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Child Item

Were the early 90's the last "real" Ireland

Giblet

Just finished watching Colm Meaney's first episode of his new series, revisiting his old Barrytown movies with Roddy Doyle, and I can't help but feel an sense of working class optimism that prevailed during that period, from the late 80's to the 90's. We had just come off of Italia 90, The Commitments had opened to huge success, and we won a string of Eurovisions and capped it all off with a great showing in USA '94 leading into facing England in the RDS, Steve Collins and finishing with the Good Friday Agreement in 98. Far away from the Ghost Estates, Failed Banks, and Bertie's bets on horses. I had just finished DOOM, but yet, it was on it's way.

Is that the Ireland we all remember? Is it dead and buried, with Haughey.. in the grave.

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hot buttered scones

DerekC16 wrote: »

Lots of women would love to be able to stay at home and raise their kids but families simply cannot afford it now. It isn't a good thing. We need people to be having more kids.

It's about being able to have the choice. Neither outcome is particularly bad, but only if done by choice.

hot buttered scones

fryup wrote: »

take off your green tinted glasses OP, Ireland of 80's & 90's was a hole of a place, dismal kip

Your experience of the period may not reflect the experience of others

hot buttered scones

Andrewf20 wrote: »

I think alot of women wanted to work as well, but then it became a case of women needing to work due to insane acceleration of housing costs. My take on it is that this was what fueled house prices rising.

This is absolutely one of the main reasons for housing price rises. It was the goal of the FF government to get more women into the workplace and as far as I remember it was done under the guise of trying to be a more equal society with at least equality of opportunity for both men and women. This was McCreevy's baby - tax individualisation and all that jazz. Whether the effect on property prices was an unintended consequence or by design I don't know (i.e. it's not a bug, it's a feature)

Rothko

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Ah the good old days. White and Catholic. No fecking one world government. Fewer foreigners. Is that the vibe I'm picking up?

Dumbest post I've seen in a long time.

Dyr

riclad wrote: »

P
homeless people living in tents
People come here to work in shops hotels cafes
Immigration is part of a successful economy

People living in tents must be part of successful economy too so.

Dyr

Merlin44 wrote: »

Mid 90s was the time start of mobile phones, ecstasy house music , everyone friendly, going out with a set amount of money and been happy with that.

House was the in thing long before the mid 90s

hot buttered scones

riclad wrote: »

People complained about rock and roll, violent movies, videogames. TV, influencing teens to behave badly, now its
social media.
The 90s were the last time rents were low,after 2000 house price went up rapidly, rents went up, now we have a housing crisis
homeless people living in tents
People come here to work in shops hotels cafes
Immigration is part of a successful economy
People did not know it but the 90s were an optimistic time
before a decade of rapid change
before Ireland became a modern economy with Google Facebook opening offices here

I got married in late 99 and then came home for Christmas. We had a look around estate agents and spotted houses in the estate behind my parents for £65,000. We didn't really have anything tying us to where we were living, so we moved home. After a few months the £65000 houses were now £85,000 and out of our reach. In a few months more, when we had managed to scrap a deposit together the houses were now tipping over €100k. And the rules at time were 2.5 times the largest wage plus one time the smallest wage. It took us years to get sorted, yet only 2 or 3 years earlier we'd have been sorted in a few months. It's all down to timing really, which is unfortunate

hot buttered scones

Early 90s is it? I had a f eckin gala n anyways. Turned 16 in 1990. Getting the shift, dropping the hand, bush drinking, hash smoking, e dropping, raving, moving to the big shmoke for college, getting a taste for Guinness. Coppers and the Mean Fiddler, Henrys and Spiders. Indie music and Britpop. The general atmosphere from about 94-00, among my peer group anyway, was definitely more hopeful and optimistic than now. And coming from such a low level (in terms of money and material possessions) I think our expectations from life were a bit lower than people have now. The church barely had an influence in my life - we weren't a religious household. The news was ****e, the roads were worse (5 hours to drive from Cork to Dublin!!) and the weather was......Irish? Foreign travel was a luxury and a treat. We had to do our research in the library, although the internet was starting to make inroads. We weren't being constantly bombarded with news, opinions and information like we are - made for more interesting conversations I think as subjects were discussed, teased out and opinions given without Johnny in the corner pulling out his google machine to prove us all wrong. I look as this period through rose tinted glasses as this was when I came of age. There was lots of horrible sh1t going on- the North, the Balkans, The Middle East,. But the wall fell in 1989 and that changed things for ever. Actually two good bookends for this period are the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Bloc putting an end to the Cold War at one end and 9/11 at the other. Perhaps it's just coincidence that this coincided with me turning from a child into a young adult in 1990 and having my 1st kid in late 2000, but there was definitely more optimism around back then even though times were hard. then again, I could afford to move out of home into a house share while flipping burgers in a fast food restaurant - so that aspect of life was a lot easier than it is for young people now. I suppose it was easier to be optimistic and hopeful when your dreams had a chance of become reality. People have been born and died since then. Life is short. Try and make the most of it

Swindled

Nostalgia was even better in the 90's.

Nostaliga, is just not what it used to be.

All joking aside, some things are better, some things worse, but overall the 90's were better in Ireland than things are now, sad to say.
Ordinary working people could still reasonably expect to own their own homes and afford a family.

People were also definitely less rat race orientated.

In the 90's we also had the optimistic feeling that the 2000s -2020's would definably be better.
We can't say the same about the 2030's-2050's that's for sure.

Given what's coming, I'm glad I'm the age I am now, and not younger that's for sure.

Ubbquittious

riclad wrote: »

People complained about rock and roll, violent movies, videogames. TV, influencing teens to behave badly, now its
social media.
The 90s were the last time rents were low,after 2000 house price went up rapidly, rents went up, now we have a housing crisis
homeless people living in tents
People come here to work in shops hotels cafes
Immigration is part of a successful economy
People did not know it but the 90s were an optimistic time
before a decade of rapid change
before Ireland became a modern economy with Google Facebook opening offices here

Rent was low after the 2008 recession in most of the country

riclad

People complained about rock and roll, violent movies, videogames. TV, influencing teens to behave badly, now its
social media.
The 90s were the last time rents were low,after 2000 house price went up rapidly, rents went up, now we have a housing crisis
homeless people living in tents
People come here to work in shops hotels cafes
Immigration is part of a successful economy
People did not know it but the 90s were an optimistic time
before a decade of rapid change
before Ireland became a modern economy with Google Facebook opening offices here

RandomViewer

I liked the 90s, hardly anyone had debt, always had work, people were a lot less stressed,

RandomViewer

Flinty997 wrote: »

Car insurance was a nightmare back then. Much worse than it is today. Which people might find hard to believe.

You had to be a named driver on a policy to get a quote and then the price would be unreal, heard of people asked 2k for insurance when wages were around 150quid a week

RandomViewer

rossie1977 wrote: »

Hmm prohibition was everywhere still https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/an-irishman-s-diary-1.231015

Playboy wasn't legal in Ireland until 95, exorcist movie until 98.

Exorcist wasn't banned from cinemas, it used to get a reshowing every few years,

Flinty997

the beer revolu wrote: »

In the 80's and 90s people complained about compo culture just as much as they do now.
And "insurance" was a reason to not be able to do anything. This really isn't new.

Just like "video nasties" in the 80's were corrupting our morals, then rap and violent video games in the 90s and now, it's the Internet, generally, apparently.

Every generation thinks they are the first to recognise perceived ills in society.
Yes, stuff changes but the stuff people complain about tends to remain stubbornly the same.

Car insurance was a nightmare back then. Much worse than it is today. Which people might find hard to believe.

Flinty997

The 90s were a great time to be in IT lots new stuff, rapid change. IT industry exploded in Ireland.

the beer revolu

Mules wrote: »

Nothing like it is now though. Government ministers are doing it now even ones from a party that describes itself as pro business.

In the 80's and 90s people complained about compo culture just as much as they do now.
And "insurance" was a reason to not be able to do anything. This really isn't new.

Just like "video nasties" in the 80's were corrupting our morals, then rap and violent video games in the 90s and now, it's the Internet, generally, apparently.

Every generation thinks they are the first to recognise perceived ills in society.
Yes, stuff changes but the stuff people complain about tends to remain stubbornly the same.

Flinty997

Harry Palmr wrote: »

As this is of course routine in Ireland. The housing market is broken because of multiple issues like NIMBY hell, obsessions with low building heights, available capital at affordable prices, high mortgage rates, short term rental markets. But you alight on stereotype east European's as the source of our woe. Great. :rolleyes:

Who do you reckon is paying for your future pensions in part?

A lot of immigration is Irish people returning. You also have urbanisation. People moving into the cities from rural areas. Mostly all going to Dublin. But it's the same in the other cities.

What ever about supply issues. Ultimately supply is being swamped by the demand. Building luxury apartments will not fix this. Because the demand isn't for high end stuff. If you have money there isn't a shortage of housing.

Mules

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Compo culture was bad in the 80,s ,nevermind the 90,s

There has never been much social shame in "putting in a claim "

Nothing like it is now though. Government ministers are doing it now even ones from a party that describes itself as pro business.

Mad_maxx

Mules wrote: »

I liked the 90's. Everyone was more easygoing. The compo culture wasn't so bad and victimhood wasn't popular. People were more resilient. The population was smaller and there was a proper feeling of community.

Compo culture was bad in the 80,s ,nevermind the 90,s

There has never been much social shame in "putting in a claim "

Mules

I liked the 90's. Everyone was more easygoing. The compo culture wasn't so bad and victimhood wasn't popular. People were more resilient. The population was smaller and there was a proper feeling of community.

whisky_galore

ineedeuro wrote: »

The problem with ireland was as soon as internet etc came into our lives we decided we wanted to be American. Not the good parts of American culture but the sh*t parts
You have a load of lads going around now trying to recreate what they see in the films over drugs. All copying what is on tv
Gangs who are trying to replicate again what they see in the US,
People just acting like d**is because it’s their right, freedom of speech blah blah blah
Clowns who think it’s cool to insult the Garda.... or as they call them the “ppoooollliicceee”

For a nation we really have a huge IQ problem across the board

We have aped Americans for decades, this is nothing new.

Merlin44

Mid 90s was the time start of mobile phones, ecstasy house music , everyone friendly, going out with a set amount of money and been happy with that.

ineedeuro

The problem with ireland was as soon as internet etc came into our lives we decided we wanted to be American. Not the good parts of American culture but the sh*t parts
You have a load of lads going around now trying to recreate what they see in the films over drugs. All copying what is on tv
Gangs who are trying to replicate again what they see in the US,
People just acting like d**is because it’s their right, freedom of speech blah blah blah
Clowns who think it’s cool to insult the Garda.... or as they call them the “ppoooollliicceee”

For a nation we really have a huge IQ problem across the board

Wanderer78

whisky_galore wrote:

Inconveniently, now that couples have been in the work force and bringing in money for quite some time, that naturally pushed up the prices that the market can bear and put the less well off couples, one income couples and singletons at a disadvantage.

We ve fallen into the same trap as most other western nations, and have allowed, facilitated, even encouraged a fire sector (finance, insurance and real estate) lead economy, which has ultimately caused a significant rise in asset prices, in particular property and land, couple that with low wage inflation, and the rest is history......

Mimon

Harry Palmr wrote: »

As this is of course routine in Ireland. The housing market is broken because of multiple issues like NIMBY hell, obsessions with low building heights, available capital at affordable prices, high mortgage rates, short term rental markets. But you alight on stereotype east European's as the source of our woe. Great. :rolleyes:

Who do you reckon is paying for your future pensions in part?

While I agree in general with what you are saying in this post, you have steered the conversation on the thread to be about immigration when it wasn't a topic that has really being discussed at all.

Your first post smacks of looking to be offended and outraged, sad.

FTA69

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Ah the good old days. White and Catholic. No fecking one world government. Fewer foreigners. Is that the vibe I'm picking up?

Best thing about the 90s was people like you would be told to shut up and people could have a chat about stuff in a humorous fashion without listening to this crap being thrown at them all the time.

whisky_galore

Sunny Disposition wrote: »

Immigration has been totally ignored as a factor in property becoming unaffordable, you’d just be called a racist for pointing out something that’s really obvious.
Not too dissimilar, the fact that both parents now NEED to work is barely questioned. It’s a huge issue, has put massive pressure on families. But no one has the inclination to say this needs to change, that it’s better for society if parents can stay at home.

Inconveniently, now that couples have been in the work force and bringing in money for quite some time, that naturally pushed up the prices that the market can bear and put the less well off couples, one income couples and singletons at a disadvantage.

Charles Babbage

Mad_maxx wrote: »

I didnt hear about the internet until around 1995 , I remember all the hype around Windows 95 , We didnt get the internet until early 1999 , I didnt get my first mobile phone until i was Twenty two in 1999 , granted i held out quite a while

Burt Renaults

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Ah the good old days. White and Catholic. No fecking one world government. Fewer foreigners. Is that the vibe I'm picking up?