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Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

"We'd rather be poor with our people around us, than have opportunities in a different world"

From the outside looking in. Irish emigrants tell their stories.

IRELAND’S 20-SOMETHING POPULATION has declined by nearly a quarter in the last five years.

Over the last few weeks, we have discussed the impact this has had on Ireland. But what about those abroad?

We asked some emigrants the following questions:

1) How do you see Ireland since you left?

2) Do you plan on coming home?

3) What would make Ireland more attractive to come back to?

Last week’s comment by Ann that she would rather live in a place that fell down (Christchurch) than come home provoked a lot of reaction. It was equally weighted, both positive and negative.

Tim*’s story

Tim came home from Australia with his wife two years ago, saying that he would “rather be poor than have opportunities in a different world”.

“I honestly think a lot of people in New Zealand and Oz would love to be at home and are trying to convince themselves it’s a bad place to be.

“The girl living in Christchurch makes a few very practical points but I can’t believe that she would rather have half price GP care and not get to see her nephew every few weeks, go to her 3 best friends weddings if they happen in one year, and get to her mums hospital bed before she passes away.

If she can do that on her wage fair play, but in real life you miss a lot of that most important stuff.

“Me and my now wife left steady jobs in 2009 to go to Australia for change and opportunity to direct our careers when nearly all our peers were clinging to their jobs. The alternative was to stay put, hope for the best and end up wherever the HSE happened to produce a job at the right time for us.

“Instead we went there, got jobs in the areas we were interested in and, against the tide, came home in 2011 and now are both in close to our perfect jobs.

“We’re not at the top of our professions, but earning enough to live comfortably and doing work we are interested in. We realised there that if you live there and want to be even a bit happy you have to accept that Ireland is a place you used to live, your family and old friends are people you have a connection to and used to know well, but are not a significant part of your life any more.

And we decided we’d rather be poor with our people around us than have opportunities in a different world.

“I know our industry is less affected than some, for instance I know engineers who want nothing more than home but I think people who live away should not be talking about how terrible Ireland is if they don’t believe it. The compensations of living here are less material but more important, in my honest opinion.”

CK’s story

Married father of two CK moved his family to Canada after he couldn’t find work in the construction sector.

“I lived and worked all my life in Ireland.

“In June 2009 I was made redundant after eight years with a large construction firm. At first I thought that I would find another job but after a year of sending applications to companies without so much as a response I decided to try another route.

“Having left school early I decided to take my leaving cert which I duly passed, I thought this would help me find work but it did not. I then attended a FAS course in quality management again to no avail. While on this course I decided to apply for some jobs in Canada.

“In February 2012 I was offered a job in Saskatchewan. I initially had to leave home on my own as you cannot drag your family half way around the world without knowing how things will work out. The morning I said goodbye was gut wrenching to say the least. In the first six months in Canada I went home twice, after my second visit home my wife decided we should all move as a family because living apart was too stressful.

“I have been extremely lucky in Canada in that I have a very well paying job because it is very expensive to live here. Food, clothes and utilities are costly and property prices and rent are quite high. On the other side of the coin we have a life here that we would never have had at home. It is not that we are living the high life but we can afford a yearly holiday and to support our childrens activities.

“I honestly feel that the Irish Government is happy to see me and others like me go.

A good number of my expatriate companions here feel angry and let down. I often hear people say “I would love to go back, but there is nothing there for me”. I love Ireland and consider myself a nationalist in the best sense of the word but I feel that those in power knowingly and willingly discarded a generation of people like myself and many others.

“Every day I wake up here I am thankful that I got the chance to try again. A term of sustained unemployment destroys your dignity and self worth. I feel that my life has purpose here and that my wife and children can be proud of me instead of me feeling like I have failed them.

“In the short term I cannot see us returning home. I am not one to say I will never go back as I never thought I would leave.

“It hurts me deeply when some people question the patriotism of people leaving Ireland as I think this sentiment should be aimed at our politicians and put to effect at the ballot box in the next election.

“For now Canada is our home but I really hope that Ireland can be more than just a memory for us in time.”

Have you left Ireland? Would you like to come home? Have you come home? Email paulhosford@thejournal.ie with your story.

Read: “I’d rather live in a city that literally fell down than come home”

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56 Comments
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    Mute Stephen Duggan
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    May 13th 2015, 6:34 AM

    I knew a fella that lost both feet to frostbite, he drank two hot whiskeys, and not only did his feet grow back, he got a part in riverdance. True story.

    376
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    Mute Ronan Sexton
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    May 13th 2015, 6:50 AM

    Pics, or it never happened.

    38
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    Mute Celticspirit321
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    May 13th 2015, 6:54 AM

    Even better, here’s the video https://youtu.be/jjxTTjJtXDA

    15
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    Mute John Fahey
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    May 13th 2015, 6:53 AM

    Irish whiskey, among many other Irish companies are missing out on major new markets, namely China.

    This is a MASSIVE new market, and their marketing is no where. You see Scottish whiskey advertisements everywhere, and as a result, Johnny Walker is being sold for crazy money over there, albeit mixed with bottles of green tea!

    Not only is Scottish whiskey advertised, but Scotland and its “brand” are shown, including images of golf (another booming industry!) etc. You see similar examples of France when cosmetics or wine is advertised.

    You do see Irish whiskey in shops, Jameson is available for approx €10 a bottle (made in Ireland too!) But it’s not treated as high end, where serious money can be made, by any means.

    Being a small nation, I feel our companies need a co-ordinated effort to help use brand “Ireland” to market themselves in China. Our government should be involved, as this will not only help boost exports, but also help to increase tourism etc. Reducing the visa paperwork will only go so far.

    An aggressive approach is very much needed. It would be a major boost for Ireland to be known in China as “being the best in the world” for something like whiskey, as it would help put us on their map, which we aren’t yet on.

    135
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    Mute Freddie Rincon
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    May 13th 2015, 3:56 PM

    Same in Latin America. I imagine they simply could’nt supply the demand? 20 brands of scotch the odd place will have Jameson.

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    Mute Rory J Leonard
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    May 13th 2015, 7:42 AM

    Mr John Teeling is to be commended for his Trojan efforts in injecting new life into the Irish Whiskey sector over the past twenty years or so.

    This former University lecturer in Business studies, is a true Entrepreneur, who has practiced what he preached!

    77
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    Mute Chris
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    May 13th 2015, 12:34 PM

    Love the stuff too, great product.

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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    May 13th 2015, 6:27 AM

    Yea purely for medicinal purposes!!!! *cough*!! Ya can bate a hot toddy sitting at a winters fire to kill the cold!!

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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    May 13th 2015, 7:20 AM

    “We need the government to be innovative …”

    And that’s where I stopped reading.

    54
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    Mute Alan Corlett
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    May 13th 2015, 8:37 AM

    Whisky in brown envelopes, now there’s an idea :)

    16
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    Mute Conor O'Neill
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    May 13th 2015, 6:35 AM

    Hate whiskey. Taste like petrol and makes people crazy

    27
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    Mute richard fennessy
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    May 13th 2015, 7:31 AM

    Ooh your loss Conor

    46
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    Mute Hipster Enda
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    May 13th 2015, 9:12 AM

    You’ve been drinking the wrong whiskey

    28
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    Mute Joseph Siddall
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    May 13th 2015, 9:39 AM

    If it states “95 Octane” on the label you might want to think about changing your supplier.

    30
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    Mute josecafe
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    May 13th 2015, 7:16 AM

    Yeah the good ole whiskey will fix this country like the good ole days

    22
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    Mute Sloop John G
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    May 13th 2015, 7:40 AM

    Smells like teen spirits !!!

    18
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    Mute Patrick Brompton
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    May 13th 2015, 10:02 AM

    An old Irish whiskey I would like to taste is “Tabby-toes” described by Molly Keane in a memoir called ‘The Athenry Country’ in her 1933 book called ‘Red Letter Days’. She writes’At an old Georgian house we dismounted from our horses, leading them around its wide-spread wings to the quiet stir of the stable yard, and presently sitting down to the best of all teas, eggs and bacon and potato cakes, preceded by a whiskey of peculiar excellence; an old liqueur brand extinct now, known as “Tabby-toes.” I cannot easily forget it. And through its mellowing warmth I can see again the strong and graceful lines of all the Chippendale and Sheraton furniture with which the dining room was crowded…’.

    12
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    Mute Colm Odinson
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    May 13th 2015, 3:17 PM

    A big problem is just how “scabby” Irish whiskey looks compared to the Scottish variety.

    Scottish whiskey is all about single malts, produced in small quantities, and sold at a luxury price. It gives off an air of luxury, sophistication, even a bit of mystery. They trade off the perceived romance of the Scottish highlands.

    Irish Whiskey is dominated by a few big brands, who churn out fairly homogenised stuff. It just utterly lacks the taste, variety and image of Scottish whiskey.

    I’m sure the Irish variety can change, but it would require a lot of investment into small businesses and a fair amount of imagination into how it’s marketed.

    4
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    Mute Big Yellow Crane
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    May 13th 2015, 10:59 PM

    Was just thinking that and that the brands which have disappeared up here; Coleraine, Dunvilles, Comber, didn’t exactly fire the imagination. But I’ve just read that Dunvilles is making a comeback with an Ards based distillery, Echlinville, releasing a batch under that name in 2016 so they must think there’s value in it.

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    Mute whereisspace
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    May 13th 2015, 11:10 AM

    Our great Irish-American family the Kennedy’s had a lot to do with the rise of the Scottish branded whiskies. People associate whiskey with the term “Scotch”, and a scotch in america is seen as an item of sophistication (notions! :-)) . This association of course travels internationally though the various american media outlets, films and tv shows that are sold throughout the world.

    Marketing has a lot to do with it, we’re a bit behind but I’m sure the Irish companies are doing their bit to make a positive change.

    4
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    Mute Ian Aston
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    May 13th 2015, 12:25 PM

    Where can I buy those old Whiskey bottlles/jars from the picture?

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    Mute Ian Aston
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    May 13th 2015, 12:28 PM

    Ian, why has whiskey got a capital W and why can’t you spell bottles you dope?

    10
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