Emigration: Bitterness at those who have left

This is the Celtic Tiger kids relearning the lessons of the previous generations, my generation and the ones before that. Nothing new here. It's just a pity it's back.

At one point back in the eighties most of my family were living abroad. Somehow they all ended up back here. Now they're facing their kids going the same route.

People complain about the attitude towards Ireland of those back on holiday. It that really surprising? Not only did most of them have to go to get work or simply to get work in their field because of the shambles this country has become. But when they go somewhere their eyes are opened to how thing can and should be done if this country didn't resemble a third world country at times.

My sister worked in London for years and when she came back. She was constantly frustrated by the difficulties she ran into when trying to get work done or try and organise something. She only realised how bad this country was when she came back.

That is true of so many people's experiences.

As for people who resent those who emigrated and did well for themselves. Well get off your backsides and copy them.

But for all those who resent them. There are many more who would like to join them but either cannot go or simply don't have the qualifications or experience to do so.

old hippy wrote: »

One of my ancestors was a returning emigrant, he went to the farm to catch up with the family. He wasn't behaving flash, he hadn't been home in years and he was treated with suspicion and called the "rich yank". He ended up going back to the States, much saddened.

You have to remember that he's not Irish anymore and the ones who stay here are the ''super-duper real Irish people''

I remember a piece in that Indo rag a few years back about 2nd and 3rd generation Irish people divided into the one's ''we'll have'' and the ones ''we'd rather do without''

Who the f**k are ''we'', who do they think they're speaking for?

Equally vomit inducing is someone like Mary Kennedy interviewing visitors in the crowd during the St Patricks Day parades with the whole slant of '' you're not from here and we are ! '',

yeah, they took one look at your banks, politicians and hospitals and they're all jealous.

bluecode wrote: »

This is the Celtic Tiger kids relearning the lessons of the previous generations, my generation and the ones before that. Nothing new here. It's just a pity it's back.

At one point back in the eighties most of my family were living abroad. Somehow they all ended up back here. Now they're facing their kids going the same route.

People complain about the attitude towards Ireland of those back on holiday. It that really surprising? Not only did most of them have to go to get work or simply to get work in their field because of the shambles this country has become. But when they go somewhere their eyes are opened to how thing can and should be done if this country didn't resemble a third world country at times.

My sister worked in London for years and when she came back. She was constantly frustrated by the difficulties she ran into when trying to get work done or try and organise something. She only realised how bad this country was when she came back.

That is true of so many people's experiences.

As for people who resent those who emigrated and did well for themselves. Well get off your backsides and copy them.

But for all those who resent them. There are many more who would like to join them but either cannot go or simply don't have the qualifications or experience to do so.

There must be a problem where returning emigrants are too vocal. I am one, there is little point me going "Londons public transport is so much better" because people know ( the experience is just as bad though - in fact I prefer the less crowded, if slower Dart).

There are things done better in London, and the US, and worse. The best thing is to accept that countries are different.

mandrake04 wrote: »

Sure you can boat/Jet ski and 4WD in Ireland, but its the crap softcock version. Driving around a muddy field in an old batted land rover doesn't compare with something like Monkey Gum fire trail in a raised Landcruiser, fishing for 2lb trout in Ireland is hardly the same as 1 metre kingfish or 70Kg stripy. As for Jet skiing absolute delight in 20C water and the petrol is less than a euro a litre, not just the weather but other factors.

Great thread lads... the Irish disease surely clouds the mind.

The only Irish disease is the claim of an Irish disease. I'll take your word for it that fishing for a 1 metre kingfish is harder than trout, I don't fish. On the other hand fishing in tougher Atlantic waters might be more of a challenge. you want stuff to be harder in one sense, bigger fish, and mollycoddled in another 20c or nothing. HTFU.

No idea about 4WD.

I prefer Europe myself, one of the reasons I came back from the US is that outside the cities there is little it interest, and nothing historical, while Europe is impossible to not find and interesting spot.

Leftist wrote: »

entitled to your opinion but if you are denying irish culture is
a) insular
b) obsessed with religion
c) wild in nature
then you are deluded.

a) it's an island. We are more aware of other cultures than the UK, as we know about them but they don't know about us. As for the rest of Europe, very few English speakers know anything much about non-English speaking cultures.
b) the obsession is mostly atheists obsessing. Otherwise with the exception of laws , rather than opinion, on abortion Ireland is in line with Western Europe.
c) no idea what that means. We're fairly staid.