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Stories from the Celtic Tiger Years Mod Warning in OP PLEASE READ

chops018

Does anyone have any good (or bad) stories from the Celtic Tiger years?

You always hear phrases about how people partied etc., was there just a constant flow of credit available to people and people actually taking the money e.g. was there actually teachers on circa €30k a year buying a house and car and an apartment somewhere.

I was in school and college during these years, graduated into the recession, so I didn't really see what was fully going on at the time bar the fact everyone was working and had money. My dad was working on the buildings on great money and my mam was working away also, we were never stuck really money-wise, also rent seemed to be a lot cheaper back then and fuel and also my college fees were only around €800 a year along with wages being fairly similar to what they are now (from what I can remember anyway, will stand corrected if I am wrong)

Mod warning: Any further discussion of Financial institutions in depth will result in a thread ban. Do not derail this thread with that form of discussion.

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Randy Archer
ShatterAlan

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madmaggie

A local developer had two helicopters. One for his own use, one for ferrying his managers around. One manager told me, we don't drive, we take the chopper.

PhilOssophy

road_high wrote: »

Me too. Jesus imagine if they had something like that now. Must have been a great time if you were doing well

They were capped though, so it wasn't unlimited. I think it was capped around 25k but can't remember.

Beechwoodspark

Local guy “posed”as a developer before the crash ie when I say posed I mean he got hugely into debt with AIB through buying vastly overpriced land parcels.

Great man to rock a flashy suit, diamond cuff links, diamond sparkler ear stud, them brown tan shoes with the suit all that. Manicured facial hair. Always smoking Johnny blues.

His income stream was influenced by his cousin in the local AIB, regularly seen drinking til all hours in the local pubs and clubs. Donated to FF and was best buddies with local councilors.

The bust happened and he firstly laid low telling anyone who would listen it’s a temporary blip, just wait and see...then went to Russia to try and recover his career; then Poland. All very mysterious, don’t know what he was up to there.

He arrived back to town (mid Leinster) and promptly had a breakdown, spent time in various mental hospitals and for the past 6 years or so working as a doorman for various bars and chippers in the town. Was done for dealing last year.

Beechwoodspark

Randy Archer wrote: »

Funny enough, she got burned for her 21st birthday, which was a few months before she died. Media had made a big big deal of it but it turned out that sfa “famous” people bothered to turn up. Rather humiliating . A lot of people sniggered and sneered , even media folk. You know things really hit the fan when John Watters, who knew nothing about her and would have been completely at the opposite end of the spectrum ,felt the need to write about her

That same weekend, two scobbies , brothers I think, from some council estate in Waterford , died of drugs . Little to no coverage of that

Wasn’t her 21st. She was approx 24 when she died

[Deleted User]

Sunny Disposition wrote: »

Some of that article went a bit above my head tbh, but there was a warmth to John Waters' writing then. He seemed like a very decent sort of an everyman then, his decline is quite sad in my opinion.

He just seems a complete extremist to whatever he’s latched onto at the time. The article is tripe.

[Deleted User]

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Wasn’t her 21st. She was approx 24 when she died

There a 21st after party at roughly same time in waterford where lads eat damp coke and 2 died (rip)

.....a lad in works brother was at it,and by all.accounts it was like a scene from exercist with lads lurching/jerking out of control,puking blood/out of nose etc.....story was enough to stop.me from ever trying it

Bit cynical

road_high wrote: »

Helicopters! Jesus I hardly ever see one these days apart from the odd army or state ones.
Have private users really died a death? Lived in a rural area during the tiger era and several would pass each day.

Can't buy a helicopter on a 200k NAMA salary unfortunately.

[Deleted User]

Sebastian Dangerfield wrote: »

Ridiculous Irish weddings are still a legacy of Celtic Tiger. Standing outside in the fcuking cold in the middle of December trying to light lanterns to set off into the sky. I was at one a couple of years ago where the party kept getting broken up so we could watch the couples "first dance" for the fifth time - the bride had a number of songs that were special to her, apparently. All the while being warned repeatedly over the microphone not to take photos or videos, the only record of the day was to be the official "approved media". All this after she was an hour and a half late to the church. The poor fella she married would only wash himself on special occasions if he was let, I think they'll be very happy.

My wife was asked to be a bridesmaid recently. She hadnt a clue why she was being summoned for makeup at 5:30am for a wedding 8 hours later. It all made sense when she walked in, glowing in the dark like Singin Bernie Walsh. She didnt realise that all women of all hair colours and complexions need to be tangoed for the traditional Irish wedding - poor woman was mortified.

God be with the days when a wedding was judged solely on how much mash and veg was served with the dinner.

Big time. Whatever else died with the tiger, wedding wanker still lives on strong. Attention seeking *****.

Beechwoodspark

[Deleted User] wrote: »

There a 21st after party at roughly same time in waterford where lads eat damp coke and 2 died (rip)

.....a lad in works brother was at it,and by all.accounts it was like a scene from exercist with lads lurching/jerking out of control,puking blood/out of nose etc.....story was enough to stop.me from ever trying it

Vaguely remember that in the news. Sounded horrific

lulublue22

Randy Archer wrote: »

Funny enough, she got burned for her 21st birthday, which was a few months before she died. Media had made a big big deal of it but it turned out that sfa “famous” people bothered to turn up. Rather humiliating . A lot of people sniggered and sneered , even media folk. You know things really hit the fan when John Watters, who knew nothing about her and would have been completely at the opposite end of the spectrum ,felt the need to write about her

That same weekend, two scobbies , brothers I think, from some council estate in Waterford , died of drugs . Little to no coverage of that

As far as I remember they were from Waterford but it happened in a house in Kinsale. I remember being really annoyed at the time - there was so much fuss made of Katy French’s death with calls for whoever gave her the drugs to be prosecuted etc . It was like she had no personal responsibility for her actions yet the two brothers got a brief mention and then nada. It was as if they or their familes grief didn’t matter.

Apollinaris

JimmyVik wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/lords-and-ladies-of-the-realm-gathered-for-geralds-deliciously-decadent-50th-26327902.html

How much cocaine was sniffed in the process I can only wonder.

Rodney Bathgate

lulublue22 wrote: »

As far as I remember they were from Waterford but it happened in a house in Kinsale. I remember being really annoyed at the time - there was so much fuss made of Katy French’s death with calls for whoever gave her the drugs to be prosecuted etc . It was like she had no personal responsibility for her actions yet the two brothers got a brief mention and then nada. It was as if they or their familes grief didn’t matter.

None of the 3 individuals should have gotten any positive / fawning media coverage. They were not victims, they died as a consequence of their own ill advised actions.

buried

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

None of the 3 individuals should have gotten any positive / fawning media coverage. They were not victims, they died as a consequence of their own ill advised actions.

Yeah you are right, but at the same time you have to remember, most of the media hoors were well on that stuff at the same time, still are probably. I was in a place the height of the shyster tiger and I seen a well known, obnoxious, media moralising, sycophantic pisswallet burst out of a toilet cubicle looking like he french kissed a frying pan of talcum powder

Motivator

lulublue22 wrote: »

As far as I remember they were from Waterford but it happened in a house in Kinsale. I remember being really annoyed at the time - there was so much fuss made of Katy French’s death with calls for whoever gave her the drugs to be prosecuted etc . It was like she had no personal responsibility for her actions yet the two brothers got a brief mention and then nada. It was as if they or their familes grief didn’t matter.

No it happened in a house down the road from my parents. Drugs were bought by a family member for one of the guys that died as a birthday present as far as I can remember. One of the poor lads that died wasn’t even meant to be there, didn’t hang around with any of those that were at the session but got offered to go to a party when he was in town and tagged along. Very sad story.

Electric Sheep

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Big time. Whatever else died with the tiger, wedding wanker still lives on strong. Attention seeking *****.

I hope the Corona virus finally kills off the Irish love affair with trying to have the wedding that outdoes all others. **** inviting every Tom Dick and Harry with whom they have a nodding acquaintance in the hope of making enough in presents to fund the extravaganza.

gmisk

[Deleted User] wrote: »

There a 21st after party at roughly same time in waterford where lads eat damp coke and 2 died (rip)

.....a lad in works brother was at it,and by all.accounts it was like a scene from exercist with lads lurching/jerking out of control,puking blood/out of nose etc.....story was enough to stop.me from ever trying it

Forgive my ignorance but what is "damp" coke?

anplaya27

gmisk wrote: »

Forgive my ignorance but what is "damp" coke?

Happened in the housing estate of Ballybeg in Waterford City in 2007. Damp coke is cocaine that got wet basically. It was hidden in the ground and got dug up. Was put away and stored for the party. Was too damp to snort so it was eaten. 11 people were rushed to hospital and two guys ( not brothers) died from overdoses. The guy that supplied it got 6 years I think.

lulublue22

Motivator wrote: »

No it happened in a house down the road from my parents. Drugs were bought by a family member for one of the guys that died as a birthday present as far as I can remember. One of the poor lads that died wasn’t even meant to be there, didn’t hang around with any of those that were at the session but got offered to go to a party when he was in town and tagged along. Very sad story.

Thanks - I googled to see if I had remembered correctly but couldnt find anything.

L1011

anplaya27 wrote: »

Happened in the housing estate of Ballybeg in Waterford City in 2007. Damp coke is cocaine that got wet basically. It was hidden in the ground and got dug up. Was put away and stored for the party. Was too damp to snort so it was eaten. 11 people were rushed to hospital and two guys ( not brothers) died from overdoses. The guy that supplied it got 6 years I think.

Was it not meant to be from the bales that washed off that boat in Cork, basically many, many times purer than normal and the regular uses that took large lines massively ODed as a result.

buried

L1011 wrote: »

Was it not meant to be from the bales that washed off that boat in Cork, basically many, many times purer than normal and the regular uses that took large lines massively ODed as a result.

If they came out of the sea off the west Atlantic in winter they were probably fairly damp too though

[Deleted User]

L1011 wrote: »

Was it not meant to be from the bales that washed off that boat in Cork, basically many, many times purer than normal and the regular uses that took large lines massively ODed as a result.

To best my knowledge it was damp/clumped together and lads scooped it.with finger and ate it

Kinda like speed (which was popular locally at the time)?

anplaya27

L1011 wrote: »

Was it not meant to be from the bales that washed off that boat in Cork, basically many, many times purer than normal and the regular uses that took large lines massively ODed as a result.

Was 'supposed' to have been buried in the ground by someone. Dug up by the person who supplied it at the party six months later. Google it, plenty of articles about it online.

L1011

Deleted User wrote: »

To best my knowledge it was damp/clumped together and lads scooped it.with finger and ate it

Kinda like speed (which was popular locally at the time)?

Well, if it had been in a bale in the sea, I'd expect it to be clumped.

anplaya27 wrote: »

Was 'supposed' to have been buried in the ground by someone. Dug up by someone who saw them putting it there six months later.

Only going on what I heard, which did involve one Waterford person but nobody actually involved with it.

anplaya27

L1011 wrote: »

Well, if it had been in a bale in the sea, I'd expect it to be clumped.

Only going on what I heard, which did involve one Waterford person but nobody actually involved with it.

It's all online. Just google it. Am from Waterford city, was huge news at the time.

L1011

anplaya27 wrote: »

It's all online. Just google it. Am from Waterford city, was huge news at the time.

That's no use, as both theories come up equally

JupiterKid

The coke casualties were sort of like the horrible comedown after the party was winding down, Katy French and Gerry Ryan’s deaths can be seen as a metaphor of the crash and burn after the property/credit bubble.

I am a recovering alcoholic and dabbled in quite a few recreational drugs over the years - cannabis, LSD, mushrooms, E and speed once or twice. I still smoke a bit of the happy baccy now and then, but the one drug I steered well clear of over the years was cocaine.

I had many, many chances to take it at parties, knew the right people to get it from if I wanted and some friends were into it - but I always felt it would not be a great idea to get into coke.

Glad I never tried it, in hindsight...

The J Stands for Jay

PhilOssophy wrote: »

They were capped though, so it wasn't unlimited. I think it was capped around 25k but can't remember.

Capped at E254 a month.

The chan chan man

I drove a 3 series at the time and paid monthly repayments to AIB. When the new model came out a guy from AIB phoned me asking if I’d seen it and fancied upgrading my car loan!!

(I felt so cool...but didn’t do it...)

The chan chan man

buried wrote: »

Yeah you are right, but at the same time you have to remember, most of the media hoors were well on that stuff at the same time, still are probably. I was in a place the height of the shyster tiger and I seen a well known, obnoxious, media moralising, sycophantic pisswallet burst out of a toilet cubicle looking like he french kissed a frying pan of talcum powder

Ahhh Lillies...

John_Rambo

JupiterKid wrote: »

The coke casualties were sort of like the horrible comedown after the party was winding down, Katy French and Gerry Ryan’s deaths can be seen as a metaphor of the crash and burn after the property/credit bubble.

I am a recovering alcoholic and dabbled in quite a few recreational drugs over the years - cannabis, LSD, mushrooms, E and speed once or twice. I still smoke a bit of the happy baccy now and then, but the one drug I steered well clear of over the years was cocaine.

I had many, many chances to take it at parties, knew the right people to get it from if I wanted and some friends were into it - but I always felt it would not be a great idea to get into coke.

Glad I never tried it, in hindsight...

So true, excellent observation. I've said it before, I reckon Gerry Ryan's death was a wake up call for a lot of men in his situation and in his bad state of health.