and....10 years later

So I started blogging here way back in 2009 when I was newly arrived in Ireland.  We're still here, loving it, bought a house a while back, and now have an almost 10 year old Irish boy.

I'm not sure why I stopped blogging, it's not like I ran out of things to say.  I probably lost the password, got too busy with a small child and pressures at work.  Anyways, figured out the password, kid now occupies himself with an XBOX 360, and yesterday was the first day in 2 months that I ventured into the office.

This whole Covid-19 thing has got me with some spare time on my hands and a few new things to talk about, so the plan is to continue to blog here about my not-so-newly adopted home of Ireland.  In the 12 years that we've been here lots has changed....the recession sort of ended only to be restarted abruptly, politics are still only moderately ridiculous (but now I'm used to it), and the country really does now feel like home.  Yes, still have a huge part of my heart in Canada, but feeling more and more like the Irish everyday.  My good friend Caroline said a while back, ' a sure, you're one of us now'.  Best compliment I've had in quite a while.

A couple of photos from Kerry

These photos will have to do until I get my writing mojo back.

I haven't done much posting obviously for the past 6 months, but hope to soon.

Lots of new topics to chat about....so stay tuned.

Stephen

Here comes the budget!

Today is Budget Day in Ireland. And boy is it going to be a tough one, probably the toughest budget in Irish history. Ya see, there's a significant hole in public finances after the job and construction markets collapsed and also the banks were bailed out. The government needs to make public spending cutbacks of €4 billion. That may not sound like a lot but for a small country with drastically reduced tax intake and an economy that has been absolutely battered, that's a lot.

So where are these cuts going to come from? Well, our illustrious leader, Brian Cowan, is taking a €60,000 paycut, but he'll still be one of the highest paid leaders in Europe. So that's a start at least. Most of the cuts will likely come from paycuts to the public sector as well as decreases in social assistance payments (which again, are currently among the highest in Europe).

We found a really stinging way that the government is trying to make up some lost revenue as well. A leaflet was posted through our letterbox yesterday for a town meeting to discuss the plans a local businessman has to develop some land in the centre of town...for a bigger supermarket and apartments on top. According to the leaflet, if you want to submit an objection to any planning application in the county (may apply across the country, don't know for sure), you must include €20 with your objection. Completely ridiculous, €20 to participate in public governance?

Apparently there will be no tax increases in this budget.

Stay tuned. And don't be surprised if there is an election around the corner in Ireland.

Ways to boost tourism

An article today in the RTE website talks of strategies to boost tourism in Ireland. Apparently Tourism Ireland hopes to boost the number of visitors by 3% next year, after a 12% drop in visitors in 2009 (that's 600,000 fewer visitors!). Apparently the strategy will focus on luring British and German tourists to our fair isle.

The article also admits there was a 25% drop in visitors from Britain last year, likely as many people are opting for 'staycations' during these tough economic times.

What the article doesn't state, and I haven't looked elsewhere for reasons, is why tourists aren't coming to Ireland. I've got a few ideas, so here goes.

The exchange rate and the cost of everything. Currently the pound sterling is worth about €1.10, making rough approximations as to the cost of things fairly valid. So, with this in mind, and in general people with less disposable income, I think the question should be 'why the hell are people still coming to Ireland? Hotels are expensive and often not up to the same standards as Britain or the US, car hire is expensive, eating out fairly ridiculous, and the price of a pint in Temple Bar should send every tourist scurrying back to the airport pronto.

The inconvenience of it all. Yeah, I know I complain about the inconveniences of daily life here, and that probably comes from living in Canada and the USA for too long. But it is so true! Public transport is inefficient, the roads network is good in places and quite poor in others, shopping can often be a struggle, and government services are dated on concepts from the 70s (not that tourists see that). Some people see these inconveniences as quaint, which I suppose they could be if you're here for a 2 week holiday, but they can become annoying if you life here.

So why do people come to Ireland for a vacation? I would think two main reasons. First, the scenery. Absolutely beautiful mountains, coastlines....even the bogs are gorgeous. The cultural scenery is great too (churches, ruins etc.), but I'm not sure its anything better than they already have in the UK. Most tourist spots are woefully unprepared for large numbers of tourists though. I've taken coach loads of students on trips to the west coast, and just try finding somewhere with public toilets, or where you can get a meal for 30 people on the spur of the moment.

The second reason I think would be heritage. I've stopped counting the number of people I've bumped into (mainly Americans) who are over here seeing where their forebearers came from. Mostly older and likely with a bit of disposable income and looking for a bit of comfort on their travels. The recent economic conference at Farmleigh called on the diaspora to come home to Ireland (either physically or at least to support financially), yet there appears to be no organized effort to help this along. I think a big campaign in America to get people over here for a visit would do wonders.....let's call it Come Home to Ireland - 2012. Making it two years from now should give us a bit of time to scrub up, remove some graffiti, finish a few roads, and to allow the floodwaters to drop.

The trains are back in North County Dublin!

Well, the trains are now running again since they've fixed the bridge at Malahide. Replaced the bridge, rather. The first day back was last Monday, and now that the week is over I've been on that train 10 times. Not once has the train been on time. Not once. I think the drivers have forgotten how they work.

And now they've just announced a new schedule for the northern commuter trains (not that they follow the old schedule anymore). And of course, fewer trains during the evening rush hour. Yeah Irish Rail, that's not exactly the way to get your customers back after cancelling services for 3 months now, is it?

Ireland and the Hand of Frog

It's been three days since Thierry Henry 'handed' Ireland their exit from the World Cup, and the papers are still full of the fury. I'm not even Irish and I was raging. Catherine isn't Irish and hates football and she was mad. Accusations that FIFA wanted France to win, that Henry knew exactly what he was doing, and suggestions that the French Football Federation (FFF) should do the right thing and offer a replay are all common themes. Even the French people appear ashamed of their hollow victory (almost all of the newspapers are carrying apology letters from French people).

But something struck me about the level of upset seen in Ireland over this whole affair. It's not all about football (or soccer as the Irish call it), as none of the players even play for Irish clubs and it's not even all that popular a game here (rugby, hurling and Gaelic football are arguably more popular with spectators in Ireland). No, it's all part of a strong feeling running through the Irish these days of having been screwed over by the 'authorities' one too many times recently. The government is unpopular and doesn't listen to the people, the banks and developers conspired to get us into this economic mess, and Ireland is feeling alienated by the EU. And now we have the opportunity to feel good about ourselves for once.....and who takes it away? Another EU country, and an institution (FIFA) that appears biased and corrupt and lacking in moral fibre and sense of fair play. The FFF are also guilty of that Gallic shrug that says 'we don't care about you, we won, it may not have been fair but we are going to South Africa'. Where have we seen that attitude before? Oh yeah, the government, the banks, and the developers who got us into this financial mess.

There's lots of public outrage in Ireland these days; I hear it on the street, in the office, on the radio, and in the pubs. This is just another instance of the little guys getting screwed and those that make the rules saying tough.

Shame on France, shame on FIFA, and shame on the FFF. And well done to the Irish team. A brilliant display.