Ireland ranks as the 12th best place to be born in the Economist’s 2013 Lottery of Life

By the way, IC, please can you make clear your policies and procedures regarding posting comments to the site. It seems totally random. My post below to a thread from a couple of days ago sailed through. On the other hand I've been trying to post a reply to Barneyjoe for 2 days. Are there limits on words per post? Do you ever close down threads? Are there certain hours when comments won't get posted? A little clarification would go a long way. Thanks

Nice post, EamonnDublin. Being English with proud Irish blood, and now residing in the States, I love to visit Ireland. And I not only agree with Eamonn12, but have witnessed it first hand. Have spent most of the last 15 years living or working in Latin America, and the people's warmth and joy of life is contagious. Despite their social problems, I'd take living in a colorful, culturally rich, happy country like Mexico over Norway every time.

Now we know why more than a million foreign migrants have colonized Ireland in the past decade or so.

From one Eamonn to another...I agree wholeheartedly. Some of the happiest nations on earth are poor. Mexico for example.

Fairplay Eamonn, Happy Christmas mate

Irish Central really is an amazing piece of work. Quotations from the above article: "Obviously, the survey is rather subjective" , "Ireland has recently experienced a boost in its aviation industry, which might have helped push it up the list" , "Ireland should receive a boost in tourism revenue from The Gathering in 2013". All these gratuitous comments are pointedly suggesting that, but for these factors, Ireland would be (much) further down the list. Surely, Irish Central is aware that, time after time, Ireland does very well in happiness leagues. Surely Irish Central is aware that, despite the economic downturn, Irish people in general have retained our sense of humour, our ability to enjoy life, our sense of optimism, our recognition that money isn't everything, our sadness at having to leave, our desire to return home, our total love for our home country despite its problems. Irish Central consistently tries to knock down the image of Ireland abroad. In this it is aided and abetted by a certain few on these boards who appear to have a self-hatred affliction. Ireland is a great place to live, and the vast majority of us who are lucky enough to be here are very happy. For all our Irish family abroad, I trust you are also all happy where you are, and, if at some stage you want to return to Ireland, that you manage to do so. Oh, and by the way, to all the knockers of Ireland out there, don't bother trying to annoy me by insulting my country. I love it, I'm proud to be Irish, and NOTHING you say will make even the smallest dent in that. With Love to ALL Proud Irish men and Irish women. Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.