First signs of the Celtic tiger

19-10-2010 03:50PM

The craze of "Water Filtration" which turned out to be a complete load of nonsense! You know that thing where someone calls to your house, gets a glass of water from your tap, puts in a metal "magnet" thing and your water looks filthy!

with that said, the night they called, I was in the process of buying my current car....

Orando Broom · 19-10-2010 03:55PM

When a Taxi driver started to advise me on where to buy your 'second property' in Bulgaria, I knew we were ****ed. That was 2007/8.

Scuid Mhór · 19-10-2010 03:58PM

but there's no time for nostalgia now...

youcancallmeal · 19-10-2010 03:58PM

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

When stupid gimps got involved in Big brother, X Factor, and whatever populist crap is the current norm and spending big bucks to fatten the bank balances of jerks like Simon Cowell, Louis walsh et al who ride of the 'we're in this together' attitude of the working classes, but who just line the pockets of the fat cats whilst all the time thinking 'we are supporting one of our own'.

What are you talking about!?

Luxie · 19-10-2010 04:01PM

gbee wrote: »

€7 for a Cappuccino!!!! :eek:

Hucking fell, where??:eek:

bodun · 19-10-2010 04:03PM

Scuid Mhór wrote: »

but there's no time for nostalgia now...

Ah, nostalgia isn't what it used to be!

FlutterinBantam · 19-10-2010 04:04PM

youcancallme>al wrote: »

What are you talking about!?

Can't you read buddy.?

I'm talking about the stupid gimps who wasted Ks of yoyos supporting 'one of their own' without realising all they were doing was allowing themselves to be manipulated into the working class ideal of 'look after our own' whilst in reality their hard earned yoyos were heading into the pockets of gimps like Cowell/Walsh/ and others who run the phone lines.

That's what I am talking about pal.:rolleyes:

Feeona · 19-10-2010 04:16PM

By the second year (1998) of my first REAL job, my wages had doubled. That's when I realised something was amiss

youcancallmeal · 19-10-2010 04:20PM

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Can't you read buddy.?

I'm talking about the stupid gimps who wasted Ks of yoyos supporting 'one of their own' without realising all they were doing was allowing themselves to be manipulated into the working class ideal of 'look after our own' whilst in reality their hard earned yoyos were heading into the pockets of gimps like Cowell/Walsh/ and others who run the phone lines.

That's what I am talking about pal.:rolleyes:

I'm no big fan of the xfactor, big brother etc but I'm sick of seeing this nonsense spouted when somebody wants a easy target. These programs are popular entertainment. Nobody has to vote if they don't want to. The winners get multi-million pound contracts, the losers often make a lot of money as well. Simon Cowell has been involved in charity work for many years and donates significant sums of money. I sound like a fan boy now but I'm certainly not. I just wish people would do a bit of research before firing out statements like "fatten the bank balances of jerks like Simon Cowell, Louis walsh et al" as if they are the most evil people in the world right now

Wow gone way off topic. I knew things were really picking up back around 03/04 when my friends were arguing over how to have a night out in Dublin on less than €100. I'd easily have a good night out on €30 now!

Japer · 19-10-2010 04:21PM

When the postman was talking about his two property investments.
When a Gaurd I know aged about fifty, who was never the brightest spark, retired and told me his pension and told me about his lifestyle going to his villa in Portugal playing golf so much. I knew then something was unsustainable.

jackiebaron · 19-10-2010 04:25PM

I don't live in Ireland but come back every Christmas and sometimes in summer too. I still love the place but my life is elsewhere. Anyway coming back from New York in the 90's was a different experience each year. In 93/94 I'd be fairly loaded and my college mates would be fairly skint but we'd go on the piss in the Stag's Head nonetheless. Then in the late 90's I moved from the US to Amsterdam and was IT contracting. Still fairly coining it...but in a much less stable market so I have to be sensible and plan for downturns and periods where I might be scratching for 6 months. Coming back each year the picture got more and more surreal. I'd be down the pub and I'd be listening to fellas who were working class Joes, brikkies, sparkies, plumbers yammering on about going on golfing holidays to Thailand, going to see Moby IN MANHATTAN. Crap like that.

In 2007, having a cigarette in the smoking area of the Viscount pub in Whitehall I got talking to some "head". Again clearly a working class bloke. He told me that his head was "wrecked" from taking the kids to see "Santee". This wasn't in Cleary's or Arnott's. No, this guy just got back from taking his kids to see Santa in fücking LAPPLAND.

Bet he won't be taking them THIS Christmas.

FlutterinBantam · 19-10-2010 04:37PM

youcancallme>al wrote: »

I'm no big fan of the xfactor, big brother etc but I'm sick of seeing this nonsense spouted when somebody wants a easy target. These programs are popular entertainment. Nobody has to vote if they don't want to. The winners get multi-million pound contracts, the losers often make a lot of money as well. Simon Cowell has been involved in charity work for many years and donates significant sums of money. I sound like a fan boy now but I'm certainly not. I just wish people would do a bit of research before firing out statements like "fatten the bank balances of jerks like Simon Cowell, Louis walsh et al" as if they are the most evil people in the world right now

Wow gone way off topic. I knew things were really picking up back around 03/04 when my friends were arguing over how to have a night out in Dublin on less than €100. I'd easily have a good night out on €30 now!

Don't know what your agenda is pal, but this kind of crap epitomises the modern outlook where easily manipulated people are drawn into a situation where they feel they have to support 'one of their own' and will run up huge bills for the phone companies and the sponsors.

The Celtic Tiger seems to have taken the common sense from the populace who generally seemed to think that they must contribute to the populist rubbish marketed by very experienced manipulators like Cowell/walsh/Cullen/ etc who use the vast resources at their disposal to tap into the innate urge of working class people to look after their own .

Put up a working class hero or heroine and hey ..watch the dosh roll in.

No disrespect to those who are sucked in, but just remember that major market forces are behind all this and very shrewd and manipulative individuals and trousering huge bucks as a result.

It happens, people get conned.. that's life:D

skipz · 19-10-2010 04:43PM

Jawgap wrote: »

because they were all off skiing

:)I love skiing me:)

arybvtcw0eolkf · 19-10-2010 04:43PM

When we got new rifles & gucci camo uniform's in the army!.

Otherwise the whole thing went flying past me as the army wage was never enough to provide a decent living so when I didn't go oversea's to earn more money I worked my ass off in 2 and sometimes 3 jobs a week.

A few things I do remember.. I couldn't get a tiler for a small job (bathroom walls and floors) so I learned how to tile, now I'm a pretty good tiler.

My garden gate was broke and I couldn't find a welder for love 'no money, so I bought a cheap welding plant (I think I bought it in woodies) and learned to weld!.

I wanted patio doors in an extention, again I couldn't get anyone to even price the job - yup, I done it myself.

Now the same people are baying for my blood because I'm a 'greedy' public servant - well they can go ask the butt end of my bollox.

FlutterinBantam · 19-10-2010 04:48PM

skipz wrote: »

:)I love skiing me:)

Any chance you might contribute something constructive to the thread pal?

Luxie · 19-10-2010 04:55PM

jackiebaron wrote: »

I don't live in Ireland but come back every Christmas and sometimes in summer too. I still love the place but my life is elsewhere. Anyway coming back from New York in the 90's was a different experience each year. In 93/94 I'd be fairly loaded and my college mates would be fairly skint but we'd go on the piss in the Stag's Head nonetheless. Then in the late 90's I moved from the US to Amsterdam and was IT contracting. Still fairly coining it...but in a much less stable market so I have to be sensible and plan for downturns and periods where I might be scratching for 6 months. Coming back each year the picture got more and more surreal. I'd be down the pub and I'd be listening to fellas who were working class Joes, brikkies, sparkies, plumbers yammering on about going on golfing holidays to Thailand, going to see Moby IN MANHATTAN. Crap like that.

In 2007, having a cigarette in the smoking area of the Viscount pub in Whitehall I got talking to some "head". Again clearly a working class bloke. He told me that his head was "wrecked" from taking the kids to see "Santee". This wasn't in Cleary's or Arnott's. No, this guy just got back from taking his kids to see Santa in fücking LAPPLAND.

Bet he won't be taking them THIS Christmas.

Same here. I remember seeing one woman who, well, didn't look obviously wealthy, she was clad in a shellsuit IIRC, looking (and I mean seriously looking) at a Prada bag. I picked up the same bag to have a look and put it down just as quick, it was the equivalent of the bulk of my disposable income in any given month. Madness.

starviewadams · 19-10-2010 04:59PM

Dont think the Celtic tiger ever made an appearance in my estate!

Do remember lots of the fella's I used to work with's dad's becoming landlords,now they're all probably becoming bankrupt.

FlutterinBantam · 19-10-2010 05:01PM

starviewadams wrote: »

Dont think the Celtic tiger ever made an appearance in my estate!

Do remember lots of the fella's I used to work with's dad's becoming landlords,now they're all probably becoming bankrupt.

geezers wasting apostrophes were all over the kip.:rolleyes:

Setun · 19-10-2010 05:06PM

youcancallme>al wrote: »

I'm no big fan of the xfactor, big brother etc but I'm sick of seeing this nonsense spouted when somebody wants a easy target. These programs are popular entertainment. Nobody has to vote if they don't want to. The winners get multi-million pound contracts, the losers often make a lot of money as well. Simon Cowell has been involved in charity work for many years and donates significant sums of money. I sound like a fan boy now but I'm certainly not. I just wish people would do a bit of research before firing out statements like "fatten the bank balances of jerks like Simon Cowell, Louis walsh et al" as if they are the most evil people in the world right now

Wow gone way off topic. I knew things were really picking up back around 03/04 when my friends were arguing over how to have a night out in Dublin on less than €100. I'd easily have a good night out on €30 now!

Is that you Louie? :P

I remember going up to the local sweet shop in my early teens, not long after the euro came in. A "penny sweet" went up to 2c. I thought to myself: My god, this country is ****ed. I didn't sleep a wink that night.

Rented Mule · 19-10-2010 05:29PM

I knew something was up @1993 when the number of kids showing up in Chicago with a bag full of clothes and the phone number of a friend of their/mother to put them up started to dwindle.

The number slowly dwindled as the 90s rolled on. The kids that were coming out weren't looking for construction jobs, many weren't even looking to work.

FruitLover · 19-10-2010 05:36PM

KungPao wrote: »

Yeah.

When you started having to speak fucking Italian to get a coffee with milk....oh sorry a Cafe Latte.

As an Italian speaker, I deliberately admonish coffeeshop employees over their pronunciation/grammar because of this kind if ****e.

Orando Broom · 19-10-2010 05:39PM

FruitLover wrote: »

As an Italian speaker, I deliberately admonish coffeeshop employees over their pronunciation/grammar because of this kind if ****e.

The next time I hear an Eyetalian ask for a 'peent of Geeness', I am going to let him have it!

skipz · 19-10-2010 05:39PM

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Any chance you might contribute something constructive to the thread pal?

Page 2, post #27.
And whats wrong with quoting that i love skiing? I used to go skiing when the Celtic tiger was roaring, pal.

FlutterinBantam · 19-10-2010 06:01PM

skipz wrote: »

Page 2, post #27.
And whats wrong with quoting that i love skiing? I used to go skiing when the Celtic tiger was roaring, pal.

Nothing at all buddy, you ,in fact ,seem to encapsulate the attitude of the CT years.

Live the present and then expect others to look after you when the bubble bursts and you find that the gravy train has dried up and you actually need some qualifications to get by.

best of luck pal.

FlutterinBantam · 19-10-2010 06:06PM

Orando Broom wrote: »

The next time I hear an Eyetalian ask for a 'peent of Geeness', I am going to let him have it!

'Eyetalian'

What country do those dudes come from?

'I' in Italian is pronounced 'ih' as in Ihtalian.

we don't call it 'Eyetaly' do we.

jesus,.

Fozzie Bear · 19-10-2010 06:10PM

I was 20 and in Boston for Christmas in 97 or 98 (can't remember which) staying with my uncle and his family. We went to visit some other family members on Stephens day and a neighbour of theirs was also visiting when we called. Anyway this American neighbour upon hearing I was over from Ireland said "Oh you must be one of those Celtic tigers". First time I ever heard the phrase. He had read about the Celtic tiger economy in some magazine or other.

I suppose it really hit home for me when a good mate of mine got married in 2004. They had moved into a 450,000 (builders finish) house outside Galway just before the marriage. Within weeks after the lavish wedding he bought a brand new silver Santa Fe SUV for himself and his wife got a matching silver Hyundai coupe. Both brand new on the same day and apparently on the spur of the moment. They had both been sharing a battered Toyota Yaris between them up to that, went into the garage to book a service for the yaris and drove away instead in two brand new cars:eek:. We honestly thought they had won the lottery. Madness, it was all on HP. The cars are long gone now and they are just about keeping their heads above water on their mortgage. The annual skiing holiday and summer in the sun are a thing of the past too. A week in Wexford is as good as it gets these days!

HeadPig · 19-10-2010 06:12PM

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

'Eyetalian'

What country do those dudes come from?

'I' in Italian is pronounced 'ih' as in Ihtalian.

we don't call it 'Eyetaly' do we.

jesus,.

You're not very clever.

FlutterinBantam · 19-10-2010 06:19PM

In what way buddy?

Technique · 19-10-2010 06:39PM

Cars.

When I was growing up in the 70s and 80s, I knew no-one with a BMW or Mercedes. I knew of some people in neighbouring towns who owned one who would have been considered 'wealthy' businessmen.

Fast forward 20 years.....I could probably name 50 people off the top of my head who have a BMW or Merc.

Spacedog · 19-10-2010 06:44PM

When you'd read about corrupt politicians, f##king poor people of ireland over for the millionth time in a row, be it giving the corrib gas reserve away to shell for free, shifting quality healthcare to private plans only, fees for working class students trying to get an education.

Then you'd log onto boards.ie and 20 people are leaving messages like 'that's capitalism, get over yourself ya commie nazi hippy' or 'the poor should work as hard as me in my office, I got a house and am a "millionaire", so f##k the lazy bums who clean the toilets'

Basically it's when the midddle class snobbish attitude came to dominate day to day irish life. Everyone thought they were millionaires and immeadiately looked down their noses at anyone with a properly working sense of modesty or proportion.

Try going back in time to 2007 and mentioning a property bubble to anyone. They took the prospect as a personal insult and would reply as such.

First signs of the Celtic tiger

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