Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins feels shame over Ireland’s greed and arrogance during the ‘Celtic Tiger’

GavinE- Just being honest & telling it as it is...Sadly in Irish Society that is not practiced as well you know son.

TayandCake- Finn McCool was another myth.

seanomelb- Chill out son.

anglo-norman, there are those who never experienced the celtic tiger or took part in the greed bonanza but today are expected to foot the bill for those that did. Not everyone took the jet to NY to buy handbags and Ray Bans or took part in dodgy property deals. These decent people in Ireland have to live with the constant pain of sharing society with these pigs and thats what makes the day so long and frustrating. A savior is needed here, RISE Finn McCool your land calls for you

What anger stupid!! you and your pathetic wee willy hamilton are more to be pitied than laughed at.

Lots of Irish had that attitude during the boom times. We Irish over here saw it all the time. Everything was better, their houses, jobs, and on and on. Still amazed at all the everyday Irish who would hop on a plane to come to NYC to go Christmas shopping.

Which bankers should they start with? The clerks? The tellers? Assistant Managers perhaps? Don't forget those terrible branch office managers who brought down the world economy or maybe start with all the middle managers who have no policy making ability and line them up? Thoughtless comments and finger pointing that includes an awful lot of hard working people who had no ability to impact the issues one way or the other. Stupid.

Úachtarán Ó h'Úigínn/President Higgins was actually born in Limerick (in Munster/southern Ireland). Grew up and was educated in Galway, (in Connacht/western Ireland), and like many others settled in the capitol Dublin (Leinster/eastern Ireland). But just like BBCTVs Jeremy Paxman criticised Tony Blair for apologising for the orchestrated Famine of a previous British administration for which he was personally not responsible, why should His Excellency MDH be ashamed of other people's behaviour? How clinically efficacious is shame about anything or anyone - anyway? I'm glad he qualifies his comments with "some". Here's one "Irish" (sic) who wears the same sized boots for the past 35 years. So include me out! And surely it's not good to loose contact with emigrants - whether they left this year of last century. Or the diaspora for that matter. As president, he's Chief-of-Staff of a standing army of c 14,000 men-at-arms (plus approx 3 times that in reserve). Why not send the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) after the banksters who broke Ireland. No point in having a whip if you don't crack once in a while.

Anglo-norman - Time for a break, Sonny Jim, Son. Before you explode of bitter, septic hatred. Don't be angry, Son, contemplate. Feel the glow. Feel the peace rippling over you, as you dream of tranquility and apple blossom floating in the air. Then wake up and realise you were only having a nightmare. Time to HATE again. Time to REALLY hate. Time to have another geek at Irish Central and try to annoy those stupid Paddies. Go to it, Son.

seanomelb- Keep it intellectual & it will make you less angry son.

Will Hamilton- Great post, Ireland is a shambles & a pathetic joke. Paying this man for a needless office is so stupid.

I'm not your son boyo and I certainly not a victim. I referred only to your mothers milk and its contents which made you bitter and twisted.

No need for Mick to be "embarrassed". If he wants to be embarrassed, he should reflect on his live on air exhibition of shouting at an American guest on Irish radio, that the guest and people like him are "w*nkers". Now, Mick, why would you feel "embarrassed" about the rest of us? We are well embarrassed having YOU for a president.

This website seems to be hosting and ever increasing number of angry, anti-Irish, anti-Catholic people with an agenda. Some apparently have psychological issues with no restraint on their hatred and invective. The level of discourse has declined to the point where rationality, logic and the treatment of facts (if any are presented at all) is an embarrassment.

President Neckless the two faced hypocrite. He should look at his own wages and the fact he occupies a completely useless office. Anyone with any sense is getting off this shambles of an island as soon as they can. The leader of this banana republic gets paid nine times more than the leader of Australia. It's very easy for Hop-Along Higgins to waffle about "the past" but he made sure not to say anything about his own gang running the country now.