End of Empire!

End of Empire: Tough economy closes mining town

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15360661

Some outside observers have been quick to draw apocalyptic lessons from America's recent economic woes. But here in the Black Rock Desert, in remote north-western Nevada, it truly is the end of Empire.
The former company town, built around a gypsum mine and drywall plant, is fenced off and silent. Inhabitants gone, houses empty, plant idle.
A year ago, more than 300 people lived here in a bustling community that boasted two churches, a golf course and swimming pool.
But demand for gypsum-based wallboard had already collapsed with the downturn in the construction industry and the plant, which had been in continuous operation since the 1920s, was no longer viable.

Could this ever happen to any town in Ireland?

I'm sure that in some small communities it feels like it already, but not as drastic.

OutlawPete

Jaysus, I thought you meant the movie magazine .. thank fcuk for that.

orourkeda

An unfortunate trend. Looks set to get worse before ot gets better

sgb

The lads from Dale Farm are looking for somewhere to park their caravans

jaykay74

No pub for people to drown their sorrows. Theres your problem right there

RichieC

There's a part of America referred to as the rust belt.. put it that way. they are a service based economy now.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Total_mfctrg_jobs_change_54-02.png/800px-Total_mfctrg_jobs_change_54-02.png

4leto

America have quite a number of failing or even failed cities, New Orleans (such a pity), Baltimore is not to healthy either and Detroit (but having a little bit of a revival lately).

Could this happen in the Irish empire, off course.

oppenheimer1

Most towns in Ireland do not have a reason to exist anymore but for the IDA and government services. Our towns were originally built to serve as markets for local agricultural produce. Since that doesn't happen anymore there is very little new money entering Irish towns and they generally exist only to provide services to the existing populations.

Many Irish communities will die off and be abandoned - its not to be lamented either. Life and society is in a continual state of evolution and flux and it is a tide that cannot be stopped.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Isn't that where the Burning Man festival takes place? If so, let's have 50,000 weird artists descend on a small plain in Ireland, oh yeah!

Curly Judge

Portlaw in Co.Waterford?

Saila

RichieC wrote: »

There's a part of America referred to as the rust belt.. put it that way. they are a service based economy now.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Total_mfctrg_jobs_change_54-02.png/800px-Total_mfctrg_jobs_change_54-02.png

that map is allllllllllmost more usefull than a chocolate fireguard!

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

It's a mining town, it's normal for this to happen. Be it demand or supply which ends the need for the mine, without it there is no point living in most mining villages after the mine closes. This happens all the time all over the world.

DeepSleeper

To take an archaeological viewpoint (i.e. long term...), see Rindown, Co Roscommon - a town with a castle, church and town wall - entirely abandoned centuries ago and grazed by sheep now...

http://charles-mount.ie/wp/?p=42

Dotrel

Saila wrote: »

that map is allllllllllmost more usefull than a chocolate fireguard!

The "autumn coloured" parts are the rusty areas.

I'd imagine the green areas have high concentrations of copper.

starbelgrade

starbelgrade wrote: »

Ireland's a small country - most towns & villages are close enough for people to commute to larger towns & villages where there is employment for more than services to the existing population.

There's no chance that parts of Ireland will become abandoned. None.

Sad fact is, that if wages continue their downward trend and fuel continues its upwards trend, few will be able to take work that requires a long commute.

So therefore they'll be forced to move!

baalthor

Abandoned mining towns are as American as apple pie and unquestioning support of Israel.

Kingscourt, Co. Cavan is located beside Europe's largest gypsum mine, still going despite the construction downturn.

And many villages in Ireland were abandoned during the famine.

Unpossible

It happened in Ireland during the famine, I remember being in an abandoned village on achill island and on the blaskets. There was a time team episode about a medieval age city in scotland that dissapeared.

chin_grin

OutlawPete wrote: »

Jaysus, I thought you meant the movie magazine .. thank fcuk for that.

I would've preferred that. It's biased and sh!t.

SleepAtNight

Dowra in 30 years after all the gas is gone if fracking is allowed go ahead!

HavingCrack

Unpossible wrote: »

It happened in Ireland during the famine, I remember being in an abandoned village on achill island and on the blaskets. There was a time team episode about a medieval age city in scotland that dissapeared.

Chunks of modern American cities are pretty much vanishing over the past 30 years or so. Detroit, Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Cleveland, Toldeo, Flint, Baltimore, Erie..etc. all have vast chunks of their cities abandoned. In Detroits case it's gotten so bad that they're actually allowing some areas to revert back to meadow.

mikemac

There are slate quarries by a village in North Tipp that once employed seven hundred people before the famine

They closed entirely about sixty years ago, there is just a small operation up there now and a diving school.

Abandoned houses around the place, some going back to famine times.
An old abandoned rail line, only creatures up there now are wild goats

Realy, there are examples all over the country where there was mining

Unpossible

HavingCrack wrote: »

Chunks of modern American cities are pretty much vanishing over the past 30 years or so. Detroit, Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Cleveland, Toldeo, Flint, Baltimore, Erie..etc. all have vast chunks of their cities abandoned. In Detroits case it's gotten so bad that they're actually allowing some areas to revert back to meadow.

Sorry, I should have made the point that being a city doesn't automatically mean you are safe. Back in their day I'm sure the people living in them would never have forseen their city being reduced to a village or completely dissapearing. While I am surprised at hearing large parts of those cities are being abandoned, being a modern city does not shield them from decline, I'm sure in a few hundred years people will state as some interesting fact that <place> was once a great big city back in the 20th century.

HavingCrack

Unpossible wrote: »

Sorry, I should have made the point that being a city doesn't automatically mean you are safe. Back in their day I'm sure the people living in them would never have forseen their city being reduced to a village or completely dissapearing. While I am surprised at hearing large parts of those cities are being abandoned, being a modern city does not shield them from decline, I'm sure in a few hundred years people will state as some interesting fact that <place> was once a great big city back in the 20th century.

Oh yeah definately, sure look at how few cities survived from the 'ancient' world. Out of all the Ancient Greek cities only Athens is still a modern city today.

Time stops for nothing I suppose .

RichieC

Saila wrote: »

that map is allllllllllmost more usefull than a chocolate fireguard!

I was meant to link the wiki... I'll blame the cat.

Full.Duck

Castledermot, motorway by passed it and turned into a sh1thole. Then again it was always a sh1thole

3ndahalfof6

other than the fact that my friends balls are sticking to the sides of his legs, I would say go forn it (in 3d)

Hank_Jones

OutlawPete wrote: »

Jaysus, I thought you meant the movie magazine .. thank fcuk for that.

Do you not think Empire is a rag?

It's full of nonsense reviews based on how much access the studios give them to sets etc.

mackg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxPwoXghz9E