Starving Irish to invade Poland

Atilathehun

I guess the we are looked on with a high degree of bemusemsnt, hillarity and pity in some foreigh quarters.

Maybe if we were to stop paying Irish rates of social welfare to the ungrateful Poles, they might show more respect:cool:

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/john-drennan/john-drennan-poles-in-fear-of-starved-irish-influx-2615055.html
John Drennan: Poles in fear of 'starved Irish' influx


By JOHN DRENNAN

Sunday April 10 2011

THE Polish edition of the respected Newsweek magazine has painted a bizarre portrait of Ireland as a poverty stricken country where "20,000 horses" are starving by the sides of motorways.
Ireland's international reputation is now so battered that relatives of eastern Europeans living here are anxiously contacting them to "see if they are all right''.
The article, titled 'Hang-over Ireland', and written by journalist Marek Rybarczyk, claims that one of the most striking aspects "in today's Irish landscape'' consists of "stray horses roaming the suburbs and the motorways constructed in the Seventies for billions of EU refunds. In total they amount to 20,000!"
The author adds that "in the period of prosperity the proud animal was the symbol of high status'' but that "today, too expensive to maintain, they die of hunger".
The apocalyptic tone continues as the author notes that "they cannot be even used for consumption as they lack the electronic chips required of Brussels".
The article also says that social aid centres such as the Capuchins of Bow St in Dublin were receiving flocks of "more and more broke people -- most often the middle class representatives'' such as estate agents and "desirable professionals'' who have exchanged "fashionable restaurants with starters for €30 for free canteens''.
And it also strongly implies that last year's farcical distribution of 53 tonnes of free cheddar cheese from the EU was used as a measure to ward off mass starvation.
Lucinda Creighton, the junior minister for Foreign Affairs, criticised the "irresponsible press coverage".
"It is difficult to treat with any real seriousness these sort of reports from a magazine which previously rated Brian Cowen as being one of the top 10 world leaders.''
But she also admitted that "our relationship with Europe is seriously damaged'' and noted that these images of Ireland are "yet another legacy issue we must deal with''.
Meanwhile, within Poland a major national debate has begun over the Irish economy. Speaking to the Sunday Independent, one Polish emigrant said: "There is a huge appetite in Poland and Eastern Europe for knowledge about the collapse of the Celtic Tiger."
Some responsible media outlets, such as the Polish equivalent of RTE, have warned Poles they should not "demonise the Irish situation''.
However, Polish emigrants also admitted that the image of Ireland that is being pedalled by more tabloid elements of the Polish media means many Poles now believe "Ireland is a third-world country where people are going to rubbish tips looking for food'' and that it is "not unusual now to find dead horses and cows in the middle of fields".
In an ironic reversal of fortunes they noted Polish concerns that mass emigration from "the starving Irish'' could drive down pay rates means many building sites in Poland now have signs saying "no Irish need apply".
- JOHN DRENNAN
Sunday Independent

later12

Atilathehun wrote: »

many building sites in Poland now have signs saying "no Irish need apply".

I wonder, somehow.

BostonB

The indo reporting on someone elses tabloid reporting, now thats ironic.

whiteonion

I have seen horses running through council estates in this country.

RachaelVO

Not sure whether to laugh or cry at that report!!!!

mikemac

Sunday Independent, say no more

wolf moon

well, rotting corpse of the celtic tiger is being seen from the abroad, that's all.
big deal - what you want, endless glory and endless miracle funded with borrowed money?

and what have social welfare payments to some newspaper and its readers in some country i totally don't understand.

Jimmy Garlic

BostonB wrote: »

The indo reporting on someone elses tabloid reporting, now thats ironic.

I think it is ironic that a Polish magazine is calling Ireland a third world country while tens if not hundreds of thousands of Poles are still living over here. If Poland was so brilliant why did they leave in the first place?...And if Ireland is a third world country on the verge of starvation why are they still here?. Insane stuff.

BostonB

whiteonion wrote: »

I have seen horses running through council estates in this country.

That hasn't changed its always been like that.

Latchy

I read that article yesterday in the Indo ....ie, '' wandering horses not fit to consumed because they haven't being stamped in Brussels '' .....wtf LOL

Jimmy Garlic

The old phrase "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones" comes to mind....

Eurostat, the EU’s statistical agency, found that two thirds of Poles cannot afford an annual holiday away from home and 21 percent are not able to have a meal with meat or fish every second day. As many as 17 percent of Poles cannot afford to own and run a car.
Thirty two percent of Poles are seriously materially deprived.

http://www.thenews.pl/international/artykul124022_thirty-two-percent-live-in-poverty-in-poland.html

newmug

wolf moon wrote: »

Well, the rotting corpse of the Celtic Tiger is being seen from the abroad, that's all.
Big deal - what do you want, endless glory and an endless miracle funded with borrowed money?

And what have social welfare payments to some newspaper and its readers in some other country got to do with anything? I totally don't understand.

Speaking of "understanding", I didn't understand your post. But don't worry, I've fixed it for you so others will understand.

What social welfare payments have to do with it is this: Most Irish people think its unfair that Ireland had to pay social welfare to non-Irish people. Especially when we have to borrow to pay for it!

Ash.J.Williams

i would assume this was satire?

evercloserunion

Fcuk your Mitsubishi...

wolf moon

newmug wrote: »

Speaking of "understanding", I didn't understand your post. But don't worry, I've fixed it for you so others will understand.

What social welfare payments have to do with it is this: Most Irish people think its unfair that Ireland had to pay social welfare to non-Irish people. Especially when we have to borrow to pay for it!

too proud to take it on the chin, huh?
well, most irish people should have thought before they joined eu.
another minority-bashing thread, im outta here, good luck lads.

danbohan

newmug wrote: »

Speaking of "understanding", I didn't understand your post. But don't worry, I've fixed it for you so others will understand.

What social welfare payments have to do with it is this: Most Irish people think its unfair that Ireland had to pay social welfare to non-Irish people. Especially when we have to borrow to pay for it!

most , you mean you ?

anybody that has paid tax or prsi is entitled to sw no matter what country they came from , those not entitled in my opinion are the 100,000+ irish slackers who managed to remain unemployed in the boom years

the_syco

wolf moon wrote: »

another minority-bashing thread, im outta here, good luck lads.

We have 6 million people, they have 38 million people, and they are slagging us. Which is the minority you speak of? The Irish or the Polish?

Raekwon

I'd take what the Polish say with a pinch of salt to be honest as they usually come across as the most deluded, spiteful & fickle nations in the EU.

wolf moon

the_syco wrote: »

We have 6 million people, they have 38 million people, and they are slagging us. Which is the minority you speak of? The Irish or the Polish?

the minority who lives here and isn't responsible for some article in some newspaper. and which minority - according to op - should be punished to "show them damn poles that only the irish are entitled to take a piss from others". wtf??
and seriously, im not gonna post here again. it's an utter waste of time to read all this, its gonna end up in a fight anyway. im off to spain tomorrow, not a chance im gonna get involved in a row over some stupid article

Fat_Fingers

wolf moon wrote: »

and seriously, im not gonna post here again. it's an utter waste of time to read all this, its gonna end up in a fight anyway. im off to spain tomorrow, not a chance im gonna get involved in a row over some stupid article

yet here you are, armchair warrior, like rest of us.
And not posting back because you are “gone to Spain” will still count as whoever’s victory and he/she will have every right to declare they have “spanked” you. :eek:

Dannyboy83

Some of our hubristic Irishmen have spent so long sneering down their noses at the immigrants in the country that they've forgotten the Irish turned emigration into an entire economic policy, spanning the overwhelming duration of this state's existence.
I wouldn't consider a little attitude adjustment among some of these snobs any harm at all to be honest.

If this article contributes to that, well and good.

Idbatterim

coming from the Polish? LOL! also our standard of living here is still miles higher than theirs...

dan_d

wolf moon wrote: »

too proud to take it on the chin, huh?
well, most irish people should have thought before they joined eu.
another minority-bashing thread, im outta here, good luck lads.

What are you talking about??!

That article is completely ridiculous! And..who cares how the Poles are painting us? Let them at it, that article sounds like they're catching up on some story that I seem to remember being written last year sometime....

If that's their serious media, I'd like to see what the tabloids over there write about....:rolleyes:

herya

This article is BS, typical Independent drivel - no media in Poland describe Ireland as a third world country! I even ran a search out of curiosity (suit yourselves: "irlandia kraj trzeciego swiata"), comes back with nothing but one reaction to the Independent article itself. He pulled the last two paragraphs out of God knows where - I won't mention the most likely origin for fear of infraction. Alison O'Riordan school of journalism is alive and well.

The Newsweek article is harsh on Ireland but no harsher than most Irish media; the abandoned horses issue got a lot of press exposure worldwide being such a lazy metaphor. Honestly don't let the guy wind you up..

ardmacha

I imagine the original article was published on 1st April as it is so fantastic, but the indo couldn't see the joke was on it.

Nor can those that are using it as an excuse for a rant, or anti-Polish prejudice.

"and the motorways constructed in the Seventies for billions of EU refunds"
the first motorway in the Republic was opened in 1983, there were no motorways in the 70s.

I was in Poland in the 1980s and not only was there a cow grazing in the central reservation of the motorway, but there was a person there minding it. So this is the imagery they would adopt for a April fool .

herya

The original article actually says "since 70s", as opposed to "in 70s". Doesn't seem to matter for the Indo

wolf moon

...so i thought, load of bollox:


http://biznes.onet.pl/wypaczony-wizerunek,18491,4239181,1,prasa-detal

(translated by google, mine bold)

"British newspaper The Independent informs on its pages, as if in Poland they were discriminated against Irish citizens.

In the Sunday edition of the paper the author refers to the opinions of some Poles (not mentioned by first or last name) that the "Ireland is perceived as a Third World country where people are looking for food in garbage cans, and also the country where" on the agenda is to find the dead stray horses and cows in the middle of the field. " The blame for this are assumed unreliable publications in the press, which unilaterally present situation on the island.

- The first time we heard such revelations in 2009, explored the subject thoroughly and not recorded a single case, that the Irish were discriminated against in Poland - says Eugene Hutchinson, Ambassador of Ireland in Poland. - We regret that the Irish press, appear to be false, and at the same harmful publications.

Unfortunate author of the text, John Drennan, said that Poles are afraid of mass influx "przymierających famine Irish" who will accept the excessively low wages, and thus take the bread to the Poles. This assumption is even more interesting that the minimum wage in Ireland is already, even after recent cuts, 1,220 euros a month, and Poland 350 euros. The Embassy of Ireland estimates that the number of Irish in Poland in recent years does not change and it is between 1,000 and 2,000 people. For comparison, the Irish population of about 180 thousand. Poles.

- That any complete science fiction. Of the 200 companies that associate in the House, I have not heard from the representative of any of them, to an increase in workers from Ireland. Influx of workers can expect yes, but from Asia. The Chinese won the contract because the two sections of the A2 on the same basis that they must bring their workers, because no Pole would agree to work on their own terms. Even more do not agree to the Irishman - says Wojciech Malusi, president of the National Economic Chamber of Road.

According to the estimates of GDP in 2010 in Poland amounted to 13 thousand. euro per capita, Ireland - 26 thousand. euro."



/thread

nuig free economics society

wolf moon wrote: »

too proud to take it on the chin, huh?
well, most irish people should have thought before they joined eu.
another minority-bashing thread, im outta here, good luck lads.

Correct.
It is funny(or not) how people turn aganist each other in the face of the crisis. Nobody wanted to work here in the industry like manufacturing,construction, catering, etc. How oftendid you see Irish waiter or kitchen staff 5 years ago?

The situation arised thanks to our government, not because of Poles,Turkish or other.
It is politicans to blame not foreigners!

Irish gov opened the door for eastern europe labour (as of two countries only at the time- Ire,Uk 2001) Why?
Shortage of labour in above sectors.
Here people kept buying houses they couldn't afford instead producing genuine goods and services.

PrzemoF

I hope that some day I'll be working with my Irish friends in Poland.

Now, John Drennan can write an article about how Poles are forcing Irish to leave Ireland!

Amhran Nua

Looks like ye got indo-rolled lads and lassies.

Solnskaya

I passed a pile of 5 dead horses in a ditch last week, indeed starved to death. 20,000 might be considered an exaggeration, or it might just be ahead of its time. I fondly remember those on here predicting what a success Nama would be, what a soft landing we would have, how absurd an IMF bailout scenario was, how we would negotiate a much better rate, etc. Possibly, to quote someone famous,"you ain't seen nothing yet baby".

oppenheimer1

Sounds like something got lost in translation... Either that or John Drennan saw lines and lines of text on a page and rather than find out what it actually meant, decided to put his own meaning on it.

I wouldn't wipe my arse with the Indo these days....

DWCommuter

I read the thread title and attached article. This particular branch of the Polish media should hang its head in shame at its ignorance. It outweighs anything we could possibly say about Poles.

tuxy

wolf moon wrote: »

"British newspaper The Independent

Hmmmmmm

Scofflaw

Letter from the journalist who wrote the original article in the Sunday Indo:

Sir -- Re your headline (Sunday Independent, April 10, 2011) -- "Poles in fear of 'starved Irish' influx": I never, ever suggested in my article the Irish nation is starving and will be coming to Poland. This would be most absurd! I know the realities in Ireland. I respect your rich, educated and cultured nation and envy your incredible success with the Celtic Tiger that was made possible by your economic policy and national genius. I hope in a few years' time you will forget your troubles and will experience another "Irish miracle".

I do repeat again and again: I am aware you are not starving as a nation. To suggest otherwise would be absurd. I never did and never linked it with the Irish emigration issue.

I do know that a recurring emigration phenomenon is a cause of much grief in Ireland. This is a media topic in Dublin and a topic of conversation in some Irish homes. I regret this is happening to too many in your industrious nation. This is because of outrageous mistakes by your political class. This is the topic of two-thirds of my article -- not mentioned in one word by your columnist.

Irish emigration to Poland? Every sensible person would know this is most improbable in any vast numbers! So do I. The only reference in my article to "possible" Irish emigration to Poland was in one short quote. More probable destinations of the new emigration trend (already begun) were presented in the same sentence (USA etc).

Poland was marginal. I hope I am clear about this.

But I beg your pardon. Wait a minute please! Isn't it you who is racist? Isn't it you who is not European in your attitude toward our Polish nation? I should feel offended by your columnist's reaction to the alleged suggestion of Irish coming to Poland!

If an unemployed Irish teacher (or 20 teachers) were to come to Poland (let's say in 2013) to teach English, would it be a kind of national disaster for Ireland? Black spot on your Irish soul? So unthinkable? So unheard of? Do you think that Warsaw is Siberia under martial law or what?

At the same time I am very aware Irish emigration in our direction would be indeed exceptional, certainly in many years to come: Ireland is still relatively rich and Poland much less affluent -- this is obvious. But we are all, in Europe, friends. And we will be catching up economically. So what about Irish influx in 10 to 15 years? Totally improbable? We have very many unemployed Spaniards in Warsaw. But I do repeat: any suggestion the Irish "are coming" is not in my article, would not be reasonable now and is not an issue for me.

Let's come back to the crunch of my reservations at the stupid, primitive attack by your columnist in the worst tradition of tabloid journalism.

The title of the article is the most cheap journalistic propaganda tool I have ever seen. Your columnist is certainly responsible for sowing hatred between Poland and Ireland and this is serious. That is the only reason I am writing this long letter (a duel with your columnist would not interest me).

I never intended any offence towards the Irish. I merely wrote a few sentences in the opening paragraphs of my article about striking new phenomena in the otherwise still-affluent Ireland. New symptoms of a crisis: thousands of horses being abandoned (charities dealing with 2,000 neglected horses in Dublin). Queues in front of charities giving away food in Dublin getting a bit longer but clearly still a minority problem interesting mainly because some middle-class people are joining.

There was no stupid suggestion in my articles the Irish are starving, God forbid. Just a simple picture to show the fate of the poor, of the neglected part of your society, especially "the new poor". If you are offended by it, grow up; there are many articles about it in every Irish newspaper. There are long articles about food for the poor in many nations. I wrote a few lines based on stories in your media. No reason to get offended. Cool down a bit.

Is there any reason to be so emotional? Don't think so. Just another article about Irish crisis concentrating on bad phenomena that are new and are going to haunt you I am afraid for years to come, mainly because of the debt repayment terms.

I am not happy about it all. I have spent my holidays in Ireland and the North several times, have been there as a journalist (correspondent of BBC and the largest Polish daily). It is only natural I would be the happiest person if you haven't had your economic blues and Poles and Irish would be together in economic heaven.

Marek Rybarczyk,

Newsweek Polska

cordially,
Scofflaw

dan_d

This is completely bewildering me

A Polish journalist wrote an article which was picked up by an Indo journalist and quoted/rubbished at some stage in the last few weeks. Like all trivial matters about the state of our nation that are written about in papers like the Indo, it gained force (and hysteria) and the end result is a letter from the original Polish journalist to the editor of the Indo, regarding the article (by the indo) in question.

Is that right? Have we made big enough idiots of ourselves yet?

Scofflaw

dan_d wrote: »

This is completely bewildering me

A Polish journalist wrote an article which was picked up by an Indo journalist and quoted/rubbished at some stage in the last few weeks. Like all trivial matters about the state of our nation that are written about in papers like the Indo, it gained force (and hysteria) and the end result is a letter from the original Polish journalist to the editor of the Indo, regarding the article (by the indo) in question.

Is that right? Have we made big enough idiots of ourselves yet?

Apparently we're a bit touchy at the moment, particularly about anything said by foreigners.

cordially,
Scofflaw

Dermo

I'm blaming Lucinda Creighton for all this.
Trying to nab publicity on tabloid nonsense

Marcin_diy

dan_d wrote: »

What are you talking about??!

That article is completely ridiculous!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=70009203

Read this first

http://www.dspca.ie/dspca/equinecrisis

BlaasForRafa

whiteonion wrote: »

I have seen horses running through council estates in this country.

Any horses I've seen wandering about are traveller horses.

I've not yet seen any prize stallions formerly owned by jemima and tarquin who's daddy the property developer has thrown himself off a bridge wandering about....

R P McMurphy

Very informative artice, are we not supposed to be eating the corpses of the horses

gbee

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

I wouldn't wipe my arse with the Indo these days....

Indeed not, that would contravenes health and safety directive No.....

bobmalooka

R P McMurphy wrote: »

Very informative artice, are we not supposed to be eating the corpses of the horses

you crazy??

did your mother never tell you not to eat a dead horse on the side of the road unless its stamped by brussels...pffft fecking celtic tiger softy cubs

later12

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

I've not yet seen any prize stallions formerly owned by jemima and tarquin who's daddy the property developer has thrown himself off a bridge wandering about....

That's not how it works; Tarquin's horses bought at Goresbridge are being sold on the back pages of the Irish Field as prices fall and from there via the Buy and Sell when they drop again, and after that, who knows where... Lots of horses being taken out of syndication, out of yards, it would be wrong to suggest there isn't a growing welfare problem.

Voodoo_rasher

later10 wrote: »

I wonder, somehow.

Irish to head for Polish building sites; we Irish don't learn foreign languages ffs )