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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Irish leaving like they left before -- sad exodus signals end of Celtic Tiger

Posted on Sunday, October 03, 2010 at 10:13 PM

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Dublin: Up to 6,000 Irish lined up in mixed weather conditions this weekend to seek out jobs abroad.

The long lines outside the Royal Dublin Society building in Ballsbridge for a jobs abroad fair reminded me somewhat of the Great Depression and brought home the human impact of the Irish financial crisis.

Every media outlet in Ireland drones on and on about the banking crisis but you never get to see the trickle down effects until you stand with the people lining up to leave Ireland once again.

It is estimated up to 200,000 could leave during this current recession.

The age average at the fair skewed surprisingly older. I would have expected young men and women but there were many in their thirties and forties.

They were underwater financially because their only investment, their house, was now worth less than the mortgage they were paying on it.

For them the reality was incredibly harsh. Many were taking young children with them, starting a new life but never wanting to abandon the old.

I couldn’t help but wonder what the $65 billion the Irish government will sink into saving their banking system would have done for the Irish like those leaving, if it had been spent on them and infrastructure and creating jobs.

I often wonder the same when I look at the cost of the Iraq war and the Afghanistan theater.

What would the U.S look like today if we weren’t spending just billions on an increasingly futile exercise?

The jobs at the Irish fair on offer were mostly in Canada and Australia, two countries that avoided the excesses of the downturn by having basic banking safeguards in place.

How much better would our world be if the US, and Ireland and the other reckless splurgers had used such restraint themselves?

The fair was a sad mirror image of an event my newspaper Irish Voice co-hosted in Manhattan about six years ago.

Back then, in conjunction with the Irish jobs agency FAS, we hosted an Irish jobs fair for Americans who were anxious to work in Ireland.

It was a time when the good times were still rolling, when property values were in the stratosphere and all seemed well with the Celtic Tiger.

Jobs were plentiful in Ireland and even the influx of European workers to Ireland were not enough to keep the labor rolls filled.

The Americans came in their thousands to the job fair, ready willing and anxious to work in Ireland, to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

It was an extraordinary feeling, seeing history placed on its head and the reverse of what had happened for generations suddenly come through.

It all came crashing down of course and the grim tide of the new economic reality came washing over Ireland again.

It will be a cold day in hell I think when another Irish jobs fair is held in America.

More’s the pity though. It was an amazing turnabout while it lasted.

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ancavker | Oct 08, 2010, 11:09 AM EDT

Dennis Q. It is sad but true. And when they come here,it is the same attitude. many of them despise Irish-Americans, and as I said they have open contempt for the music, language,and football/hurling. As so many have said to me over the years who cares about that "oul'd sh@#**e! And yet many congregate in neighborhoods that are considered Irish-American.They can ape and mimic English or American popular culture, yet they rage against Irish- Americans many who genuinely embrace Irish culture, and have done much to keep it alive. They don't want it, yet we cannot have it either. Sorry to be so bitter, but the last crowd who came out in the 80's and early 90's, left a bitter taste with many Irish-Americans. Not to mention of course if were not for the herculean efforts made by the Irish-American community and political representatives that crowd would not have gotten their Green Cards making them legal.

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DennisQ | Oct 08, 2010, 06:38 AM EDT

I've heard that before, ancavker. In fact I've heard the young Irish who congregate at the weekend dances at San Francisco's Irish Cultural Center called "Eurotrash."

I think of Eurotrash as people with money and no values. Perhaps the new Eurotrash have neither.

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ancavker | Oct 07, 2010, 09:47 AM EDT

The Irish in Ireland are not that Irish any more, and in fact time and time again I have seen open hostility and attempt to anything Irish, the music, language, football/hurling. The Irish are much more interested in embracing what passes for culture in England or America.

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DennisQ | Oct 07, 2010, 02:26 AM EDT

One thing we know now that we didn't know before . . . you don't need to be physically present in Ireland to stay Irish. Communications being what they are today, you're just as Irish in Timbuktu as if you'd stayed in Gort na Móna.

Incidentally, one reason the right wing government of Israel goes unchecked is that "two passport" Jews aren't committed to staying there. Netanyahu seems bent on provoking a war with one Arab group or another and nobody stops him, because if war comes they're headed back where they came from.

I like the Wolfe Tones' song comparing the journey of today's emigrés to the flight of the Earls - those big airplanes go both ways. Of course, when the Yanks get back to Gort na Móna, they'll say, "This is a grand place to visit, but I'm glad we don't live here anymore."

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lostgold | Oct 05, 2010, 09:44 PM EDT

If the Irish government at home is content too see its people immigrate as economic chattel on the world market than its time for the Irish abroad to become creative and start forming an organization similar to the Zionist organization that created the state of Israel. An organization to promote immigration back to Ireland by Irish people and the buying of land to be held in common for all the people as well as the establishment of factories and industries in the country. Not relying on foreign non-Irish investment which will only leave the country when there is no profits. Right now Ireland is the Mexico of Europe without a surplus population. It is a vassel divided state unable to hold its population when times get rough. Immigration has become a knee jerk reaction to hard times for the Irish. Of what use are Irish organizations in the United States and elsewhere if they don't take a serious and active interest in this constant bleeding of a nations people through immigration.

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MCIRISH | Oct 05, 2010, 05:13 PM EDT

IT IS A SAD DAY FOR IRELAND AND THE US THAT GREED OF A FEW HAS RUINED SO MANY LIVES. WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE ROBBER BARONS HAVE DESTROYED THE MIDDLE CLASS. THERE ARE TOO MANY BEAN COUNTERS AND NOTHING FOR THE BEAN PICKERS. WHEN

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ancavker | Oct 05, 2010, 12:12 PM EDT

sirpeter: The irish do need to grow up and take responsibility for their country now. They have had every advantage and opportunity now that my Irish born parents generation did not have.Plus alot of Irish-Americans are ambivalent about the current economic situation over there. That comes from years of being abused and ridiculed by the so called educated new, better Irish. You know what they say about payback.

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ancavker | Oct 05, 2010, 12:04 PM EDT

applehuice: Northern Ireland may not have a net emigration any more, because they have a massive welfare ssytem in place,a md most employment is in the government. Comparing a failed entity like No. Ireland to the Republic is simply unfair.

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ancavker | Oct 05, 2010, 11:58 AM EDT

Why do the Irish have to flee because there is a downturn in their economy? Spain and Greece are also in dire economic straits, are their people fleeing as well? With all due respect lets not blame just the irish government. Many irish people knowlingy and eagerly participated in the reckless spending. I saw first so many Irish who would run over to New York for a long weekend shopping trip, and ship their massive purchases back in steamer trunks.Perhaps this downturn will make the Irish in Ireland a little more humble,and perhaps they will be a little nicer to the Irish- Americans when we come to visit.

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donalo2001 | Oct 05, 2010, 11:12 AM EDT

There is one big difference now in Ireland that nobody seems to be noticing . I refer to the commuting Paddy . Ths is the (mainly professional) person who spends his weekends at home in Ireland and his weekdays abroad somewhere cold in northern Europe . Go to any of the Irish airports on Monday morning and see the crush of commuters on their way out .This is not immigration, yet these thousands are not appearing on any register in Ireland . But they are bringing the bucks home every week. This was unthinkable twenty (or even ten ) years ago . and we to thank the likes of Ryanair (horror!)and other budget airlines for that.

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sirpeter | Oct 05, 2010, 08:19 AM EDT

With no disrespect to your mother Ellen,there is no problem with County Mayo or Ireland for that matter,taking the world as a whole,it is one of the best places to live,the quality of life is extremely high for most people in the country,as a matter of fact,that is one of the problems of the country,we have one of the highest standard of living in Europe which made us uncompetitive and that has to come back in line.With due respect Ellen,keep things in perspective,just because the government are in a mess,doesn't mean we are all suddenly broke and on the breadline.Those who are leaving either want to go or they don't have any contacts to get the job they want,that's just tough luck.

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Pittsburghkid | Oct 04, 2010, 10:44 PM EDT

The party is over, but the ugly European Union is still here. Too bad the vote to increase the EU's hold on Ireland didn't happen this year.

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ellenfromcork | Oct 04, 2010, 07:59 PM EDT

My mother was born in Mayo and when she would mention the county, she'd always say (with a sad sigh,) " ah, Mayo, God help us". Looks like it's now, Ah Ireland, God help us.

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ciarrai | Oct 04, 2010, 07:00 PM EDT

Put someone in control who takes things as seriously as he/she should. No offense to Brian Cowen, but drinking and hanging out with young folks doesn't look that good. Serious times need serious people. Cowen needs to turn over a new leaf. Having just returned from Ireland after 2 weeks I can assure you it is on everyone's mind over there. Boy, am I proud of my mother's place of birth. What a friendly and kind bunch. It hits you as soon as you reach JFK and you start speaking to all these lovely people. Yes, it is GRAND.

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sirpeter | Oct 04, 2010, 06:48 PM EDT

Kate this is a small island and our Irish culture has been eroded enough by hundreds of years of British rule.I'd have no problem if the Irish were refused into any country,maybe if the emigration safety valve wasn't there the government would have to get there act together.But don't give me this lovey dovey melting pot and we will all live in peace and harmony with all the peoples of the earth.That's a dream,wishful thinking,it never works out,like holds to like simply as that. This is Ireland and we have to preserve our rich heritage and language from outside influence as best we can.I like Irish people living next to me,not some stone faced polish family or some Nigerian scam artist,who have no interest in anything Irish.I don't care what other countries do. This is Ireland and it's for the Irish and also those with Irish roots who were forced to leave because of a west brit government who didn't care about them.Any Irish/American is quite welcome to come back to Ireland if they want too,As far as i'm concerned they are my brother's and sisters overseas.

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