A Land With No Hope

LivelineDipso

Until this afternoon I really had no idea how finished and insane we are as a nation.

I live in a small town in Midlands. Today I found out that three local shops are pulling down the shutters for the final time tomorrow. These are not long established family businesses. But shops which well intentioned young couples began and made work - providing items and services people would of had to drive 30 or 40 miles to get. They paid their rent, paid for the refitting of the shops and generally brought a lot of life to a gloomy Midlands town.

They are all making enough income to keep going except - the landlord who owns half the town doubled their rent.

He is also from an old GAA/Fianna Fail family. He prides humself on being a "real GAA man" - so much so that his brother who is the headmaster of the local school stopped the school from having a rugby team because he also is a "real GAA man".

The landlord is in dire straits from building housing one-off estates during the boom and his own greed is coming back to haunt him. He is liquidating all his assets in order to claim poverty. If this means killing a small town he is doing it. He's a "Real GAA man" afterall.

He still lives the life of a feudal baron. Now Eda Kenny wants a new tax on small business. You could not make it up.

If this wasn't bad enough there are a lot of civil servants living in this town. Apart from no recession for them, they strut sround town with their noses in the air and with a sense of personal entitlement which borders on sociopathic. Everyone in the town knows that the reduction in public services is to save the salary of the civil servants.

The rest of the town is either on the dole or emigrating.

It's gone too far now. This is rotten little island and the good people are being mauled to keep a kind of public sector elite and the "real GAA men" in their position of wealth and safety.

Stick a fork in us - we are done.

Wacker The Attacker

where theres life theres hope

DipStick McSwindler

This post has been deleted.

Death and Taxes

LivelineDipso wrote: »

Until this afternoon I really had no idea how finished and insane we are as a nation.

I live in a small town in Midlands. Today I found out that three local shops are pulling down the shutters for the final time tomorrow. These are not long established family businesses. But shops which well intentioned young couples began and made work - providing items and services people would of had to drive 30 or 40 miles to get. They paid their rent, paid for the refitting of the shops and generally brought a lot of life to a gloomy Midlands town.

They are all making enough income to keep going except - the landlord who owns half the town doubled their rent.

He is also from an old GAA/Fianna Fail family. He prides humself on being a "real GAA man" - so much so that his brother who is the headmaster of the local school stopped the school from having a rugby team because he also is a "real GAA man".

The landlord is in dire straits from building housing one-off estates during the boom and his own greed is coming back to haunt him. He is liquidating all his assets in order to claim poverty. If this means killing a small town he is doing it. He's a "Real GAA man" afterall.

He still lives the life of a feudal baron. Now Eda Kenny wants a new tax on small business. You could not make it up.

If this wasn't bad enough there are a lot of civil servants living in this town. Apart from no recession for them, they strut sround town with their noses in the air and with a sense of personal entitlement which borders on sociopathic. Everyone in the town knows that the reduction in public services is to save the salary of the civil servants.

The rest of the town is either on the dole or emigrating.

It's gone too far now. This is rotten little island and the good people are being mauled to keep a kind of public sector elite and the "real GAA men" in their position of wealth and safety.

Stick a fork in us - we are done.

So I take you dont like the GAA then?:D

Rented Mule

...and that's when the whores come in !!

LivelineDipso

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

where theres life theres hope

Where there is Partnership and the Croke Park AGREEDment there is only hope for them.


and boy, don't they just know it.

BUBBLE WRAP

Today I found out that three local shops are pulling down the shutters for the final time tomorrow.

So there converting them to 24hr "Adult" shops?

keith16

Stop saying "real GAA men".

Sarky

I was about to post "in before comments along the lines of 'well sod off so and don't let the door hit you on the way out!'" but damn it those guys are fast.

Wacker The Attacker

disgrace joe

oppenheimer1

LivelineDipso wrote: »

Until this afternoon I really had no idea how finished and insane we are as a nation.

I live in a small town in Midlands. Today I found out that three local shops are pulling down the shutters for the final time tomorrow. These are not long established family businesses. But shops which well intentioned young couples began and made work - providing items and services people would of had to drive 30 or 40 miles to get. They paid their rent, paid for the refitting of the shops and generally brought a lot of life to a gloomy Midlands town.

They are all making enough income to keep going except - the landlord who owns half the town doubled their rent.

He is also from an old GAA/Fianna Fail family. He prides humself on being a "real GAA man" - so much so that his brother who is the headmaster of the local school stopped the school from having a rugby team because he also is a "real GAA man".

The landlord is in dire straits from building housing one-off estates during the boom and his own greed is coming back to haunt him. He is liquidating all his assets in order to claim poverty. If this means killing a small town he is doing it. He's a "Real GAA man" afterall.

He still lives the life of a feudal baron. Now Eda Kenny wants a new tax on small business. You could not make it up.

If this wasn't bad enough there are a lot of civil servants living in this town. Apart from no recession for them, they strut sround town with their noses in the air and with a sense of personal entitlement which borders on sociopathic. Everyone in the town knows that the reduction in public services is to save the salary of the civil servants.

The rest of the town is either on the dole or emigrating.

It's gone too far now. This is rotten little island and the good people are being mauled to keep a kind of public sector elite and the "real GAA men" in their position of wealth and safety.

Stick a fork in us - we are done.

What has the GAA got to do with this?

This rant says more about your own prejudices than anything else.

crusher000

It's what this great land is founded on. Try to change it, they'll chew you up and spit you out. I tend to go around oblivious to it all.

SEPT 23 1989

Sounds like Laos alright

RobbieTheRobber

I guess this is a good attempt to wind people up OP, but is there some way you could add the catholic church and the pro-(life or choice) movement in here?

iDave

We are definately a land with no hope. One of the few things good about the country the GAA for some reason gets blamed for businesses collapsing. You couldnt make it up.

BUBBLE WRAP

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

disgrace joe

An we are join with Wacker the attacker, GOO GOO GOOD afternoon too you!

DipStick McSwindler

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Crann na Beatha

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mattjack

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Sounds like Laos alright

Thought more Cambodia myself.

BUBBLE WRAP

IrishFeeney92 wrote: »

Your an Idiot

reported. :mad:

summerskin

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Sounds like Laos alright

was thinking more like Vietnam myself

EDIT: damn Mattjack beat me to it.

DipStick McSwindler

This post has been deleted.

Hippies!

Good post OP, accurate reflection of this corrupt little land.

Duckworth_Luas

iDave wrote: »

We are definately a land with no hope. One of the few things good about the country the GAA for some reason gets blamed for businesses collapsing. You couldnt make it up.

But you could! Sounds like a surreal GAA man to me!

BUBBLE WRAP

IrishFeeney92 wrote: »

But Moooooommmm!!

Now, now son you should be in school!

Penn

Have you considered moving to Australia?

seamus

The CSO reported a 1.1% fall in unemployment today.

I think your thread may be a couple of years too late tbh. I see plenty of hope around.

davet82

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

I guess this is a good attempt to wind people up OP, but is there some way you could add the catholic church and the pro-(life or choice) movement in here?

ye forgot single mothers

LivelineDipso

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

What has the GAA got to do with this?

This rant says more about your own prejudices than anything else.

Because the "reall GAA men" are the ones who are at the heart of the rot. The same bastards will be on Nationwide next year moaning about the lack of players for clubs due to emigrations.

The ironny being their "real GAA man" mindset CAUSED the problem.

davet82

seamus wrote: »

The CSO reported a 1.1% fall in unemployment today.

I think your thread may be a couple of years too late tbh. I see plenty of hope around.

seasonal and emmigration factors maybe... ???

i don't want to be a miserable bastard, i just dont want my hopes dashed

Crann na Beatha

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WoollyRedHat

Sounds like the making of a great movie. Townsfolk have had enough, the story of the people vs. "The Real GAA Man". Starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.

Wibbs

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

What has the GAA got to do with this?

This rant says more about your own prejudices than anything else.

I could be wrong O but I don't think he's against the GAA per se, more against some of the kind of characters that use the institution for their own social/financial ends. If it wasn't the GAA they'd be using whatever was there in it's stead. The same type use political parties to the same ends. Can be very prevalent in small town Ireland. It's prevalent enough in large towns and cities too.

LivelineDipso

seamus wrote: »

The CSO reported a 1.1% fall in unemployment today.

BECAUSE THEY LEFT THE COUNTRY!


Enda Kenny's 'Green Shoots' are the Irish shooting off to other countries.

RobbieTheRobber

LivelineDipso wrote: »

Because the "reall GAA men" are the ones who are at the heart of the rot. The same bastards will be on Nationwide next year moaning about the lack of players for clubs due to emigrations.

The ironny being their "real GAA man" mindset CAUSED the problem.

I dont think Bertie Ahern was a big GAA man I thought he preferred the soccer ball?

iDave

I wonder when the sub prime mortgage crisis hit the United States and umemplyment rose along with small businesses folding did anyone find an abstract way of linking the NFL or MLB to it. Or perhaps if things in Australia were like they are here would they somehow find a way of blaming the AFL?

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Penn

LivelineDipso wrote: »

BECAUSE THEY LEFT THE COUNTRY!

Or more part-time jobs being created in the run up to Christmas

gobnaitolunacy

keith16 wrote: »

Stop saying "real GAA men".

Pretend GAA men?

Is there really any correlation between what people do as a pastime and what way they conduct business, whether they follow GAA, collect stamps or pigeon fancying?

Duckworth_Luas

iDave wrote: »

I wonder when the sub prime mortgage crisis hit the United States and umemplyment rose along with small businesses folding did anyone find an abstract way of linking the NFL or MLB to it. Or perhaps if things in Australia were like they are here would they somehow find a way of blaming the AFL?

Well I blame the Bundesliga for World War II myself!

seamus

davet82 wrote: »

seasonal and emmigration factors maybe... ???

i don't want to be a miserable bastard, i just dont want my hopes dashed

It's the first confirmed drop in five years after all such factors are taken into account.

No reason to break out the bollinger and €500k mortgages just yet, but certainly cause for hope

Larbre34

IrishFeeney92 wrote: »

Your You're an Idiot

FYP. Ironic. Idiot.

Chuck Stone

If they have successful businesses they will move to other premises where rent will not be so expensive.

I don't believe this guy owns the entire town centre and if he does then why would you want to try to open a business in a fiefdom anyway?

Wibbs

seamus wrote: »

The CSO reported a 1.1% fall in unemployment today.

I think your thread may be a couple of years too late tbh. I see plenty of hope around.

Oh defo, but it depends where you are and what sector you're in though too Seamus. I also see plenty of hope in a few areas, but small towns tend to get the worst of any downturn. I remember the diffs between say Dublin and the Midlands back in the 80's downturn. Jobs for school leavers stood out for me at the time. My class had enough leave the country or join the dole queues, but I remember talking to guys who had grown up in places like Mayo and the like and damn near all of their class had upped and left.

Larbre34

The small traders need to turn events to their advantage. Call his bluff, take the landlord beyond the brink and close up shop. Then offer to reopen for 65% of previous rent

The chain stores in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre all did it and they're back up and running again.

Headshot

It's the land of confusion

Ooh superman where are you now

davet82

seamus wrote: »

It's the first confirmed drop in five years after all such factors are taken into account.

No reason to break out the bollinger and €500k mortgages just yet, but certainly cause for hope

green shoots maybe... i forgot what optimism felt like...

well i'll drink to good news regardless, even if it isn't bollinger

henryporter

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

I dont think Bertie Ahern was a big GAA man I thought he preferred the soccer ball?

Ahem...

gobnaitolunacy

henryporter wrote: »

Ahem...

Face like a gowl.

LivelineDipso

henryporter wrote: »

Ahem...

Is this photo for real? Is that a Man City top he is wearing? What happened to his 'reall Man U o deh people' top?

Oh wait, he is a typical Orish 'passionate' soccer fan. He changes his support to whoever won the league in England and would not cross the street to support a LOI club.


'real Orish soccer fan."

RobbieTheRobber

LivelineDipso wrote: »

Is this photo for real? Is that a Man City top he is wearing? What happened to his 'reall Man U o deh people' top?

Oh wait, he is a typical Orish 'passionate' soccer fan. He changes his support to whoever won the league in England and would not cross the street to support a LOI club.


'real Orish soccer fan."

OP your not doing it right, you have to call the Irish soccer fans (of the english premier league) bar stoolers.