18 AM EDT

  ciara: You are full of honey now dear.I am in England alot on business, and many, many ENglish people of Irish descent identify as Irish. Obviously you don't know the country as much as you claim you do. Oh and news flash most English people identify as English, not British. British is just on the passport dear.

• Curitiba | May 05, 2012, 05:24 AM EDT

  I thought Ciaradexy was Queen of Ireland and you all had to obey her and agree with her opinions, sirpeter? That's the impression I get from her.

• sirpeter | May 04, 2012, 10:18 PM EDT

  ciaradexy.But in all fairness every comment you make about everything is your own opinion,which is grand.But you do have to have general agreement by lots of other humans before your opinion becomes valid to the rest of us ;))

• Curitiba | May 04, 2012, 06:44 PM EDT

  I find it quite sad that people feel that the Irish identity is so weak it is dissolved completely by being born abroad. I have never met a person of another ethnic background that feels that way about their diaspora. That we have no right to live and celebrate our inherited culture abroad. Only Irish people have this attitude, nobody else.

• Curitiba | May 04, 2012, 06:31 PM EDT

  I'm not the first, Ciara (my school was stuffed full of them), but I am certainly the most outspoken on this subject. But they spend their time writing to the Irish Post, rather than embracing modern electronic media. For your central argument to hold water, there has to be no such thing as Irish people, only people who live in Ireland. And if that is the case, Ireland is simply a club that anyone can join, and everyone who lives there is just as Irish as each other, no matter if they can trace their ancestors back to the 14th century, or last week. So in that case, I could move back to Ireland, and be just as irish as you in that case. But i don't believe in all that rubbish. The Irish ethnic identity is one of common ancestry. The glue that holds most ethnic groups together and maintain their identity at home and abroad consists of the language, culture and religion. The language is nearly extinct, the religion is gone, and the culture is similar to other European nations, so there is not a lot left to hold Irish communities together beyond the 2nd or 3rd generations.

• ciaradexy | May 04, 2012, 05:11 PM EDT

  I know youve missed me but I have 2 jobs and Im studying! Im a very busy person!

• ciaradexy | May 04, 2012, 05:07 PM EDT

  Most people on here who arent Irish would do better to worry about their own countries rather than one that they neither were born nor raised in nor live in! Australians with irish links do not go on in anyway shape or form like Americans do and neither do Canadians or Kiwis. You are the first British person I have ever come across who considers themselves Irish. It was an American phenomenon till I saw this site.

• Curitiba | May 04, 2012, 04:54 PM EDT

  Not only glamourous, but modest too, Ciara. I like this website, because it allows me to debate with the widest number of Irish people worldwide. We are all shaped by our enviroment, but underneath, we share a common background. Different interpretations of Irish identity and culture, that is what I am really interested in. I like to hear of the American experience, the British experience, the Aussie one, and it would be fascinating to hear the experience of those who have settled and started irish communities in less conventional places. If I see something that journal.ie that I can comment on, I shall. I agree that some of the posters on here could do with improving their writing skills, but others are very good and convey their opinions and experiences well.

• ciaradexy | May 04, 2012, 04:42 PM EDT

  I may have english ancestry, I dont know. My family has been traced back to the 14th century so the English could have got in there but it doesnt matter. I'm a born & bred Paddy!

• ciaradexy | May 04, 2012, 04:34 PM EDT

  Curitiba, check out the journal.ie if you want to debate with Irish people in regards Ireland and Irish events rather than Americans who havent a clue.

• ciaradexy | May 04, 2012, 04:30 PM EDT

  Glamorous websites? I dont do glamour! Im well aware of my limitations! The UK didnt have to give us an emergency loan.You gave us a loan because we are your closest trading partners and our economies are very closely linked. We are your biggest market so it was in your countries best interest that we were given a loan and you are getting it back with massive interest so it wasnt for altruistic reasons! If we do well with the Chinese are you afraid that we wont have a reason do deal with the UK? How come only now you've decided that you were born in Ireland? You said before that you had worked in for a bit but didnt fit in. Why the place of birth issue now? Is it because you just made it up?

• Curitiba | May 04, 2012, 03:56 PM EDT

  You must be mistaking me for a proper English person, Ciara. I don't support warmongering at all. In fact, most genuine English people I have discussed this with think this whole invading foreign countries lark is completely insane and don't actually know why the UK is involved at all. It is just a politicians folly, politicians I didn't vote for. You are mistaken when you say that events in Ireland have no effect on the UK at all. Leaving aside the fact I was only born there, and have as much English ancestry as you do (you might have more, how would I know?) even if I was an indigeneous English person, with no interest at all in Ireland, Ireland in our nearest neighbour, with a large part of it ruled by this country. If you decided to turn communist, or sell Ireland to the Chinese, that would be of enormous concern to the UK. Ireland's near-bankruptcy and abandonment by Berlin resulted in the Treasury having to make an emergency multibillion pound loan. If Ireland failed financially, that would have a massive knock-on effect for the UK, possibly dragging it down as well. Nice to have you back Ciara, I thought you'd found a more glamorous website to post your thoroughly entertaining but completely absurd political opinions on! ;)

• ciaradexy | May 04, 2012, 03:21 PM EDT

  Aw, isnt it lovely how all you foreigners have such concern for us! It really is wonderful! thanks!

• ciaradexy | May 04, 2012, 03:05 PM EDT

  Curitiba, as a Brit, who has your country sold out to? Oh thats right, you supported the US invasion of Iraq under the guise of WMDs! Seriously, worry about your own house before worrying about mine. You tell us that we rely on the Brits or the US too much yet when we do business with other countries, you make it sound like we have let you down when it has absolutely no effect on you or your life whatsoever!

• Curitiba | May 04, 2012, 01:13 PM EDT

  Checked it, thanks Bythebay. Took all of 2 seconds. Now back to Ireland and their desperation to sell out to China...

• warrenpoint00 | May 03, 2012, 08:41 PM EDT

  Beautiful , great news for our nation,the most powerful, educated nation in the world is interested in doing business with us , we should be so grateful. Bring it on China.The Irish nation welcomes you.Cead mile failte go China

• Bythebay | May 03, 2012, 07:48 PM EDT

  Curitiba, you need to check the UK's efforts to entice the Chinese there first since that affects you because you live in England. What happens in Ireland doesn't.

• Curitiba | May 03, 2012, 06:17 PM EDT

  No, Bythebay, that's up to China to decide. Nobody says no to China.

• Bythebay | May 03, 2012, 05:57 PM EDT

  MissSusie, you don't pay taxes in Ireland and have no say in what investment Ireland chooses. That's up to the Irish people to decide.

• Curitiba | May 03, 2012, 05:56 PM EDT

  @VonLiebenitz; obviously, you've been following the Chinese colonisation of Africa. No jobs for Africans, China sends its own workers to do the job.

• VonLiebenitz | May 03, 2012, 05:37 PM EDT

  The Chinese will come.And bring their brutal work ethics with them.But they wont hire any Irish workers.Or very few.They will bring their own people to exploit so that their workers can send all their money back to their families in China.Ireland and particularly the Irish people will see little or no benefit from this apart form the legal kick backs the government treasury will receive under the present casino type conditions of doing business(move some numbers make some profit of other peoples hard sweat) and from floating the related stock on the market to further speculate.Private fortunes will be made.Joe Soap will get nothing but a decreased minimum wage and completely broken and useless unions.In fact the only ethic the chinese people possess is more work more money for the rising and ultra rich.Sound familiar?

• casualMBA | May 03, 2012, 04:04 PM EDT

  I didn't connect the dots

• Curitiba | May 03, 2012, 03:56 PM EDT

  Ireland has something China wants, but what is that exactly?

• ciaradexy | May 03, 2012, 02:47 PM EDT

  CasualMBA, are you drunk?

• casualMBA | May 03, 2012, 08:09 AM EDT

  On the question of Athlone’s fertile land, and its proposed use, might I share the case of Chapel Hill/Carrboro Schools? After several years, the school district (of one of the leading universities in the country) has, this year, dropped its Mandarin courses altogether. It has doubled its investment in Spanish courses. How is the industrial park’s proposed bridge to China has not noted the former U.S. Ambassador to China (who speaks, being more than wifi fluent, Chinese) did not make it past the American (therre are some descendants here) New Hampshire primary?

• merefalow | May 03, 2012, 06:21 AM EDT

  i just wonder what all the wars were fought for,to prevent invasion?,to prevent being over run?by a foreign nation?,in which case most countries have failed,become dumping grounds for an overpopulated world,with their nationalism and individuality sacrificed on the altars of multiculturalism,political correctness and diversity,do you really believe that all the young men who sacrificed their lives in the first and second world wars would have been willing to die for what the polititions have turned their countrys into,incidently without a vote on whether they wanted mass uncontrolled no border immigration policies.

• IrelandNorth | May 03, 2012, 05:50 AM EDT

  JaneWalsh! Of the 1,530 (100%) jobs created initially, 1,020 (2/3 or 66%) would be for Irish-Europeans. Of these, 255 (1/4 or 25%) would be for Ulster/Northern Irelander's! borefield! I wonder will A07/BB/BTB/SS&c. remind you that they're from Northern Ireland (NI), which is considered a different country. Come to think of it, why don't the Chinese just buy NI en masse from the British, thereby solving the partition problem in one transaction? PatriciaMarya! Tao, (pron. Dao), China's folk wisdom is anything other than about controlling nature. It's about going with the flow of life - the doctrine of non-resistance. I think you're Confusioning(?) it with Mao's Little Red Book. Chinese students and workers have been very visible in Ireland over the last 10-15 years, most of them female from their surplus domestic quotas. Methinks a new breed of Chirish/Irishese is being eugenicised which, in generations to come, will be able to sit on the banks of the Shannon and give an emotive rendition of: "I'll take ya home ag'in - May Ping, to downtown Guangdong where yer Granny came from!"

• bogsidebunny | May 03, 2012, 03:41 AM EDT

  China will own Ireland sooner than later. It's a case of an instant gratification driven, infantile culture being dominated by a well disciplined, industrious society willing to work hard, sacrifice and deny themselves of "I want it now" pleasure for a long term, moderate lifestyle.

• YelmIrish | May 02, 2012, 11:28 PM EDT

  It looks like a tumor on the green countryside and the Chinese only serve themselves and no other - this is _NOT_ for the benefit of the Irish - in fact, it is a beginning of an end if that god-cursed thing manifests itself.

• Katecait | May 02, 2012, 10:07 PM EDT

  Such a shame.

• sirpeter | May 02, 2012, 09:59 PM EDT

  MissSusie.I'm Irish living in Ireland and I have the Irish accent and all.You are new here and you seem nice.It is best you leave and never come back.This site will not be good for you.Don't say I didn't warn ya Susie ;))

• MissSusie | May 02, 2012, 09:12 PM EDT

  Isn't Warren Buffet and his wife interested in investing in Ireland? Along with Donald Trump and his son-in-law in Scotland?

• MissSusie | May 02, 2012, 08:59 PM EDT

  Where IS Waterford being made now, by the way?

• MissSusie | May 02, 2012, 08:56 PM EDT

  Bythbay: Not that this is any of MY business, but I work in retail and just about EVERYTHING sold in the USA is made in China (Sadly). Americans are not bigoted, either. They are more tolerant than you think. Diagreeing with other political views does not make someone a bigot. Is Waterford Crystal made in China?

• MissSusie | May 02, 2012, 08:45 PM EDT

  Dear Bythebay: We are Irish Americans, too. Ireland has no idea of what they are in for. Americans think Ireland should wake up! You have a beautiful country!

• casualMBA | May 02, 2012, 08:09 PM EDT

  Not to be a tree hugger (God bless Dr. Eoin McKiernan’s forestry projects,) but the conversion of natural resources into capital – be it the last remaining global scale rainforests in the Congo or the modern Burma, Cork’s soon to be exploited oil fields, Athlone’s “token” resource of 100 acres to a super-power conglomerate, – brings with it, on occasion, significant unintended consequences for society … the hounds are rightly loosed on this Chinese fox, and his Gaelic aristocracy accomplices…do I detect some established and, of course, devout, Anglo-Ascendancy pillars behind the scenes?…business is business, boys. I agree. Just the same, does Ireland’s version of business have no conscience?...the Chinese will pave Africa in the next forty years…does Ireland need to quadruple its’ roundabouts?... And become a global “Melting Pot?”…All while putting its own house (to include the Fitzgeralds/ confiscated lands in southwest Ireland) in order?

• aloistmartin | May 02, 2012, 06:41 PM EDT

  Those Who Will Not Learn From History. Will Help The Peoples Republic of China conspire a better Tomorrow ~

• casualMBA | May 02, 2012, 05:47 PM EDT

  At the risk of "piling on," By the Bay, there is more to distance than geography. The bridge and agreement of Athlone to invite, in effect, a world power (under the guise of business) to conduct a cultural invasion of Ireland would be a mighty shady deal (even when Ireland had forests impenetrable.) Its distance from Cork’s (not confiscated?) oilfields is not that great when comparing the consequences for Ireland’s future…as to Barryroe, I am a Fitzgerald/FitzGerald…while on the topic of successful business (where I am certainly, justifiably, humble enough,) steam engines, railroads and the like, I understand there may be some Rwandan warlords with some spare capital, for some reason… Why not induce them to launch the building of Cork’s new Aberdeen in Imokilly, or some sub-par diocesan investment near the gates of Cork?... My guess would be such Rwandan (Sudanese?) officers would also provide free (as in direct) financing, eliminating the need for London’s, or Europe’s, bankers, and the use of Irish land in southwest Ireland for financial collateral.

• PatriciaMarya | May 02, 2012, 05:45 PM EDT

  Be wary - when the Hong Kong Chinese began their immigration to Vancouver BC, Canada when the Premier there allowed them to buy citizenship if they would create jobs, they created jobs alright - domestics for their oversized homes. In addition, they cut down the exquisite old-growth trees for parking lots for their many cars. Think of Hong Kong - all skyscrapers. When the Chinese need to visit nature, they would get on a ferry and go to an island near Hong Kong to do so. A friend working there told of watching families having picnics in parking lots. I remember visiting the Chinese Center in Vancouver and was told that control over nature is part of the philosophy of the Chinese. That is why they will flood entire villages out and reverse the flow of rivers to meet their commercial enterprises' needs. They have absolutely no compunction about industrial espionage and stealing technology and ideas. Think about the Beijing Olympics - the little girl who was chosen to sing was not atractive enough so she synched the voice for the little girl who was chosen! Please, please be careful, Ireland. Between the Chinese and he Russian Oligarchs who have the cash and not necessarily the respect for what is in existence and respected, Ireland may be rolled over in a way that the Celtic Tiger did not fully destroy. While the wealthy Chinese are installing air-filters in their cars and going to Hong Kong to buy their babies' formula so that it does not contain anti-freeze, the poor of their country cannot do the same. Please, please, Ireland, err on the side of caution and be ahead of the negotiation game. Not that it will come with any guarantees or be honored by them.

• Curitiba | May 02, 2012, 05:42 PM EDT

  Japan was the colonial power in Korea, citizen69, but I suppose you could say China is behind the current partition situation there now, seeing as NK is financed and supplied from Beijing.

• borefield | May 02, 2012, 05:42 PM EDT

  Bythebay, you seem to be the most miserable, discontented person in Ireland. Take a vacation sorry! I mean a Holiday

• citizen69 | May 02, 2012, 05:36 PM EDT

  China has never attacked anyone? Tell that to the people of Tibet, Taiwan, Mongolia & Korea!

• bunkerhill | May 02, 2012, 05:22 PM EDT

  I suppose all of you know that the USA is in debt for billions of dollars borrowed from China. Over one billion highly intelligent Chinese are a part of this world. They have brilliant I.Q's and have been known to work sixteen hours a day to survive. While the tiny nation of Japan went crazy attacking the USA, the huge nation of China has never attacked anyone. The Japanese in the US could never understand the individual Chinese success as you could never get the Chinese to march in line like the Japanese society.China appears to be a matriarcal society much like Ireland, while

• Curitiba | May 02, 2012, 05:10 PM EDT

  There's quite a lot of literature about on the subject of modern Chinese colonialism, Ciara. Not sure that I'd prefer them to the Americans, though. Oh, and welcome back, I thought you'd gone and left us for a more glamorous comments board! ;)

• casualMBA | May 02, 2012, 04:37 PM EDT

  Wait, By the Bay. Let me take a happy pill and grow up...reading your endorsement, to the tune of spurning American Irish, leads me to believe ethnocentricity in Ireland only applies to dealing out Irish Americans (unless they are wealthy) from their heritage.

• Bythebay | May 02, 2012, 03:06 PM EDT

  casualmba, not surprising you don't know where either Athlone or Cork are or Barryroe and you're certainly misinformed if you truly think building would take place in bogs. It's no doubt just your American way of making yourself feel more important!!

• Bythebay | May 02, 2012, 02:48 PM EDT

  iceire57, you aren't asked whether you approve of what's happening in Ireland or not. It's none of your business. Why don't you focus on all that needs to be done in your own country instead mate.

• Bythebay | May 02, 2012, 02:34 PM EDT

  Eamonn12, my sources now tell me you may be correct. No developer has stepped forward to finance the €220 million needed to build the first phase of the project. This site just outside Athlone has to compete with other sites in the UK and mainland Europe. This is the brainchild of former Roscommon County Manager John Tiernan. Planning Permission was sought by Athlone Business Park Ltd, headed by local solicitor Michael O'Sullivan and builder Aidan Kelly. So as you said, we'll see if it really happens.

• iceire57 | May 02, 2012, 01:52 PM EDT

  Okay I am an irish american yank and with that said ye people throwing insults at me and the other yanks on here is immature,not all of us yanks approve of wots going on in ireland,but dont forget it's ireland that is betraying the greyhounds by exporting them to china so next time ye want to throw stones look at ye country first,@ KilkennyCats (like ye handle but not ye insult),and btw I will not allow any product from China in my home especially since they were responsible for the death of my moggie during the pet food recall in 2007,now as far as china is concerned they are a foul people when it comes to animals so beware of ye cats and dogs that may come up missing and become their dinner.

• Bythebay | May 02, 2012, 01:39 PM EDT

  KilkennyCats, so sad to see such continued bigotry coming from you Americans. It certainly warps your thinking.

• Bythebay | May 02, 2012, 01:36 PM EDT

  Eamonn12, this was started under Fianna Fáil to bring development to Athlone for Mary O'Rourke's constituents and who knows whoever owns the land who will make a very tidy profit. It's certainly gone further under Fine Gael so more likelihood of it actually being done.

• casualMBA | May 02, 2012, 01:34 PM EDT

  The Midlands full of Chinese? Drying up the bogs, are we? How far, btw, is this freely financed, Athlone project from Cork's confiscated oilfields?

• TayandCake | May 02, 2012, 01:14 PM EDT

  looks cool, heres hoping

• ciaradexy | May 02, 2012, 12:45 PM EDT

  CelticQueen, your homeland? Youre a yank! As for the Chinese ruling the world? well the US did for years and now its pretty much a mess! At least the Chinese arent religious fundamentalists, christian or muslim!

• Eamonn12 | May 02, 2012, 12:31 PM EDT

  This project will never happen. Ireland is already awash in unused and mothballed business parks. This is just an attempt by FG to fool the populace into thinking "tings are moving along now". Total bruscar.

• Bythebay | May 02, 2012, 11:43 AM EDT

  CelticQueenUSA, isn't the US sending a representative w/entourage to the Miss World competition in China??

• Bythebay | May 02, 2012, 11:40 AM EDT

  cillowen, your comments are always blatantly bigoted.

• Bythebay | May 02, 2012, 11:36 AM EDT

  CelticQueenUSA, the ancient wonderful beauty of your homeland??? Where you don't live? Do you not buy Made in China products in the US???

• CelticQueenUSA | May 02, 2012, 11:08 AM EDT

  First they will destroy the ancient wonderful beauty of my homeland and secondly they are communist! Are you CRAZY!!!! China will own the world and we will all have to learn xx55@@##$$%%&&(())%%. NO THANKS

• Bythebay | May 02, 2012, 10:59 AM EDT

  Ha, ha, will love to see the Americans reaction to this if they come looking for "old Ireland". "Oh, but we thought you all lived in thatched cottages!!!!".

• Searlit | May 02, 2012, 10:54 AM EDT

  Sounds like a Krafty deal. Remember when the Patriots were going to build their stadium in Connecticut?

• KilkennyCats | May 02, 2012, 10:16 AM EDT

  Be careful, or next thing you know they will be changing the name of "A Nation Once Again" to "An Asian Once Again" ... (sorry) ...

• bunkerhill | May 02, 2012, 10:05 AM EDT

  The teaching of the Chinese Language was instituted in Grammar Schools in Chicago years ago under the second Mayor Daly who was a brilliant Mayor. Now it is being proposed in other cities. There are over a billion Chinese and they have the highest I.Q's in the world, many over 200, so high they cannot even be estimated. Does anyone think China can be ignored? Did anyone object when our US government was borrowing billions from them?

• bantaxed | May 02, 2012, 09:58 AM EDT

  Brilliant if it comes off, but I only read this morning that no Chinese companies have been signed up and, more of a spanner in the works, a similar Chinese hub has started in the Wirral near Liverpool, England. Now, will the Chinese come to Athlone in the middle of Ireland or go to England with their better infrastructure????????

• Murph46 | May 02, 2012, 09:47 AM EDT

  Learn to speak Mandarin for your new masters.Those US bashers ,you got your way ,be happy serving Chinese take out!

• bronxjames | May 02, 2012, 09:41 AM EDT

  For God's sake ireland wake the F up. The only jobs that will open will be for the chinese. Obuma did it here in the US. A construction job for a bridge worth roughly 1,000,000,000 dollars was given to china. I got on word for china maybe 2. Your next president will be Ching Chan Ding.