300,000 emigrated in past 4 years

Festy

Damn 300,000 that's nearly three fiddy :pac:

MadYaker

I'll be adding to that number as soon as I finish college.

roryc

listermint wrote: »

I find it very special living here.

A lot of people will agree with you.

swimming in a sea

roryc wrote: »

I left on a one year Oz break back in 2008. Came back to Ireland after it and just could not settle back into the mundanity of life in Dublin at the height of the recession, when 70% of my friends (all who held University degrees) were unemployed. So I moved to the south of Spain when I heard a lot of financial hedge funds and bookmakers were setting up in Gibraltar due to tax breaks etc. I've never looked back - I have all the comforts of home (English supermarkets, Sky TV etc) with the benefit of Spanish weather. No traffic, no pollution, no homeless, no scangers looking to borrow 50c for the bus... very little non work related stress. It's gotten to a stage where even if I was offered my dream job for double the salary back in Ireland I would find it very hard to go back.

On top of this both my brothers have emigrated to Toronto to work in the stock market and have no interest in returning 'home' any time soon. I have two younger sisters who are also now considering moving to England or further afield, as there are little opportunities in Ireland in their fields (psychology and clinical nutrition). While this does upset me to an extent that in a small number of years my family has fragmented across the globe, I would much prefer this over trying to grind my way through the recession. I generally go back at Christmas and once in the summer, but it is starting to feel like a foreign place to me now and I could not imagine going back there to live.

My point is, once this recession is over don't expect everyone to come flooding back to Ireland. Many will have set up abroad and (like me) could view the recession as a blessing in disguise. I have an English gf, my brother has a Canadian gf, and we are both really looking forward to showing them Dublin, Killarney, Galway etc when we go back for a family wedding in July. I'm proud to be born in Ireland, but you soon realise there is nothing special about living there.

Good luck to you, I was in Gibraltar last week and loved it. I'm back in Ireland after been abroad and finding the weather and Dublin very boring, I've a one year contract but when over I'd love to move down there.

roryc

swimming in a sea wrote: »

Good luck to you, I was in Gibraltar last week and loved it. I'm back in Ireland after been abroad and finding the weather and Dublin very boring, I've a one year contract but when over I'd love to move down there.

Yeah, I don't see this as a case of looking down on people still living in Ireland. However, I would find it extremely difficult to move home after living abroad for so long. There are so many negative points that massively outweigh the good Ireland has to offer (IMO), and I'm close enough that I can still pop home and experience some of the better times (Christmas etc). Weather is obviously a part of it, but when you look at Ireland from the outside you tend to see if in a different light.

Like I said before, don't expect people to come rushing back if/when the economy improves. The recession is temporary, but for many the decision to leave Ireland will end up being a permanent one.

Reindeer

As I am a Texan, I was considering heading back to Texas for work since it's actually gotten much better there. But my woman lives here, and I just can't really be without her. I think Ireland has a lot to offer. I love this place and I think it's lands and people are beautiful. I've spent a few years here, and I think this time I am going to try and make it stick. It's the least I can do in trade for the Irish that have made new lives for themselves back in The States, I guess. Times are difficult for everyone, and it's a sad thing. Hopefully this situation will improve sooner than later. I, for one, can not blame anyone for trying to make their lives better. I personally know how difficult it is to emigrate. I know what it's like to suddenly have 99% less friends than you once had in a strange new land. I know what it's like not to have family in your country. I know what it's like to be without so much that was once familiar to you, and having to relearn so many things that were once second nature. But, I enjoy learning all the nuances a new land avails. I enjoy immersing myself within a new culture and coming out wiser and enriched for it. I wish all the Irish well that have set afar. I wish us all luck in all our journeys, whether near or far. We'll certainly be needing it.

donegal_road

jjbrien wrote: »

Id agree with you there im just back from been in Canada for 2 years. Looking at going to the states if I cant get a job here but wouldnt advise anyone to go to Canada.

a bit of a sweeping statement maybe? Canada is a big country, which part were you in? I lived in Toronto and had a great time (although it took a while to get settled)

FTA69

It's also worth mentioning that during the last recession we had politicians glossing over emigration with the notion that "tis a small island that can't support everyone." Nowadays we have politicians attempting to dress it up as a holiday in the sun and sure isn't London only a commute these days? The logic behind the above nonsense is that mass emigration of young people of all walks of life is a stark illustration of the establishment's failure toward a generation.

pavb2

300,001

Sadly I'm going tomorrow

IzzyWizzy

listermint wrote: »

You lost me there,

Meah enjoy spain Zero interest in it myself. I find it very special living here.

Excellent. Don't come to Spain, then.

FTA69 wrote: »

It's also worth mentioning that during the last recession we had politicians glossing over emigration with the notion that "tis a small island that can't support everyone." Nowadays we have politicians attempting to dress it up as a holiday in the sun and sure isn't London only a commute these days? The logic behind the above nonsense is that mass emigration of young people of all walks of life is a stark illustration of the establishment's failure toward a generation.

Yep...that's such an insult. Funny how the first people to say 'ah sure, it's only England/Canada/Spain' have never emigrated themselves. I generally love living in London/Spain (yes, I'm between the two of them right now), but it's hardly a piece of cake. I spend a fortune going back home for various things (weddings, funerals etc) and my parents have spent a fortune visiting me since I left Ireland in 2008. I've all but lost contact with the group of friends I had in Ireland. I probably won't go back because there's just a far better quality of life to be had elsewhere, especially for young graduates, but the 'sure aren't ya having the life of Riley over there in the sun' brigade get on my t*ts. Emigration isn't exactly the ideal solution for everyone.

AlekSmart

jjbrien wrote: »

Id agree with you there im just back from been in Canada for 2 years. Looking at going to the states if I cant get a job here but wouldnt advise anyone to go to Canada.

JJ,will ye for feic sake comeback and put a bit of flesh on these Canadian bone's....what did Canada ever do to you...??? :eek:

hfallada

Most European see nothing wrong with having to move from country to country to get a job. Here its serious drama as people end up going to Canada and Australia as German was ****ing **** and they never bothered to learn it

One_More_Mile

pavb2 wrote: »

300,001

Sadly I'm going tomorrow

I wish you well, hope it works out