Ireland's new, great calamity - time for diaspora to intervene

Posted on Friday, February 11, 2011 at 02:06 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

6 Comments

RSS

Archives

Something's gone wrong, hasn't it? Deeply, unimaginably wrong.

The news reports lay the facts out for you: how the Irish bankers and property developers lost the run of themselves, how the Irish government looked the other way, and how the Irish taxpayers got stuck with the bill.

We're over-familiar with the plot and its consequences at this point. But it's still only half the story. There's a story that's happening in every town and village in Ireland but isn't being reported in the papers yet.

It's hard to assess a moment of history whilst it's still unfolding, but this is a moment to try. Ireland's facing a crisis of almost unprecedented proportions, on almost every front: politically, economically, socially - and, since everything connects - spiritually. And here's the lesson of the last few years: it won't fix itself.

If we've learned anything in the past few years it's this - don't just leave it to the Irish political establishment to produce a result different from the ones they always have. The times are asking - in fact they're demanding - a solution that's politically far reaching than just sleepwalking into a Fine Gale/Labour coalition.

If there's ever been a time we disrupt the reflexive conservatism of our political parties it's now, because it was precisely that kind of small time thinking got us into this mess.

If there's ever been a time for us to grapple with our recent history and plot a new future for our nation it's now.

The time has come for the Diaspora to intervene and help determine the political and economic direction of our homeland. That mean's amending the law to vote in general elections. But that's only a start.

It's quite hard to see at this moment in time, but those spendthrift banks and property developers and those Irish politicians have done something so profound and far reaching to Irish society that it staggers the senses: they've created a moment of crisis and calamity in Ireland the like of which has not been seen since the 19th century.

It's as bad as that. It's time we said so. It's time for us all to get involved.

E-mail

6 Comments

See all comments

GeorgeDillon | Feb 16, 2011, 05:40 PM EST

You have your beloved Fianna Fail the Mass Immigration Party to thank for this. Don't be so ungrateful.

Report abuse

maloney | Feb 14, 2011, 08:23 PM EST

More deleted posts. Keep up the good work IC. Nazi's in pink.

Report abuse

BARNEYKX | Feb 12, 2011, 04:37 PM EST

The greatest calamity we have are the money grabbing senators etc they would make Al Capone look like an alterboy it was obivious to every tom dick and harry they were in it for themselves, a TD, salary, then an allowance for turning up, then an allowance for travel, then an office allowance, then a secretarial allowance, then if on a committe another allowance, then if a junior minister a pay increase, a full minister a bigger pay increase, a big car with driver, then when booted out another big pay off. Everyone knew this was going on and still we voted them in. And what will happen this time? The same thing again. We are suckers. I will finish with one simple observation, any TD worth his salt with some integrity would not allow schools in this country to be worse than 3rd world when all the money was slushing around.

Report abuse

BARNEYKX | Feb 11, 2011, 03:15 PM EST

and they get away with it

Report abuse

BARNEYKX | Feb 11, 2011, 03:15 PM EST

money laundering is rife in ireland polititions and bankers head the list

Report abuse

frankie1947 | Feb 11, 2011, 01:37 PM EST

Looks like all Politicians are bad in the world today power is all that concerns them not the well being of the people.

Report abuse