Will the good times ever return?

No, you won't be young again.

But what do you want the freedom to do or be? Do you know? People, including myself, were free but very un-directed in the 90s, 00s. I think that totally passive free floating sense of possibility wasn't going anywhere for a lot of people and didn't culminate in anything much. Hedonism just goes around in circles.

There is a lot of double-negative reactivity right now. Few people have totally independent, positive, creative aims that motivate them strongly.

Just don't get sick here

The 2015-2020 period was incredible.

Employers and recruiters banging down the door offering big salaries in MNCs.

Out for pints 3 times a week with the lads, cheap flights to Italy and Spain whenever we had a weekend free. Didnt bother with festivals in Ireland, too busy with Primavera and Nos Alive. Nothing like dancing on the beach at 4am.

Second hand cars were cheap as chips, we were all driving mid 00s big engine BMWs picked up for less than 5k (thank you luxobarge thread)

Want a date? Pop onto Tinder and you'll have women lined up easy as you like. Didn't even need to chat them up in the pub.

Then COVID happened and it all went to sh"te for a few years.

No one back then was walking around with €1000 iPhones and drinking expensive coffee, and travelling all over the world multiple times a year. Or binge watching Netflix on wall sized TVs.

You don't go from being a backwater off the edge of Europe to "go to destination" European capital without it getting a lot more expensive. You don't grow your population massively and not have an effect of housing and services.

If you want to relieve the 1990s go to a country that's poorer and underdeveloped. Because that's where Dublin and Ireland was back then.

Obviously things never go back to how they were but there is a definite unease in the air this year amongst people across many sectors and industries. People seem stressed and on edge.

I'm not sure if its due to technology and information at the palm of our hands but we seem to bombarded with bad news and problems, being bounced from one crisis to the next, dire warnings constantly being pushed down our necks.

We're not allowed enjoy ourselves anymore without some killjoy or government warning telling us of impending doom.

The halcyon days of breathing in second hand smoke while eating, drinking, watching a movie in the cinema or travelling on public transport

Oh how I miss thee 🙁

Boom times won't be back. That was really from the late nineties till 2008. The trends are climate change, wars, resource shortages and overpopulation for the future. Our way of life here will be affected how much and how soon is the question.

I don't agree that people who own their own home don't really care. That's just you guessing and its a massive generalisation. A lot of people who own houses are older and have kids and grandkids themselves who cannot get houses, who are living with them.

Many of these people would like to downsize but there is nowhere small to buy. In fact smaller houses are hugely sought after for people who are getting older and want to sell their bigger house to a family!

I have kids and grandkids and sold my 3 bed semi in East Meath last year. I've been waiting a full year to get a house somewhere in the West Limerick, Kerry area that I moved to! Trying to buy a small house is next to impossible unless its a derelict cottage that needs grants and renovations. I am finally Sale Agreed on another 3 bed semi but its in need of repair.

The house market is just appalling, for everyone. My kids are struggling big time and having returned here a few years ago from London and Canada are now thinking of emigrating again! We are SO aware of it, everyone is, I hope I never have to go through this experience again and pray my Sale Agreed goes through soon.

while you are right on the income tax the percentage of income - but what of the other taxes introduced in the meantime - it took to buy big ticket items like a house was much less - nowadays there appears to be no housing available unless you are double income and pretty rich.

They have ruined our currency and wages have not kept pace - the only thing preventing Ireland and the west being a 3rd world shithole is the advancement in technology has made our lives easier.

I grew up in the 1990 was 18 in 1996 and it was more fun and easy going. Ive a son who is 21 now and his life is good some stuff is better than mine was but often time it's not . the things suggested in the OP are valid.

I think there are more opportunities now for young people but I think previous life goals like family , house etc.. aren't as attainable and as you get older these things matter. Can you rent forever ? sure but why be at the mercy of a vulture fund? In my area at present there are some evictions of people who have rented for over a decade in the same house - built a life here but landlord (as is his right) says no. That's hard but a reality for a ever increasing segment of our population.

I think also that society was way cooler back then - I'd say social media is to blame but we didn't have that many perpetually offended people or back then payroll made sure you were paid now there is a HR system to control (in some cases) your entire existence.

Then in 2001 something happened at the World Shìte Centre and nothing has been the same since.

They were called the World Trade Center you obnoxious prik.

Will we ever see a return

No

Maybe you had it that good but not everyone had.

I finished school in the late 90s and it was only in the mid to late 90s that things got good for my parents.

Before then times were hard.

I had to work a horrible job that I hated for over a decade but hey the money was good and I bought my house.

Times are good for many people in the country now maybe not everyone but certainly a lot. I do not think as you say that we will ever see anything like the World Cup Euphoria of 1990 ever again.

Maybe when Humans get to Mars there will be a huge celebration for the whole World but otherwise I do not see it ever as good again.

.

I might have agreed with you a few years ago, but seeing our adult children trying to get started out now in their own lives - not anymore. Combine that with the changes obvious to our demographics when you walk down the street of any city or town.

Nope this country is heading towards a slippery slope. I fully expect to see a much greater division between the haves and have nots. And increasing division with violence on the streets.

This is not true anymore, Numbeo has Ireland at about 30 in the world and 20 in Europe, not great, even behind the UK. The welfare state would be a bigger reason as to why people would come and not leave I'd say.