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Sam Boal

Surrealing in the Years Let's not forget how uncool the housing crisis makes us look

Nation lives with parents.

ONE OF THE biggest stories of the week wasn’t actually news to anyone.

Widely-publicised figures from Eurostat showed that Ireland is one of the worst performing countries in Europe when it comes to adults between the ages of 25 and 29 living in the family home, better only than Croatia, Slovakia, Greece and Italy.

More than two-thirds of people in that age cohort still live with their parents which, as noted, will not be new information to those of us trying to convince ourselves we are real adult human beings while operating out of the same bedroom that we once decorated with – in my case at least – a framed poster of Scarface for some reason.

There is no shortage of indignity associated with Ireland’s housing crisis, but this week’s figures tap into some new shame, a fresh realisation of embarrassment.

The housing crisis makes us look like a bunch of mama’s boys. It makes us look like we need the crust cut off our sandwiches. A bunch of Milhouses. You cannot feel like a real person if your bedroom looks like it smells like Lynx Africa and FIFA 2003.

This has been established in romcom after romcom. 

Do you think 90s Sandra Bullock would date a man who still lived with his parents? Never. What do you think the Sex and The City women would think of us? They’d hunt us for sport, and they’d be right to do it. 

It briefly looked like we’d finally found a solution to our economic woes this week, but even Bank of Ireland’s short-lived surprise unofficial stimulus package is unlikely to do enough to bridge the gap for these frustrated young people.

Some glitch in Bank of Ireland’s digital infrastructure meant for one evening, customers could remove up to €1,000 from their account. Until now the banking apps have only ever worked against us. It felt appropriate that, just once, the bank’s tech screwed up in the other direction and just started pumping out money.

Yes, for one shining moment this week, it seemed as though we’d discovered the perfect crime. That is until you think about it for like five seconds and realise that robbing money from your own bank account, using a debit card that’s in your own name, provided to you by the bank you’re now trying to rob, attached to an account number that the bank probably keeps on file somewhere, is sadly not the masterstroke it seemed upon first glance. 

If anyone thought that the guys who refuse to pass on interest rate gains to savers and charge us quarterly fees to let them hold on to our money were going to simply let this one slide then, sadly, they live in a more idyllic fantasy of this world than the rest of us. 

Still, huge respect for anyone who did have the commitment to hit the ATM. Even if you have to give the money back, if the bank looks like it’s giving away money for even an hour, it’s your obligation to go and take the money. It’s like clapping when someone drops a pint. It’s the only way they’ll learn.

Bank of Ireland say they have since reclaimed all of the money that escaped, which is lucky because if 500,000 people had each made off with €1,000, the bank’s profits would only be half a billion right now, which would be a human tragedy.

It had already been a week rich with absurdity, then, when new RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst dropped the bombshell on Thursday night that there would be no readeption for Ryan Tubridy. Despite a proposal to bring Tubridy back at a salary of €170,000, negotiations fell through at the last minute and Bakhurst pulled the plug and broke up with Tubridy over the phone.

Since the original scandal broke, Tubridy has made various public pronouncements that probably haven’t helped his case – with either the public or RTÉ – but it was this week’s response to the Grant Thornton report that broke the camel’s Bakhurst (no, no, don’t applaud).

Sheriff Kevin has been ruthless in his own statements since dropping Tubridy, detailing the split in a way that feels almost like we’re learning a bit too much.

Bakhurst told Morning Ireland that Tubridy “was not aware” of the level of resistance among RTÉ staff to his return, and that Tubridy was “shocked and disappointed” when he found out he wouldn’t be gracing the grounds of Montrose again. Yes, we want transparency, Kevin, but that doesn’t mean you need to tell us that you made Ryan Tubridy cry.

It would be naive to think that this is the final chapter in a saga that has defined the summer news cycle. As one of Ireland’s best known public figures, whatever Ryan Tubridy chooses to do next – now cut loose from the RTÉ umbilical cord – will be a matter of intense interest.

Who is Ryan Tubridy when he’s not on RTÉ? Maybe he’ll start his own unauthorised Late Late Show. Maybe he’ll start wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses. Maybe he’ll take up bodybuilding and get shredded and start doing street-fights. Maybe he’ll start a podcast. Nobody knows, that’s the beauty of it! He’ll almost certainly start a podcast.

For his part, Bakhurst’s tone has been professional, but ultimately unrelenting. “I hope for him there is demand (from other stations) because he’s a talented guy… He’s got a mortgage to pay,” he said on Friday morning. Pretty much: So long, Ryan! Good luck with the mortgage, hope you don’t end up back in your childhood bedroom like the rest of them!

Ice cold.

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    Mute Davy
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    Aug 19th 2023, 9:13 AM

    FFG do not want a fix. Totally against their ideals.

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    Mute Tom L
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    Aug 19th 2023, 10:04 AM

    @Davy: 100% and it’s not just an Ireland thing, you will find crisis like those across the western world. It’s by design

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    Mute Adrian Kehoe
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    Aug 20th 2023, 10:55 AM

    @Tom L: last sentence, nail on head

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Aug 19th 2023, 10:26 AM

    The journal again closing the comments again, the new normal. You know the comments where closed before out of respect for victims of crime or court cases, now they are simply censoring people from commenting on subjects that matter to them most. Now it’s a free for all with the mods to close comments when they see fit.

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    Mute Voice of Reason
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    Aug 19th 2023, 11:04 AM

    Ireland doesn’t have a housing crisis. It has an immigration crisis.

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    Mute Jon John
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    Aug 19th 2023, 12:28 PM

    @Voice of Reason: deport deport deport

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Aug 19th 2023, 1:12 PM

    @Voice of Reason: Nope but keep chewing I suppose.

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    Mute The next small thing
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    Aug 19th 2023, 1:25 PM

    @Thesaltyurchin: So do you think that the large increase in population has had no effect on the amount of housing available?

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Aug 19th 2023, 2:40 PM

    @The next small thing: Nope. I think the largest contributing factor is the lack of governance of the last half century tho it’s always more useful to blame the person that cant speak English.

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    Mute Ann Reddin
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    Aug 19th 2023, 5:46 PM

    @The next small thing: Lol, there was no housing before the war in Ukraine, so don’t go blaming people fleeing from war for the mess we’re in. .The people you should be looking to are the three political parties that have been running this country for the past century before you go blaming everyone and anyone else. And over the past twelve years, under FG, EVERYTHING has gotten worse. It’s their policy of protecting the banks and unsecured bondholders, that has us where we are, not immigrants.

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    Mute Paddy C
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    Aug 19th 2023, 9:43 PM

    @Voice of Reason: can’t say that you could be called a racist,the housing crisis as we all call it is here to stay now and set to get a whole lot worse because it hasn’t been taken seriously from day one and is doing serious damage to peoples lives driving them into both poverty and anxiety, depression leading to desperate situations and suicides as combined with cost of living people see no way out,we need to obviously except now that this is the new norm if you have a roof over you’re head you’re very lucky and you may have to work day and night to keep it, immigration will increase as they obviously see a better life here but really it’s going to be a struggle for them aswel, it’s a complete mess and everyone in the country and those entering are suffering for it and it continues

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    Mute Ollie McGlinchey
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    Aug 24th 2023, 12:16 AM

    @Ann Reddin: if there was no housing before the war in Ukraine then explain to me how importing so many people is going to make that situation any better?

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    Mute Johnny King
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    Aug 19th 2023, 11:01 AM

    From the trans article “columns using the term biological male,a phrase often used by far right and anti trans groups to refer to the gender assigned to trans people at birth”
    So calling someone a biological male if they are literally a biological male is far right now??? That is an absolute fact like it or not.
    Also gender is not “assigned” to any human being.It is observed,just like reality is observed and not chosen.

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Aug 19th 2023, 11:08 AM

    @Johnny King: We now live in a world where even gender is political. How can stating facts be so controversial and cause people so much problem with their careers and reputation? You can even get in trouble with the law for it. What a dystopian nightmare society is becoming.

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    Mute Jon John
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    Aug 19th 2023, 12:29 PM

    Just laugh at the freaks

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    Mute Shemeck Romanowski
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    Aug 19th 2023, 10:44 AM

    Closing down the comment section doesn’t improve the dialogue and doesn’t protect anyone.

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Aug 19th 2023, 1:23 PM

    @Shemeck Romanowski: While I agree, It does protect the owners of the content.

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    Mute Jon John
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    Aug 19th 2023, 9:05 AM

    As someone who owns 8 properties, I say the housing market is awesome at the moment :)

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Aug 19th 2023, 9:55 AM

    @Jon John:
    As someone who does own multiple properties there is no chance you have.

    You don’t have sufficient intelligent to achieve that level of success.

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    Mute Tom L
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    Aug 19th 2023, 10:02 AM

    @Jon John: Good man Jon, hope you’re paying your taxes

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    Mute Jon John
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    Aug 19th 2023, 10:07 AM

    @Tom L: as little as possible I am a proud capitalist :)

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    Mute I can see clearly now
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    Aug 19th 2023, 12:48 PM

    @Jon John: Good afternoon Jon John – I’m still amused at the fact you removed the ‘h’. Tell me all about the fundamentals of being a landlord please ie tax registration, capital gains, year end audits etc, insurances involved, registrations to certain boards etc. I’m not well versed in such things and would welcome your vast knowledge on the subject.

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    Mute Ollie McGlinchey
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    Aug 24th 2023, 12:18 AM

    @Jon John: your parents really did a number on you.

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    Mute Patrick IV
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    Aug 19th 2023, 11:40 AM

    Nothing shows confidence in your story like turning off the comments. Do you ever think to yourself Journal, that the reason you have to turn off your comments – is because the majority of people don’t agree with your insane narratives? Did that ever enter your heads? People are stupid Journal, but I swear to God – we’re not half as stupid as you think. And BELIEVE ME – you’re not as clever as you think.

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Aug 19th 2023, 12:00 PM

    @Patrick IV: Just because you want to climb into the sh!t pile and boost your quest for misery doesn’t mean we all have to endure the nonsense.

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    Mute Patrick IV
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    Aug 19th 2023, 12:13 PM

    @Thesaltyurchin: “We all” – stop pretending YOU speak for the majority. You probably believe people can be born in the wrong body don’t you? You’d rather tell a young person, who is already confused, that they shouldn’t accept themselves for who they really are, and instead should go down the road of irreversible surgery and a LIFETIME of serious medical problems? Let me guess though – YOU’RE the ‘compassionate’ one? *I’m* the one speaking ‘nonsense’?

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    Aug 19th 2023, 12:30 PM

    @Patrick IV: Definition of spewing all the same. Feel better?

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    Mute Ann Reddin
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    Aug 19th 2023, 5:38 PM

    @Patrick IV: Thankfully, the majority of people in this country, are those who believe in equality. Are you forgetting that both the marriage equality referendum and the right to life referendum were both passed by a large majority? But that doesn’t suit your own narrative because the outcome of both referendums dissolves your delusions that the majority of people don’t believe in equality. The vast majority of people wish you lot stayed in your rabbit holes never to be seen or heard from again.
    And to add – you know that you don’t have to read The Journal right? But you’ll continue to do so because it’s about the only place left where you can spew your toxic bile.

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    Mute Denis Rathsallagh Brady
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    Aug 19th 2023, 11:49 AM

    Great article good stuff.
    Ive an outrageous idea, might get me banned probably wont be printed even.
    But im gonna go for it, hear me out Journal.
    Why dont we have apprenticeship schemes like we used to so we’ll have well enough people for the building trade?
    I know i know a mad idea but its a problem solver

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    Mute Ann Reddin
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    Aug 19th 2023, 4:16 PM

    @Denis Rathsallagh Brady: Maybe keep up with the news – 10 new apprenticeships are being introduced over the next 18 months, including paramedic, financial services sector, and farming.

    The following new apprenticeships have commenced to date:
    Insurance Practice
    Industrial Electrical Engineering
    Polymer Processing Technology
    Manufacturing Engineering
    Manufacturing Technology
    Logistics Associate
    Laboratory Technician
    International Financial Services Associate
    International Financial Services Specialist
    Chef de Partie
    Sous Chef
    Recruitment Practitioner
    Laboratory Technician
    Laboratory Technician
    Engineering Services Management
    GCI Technical Artist
    Logistics Associate
    Telecommunications and Data Network Technician
    Geo Drillers
    Lean Sigma Manager
    Supply Chain Manger
    Supply Chain Specialist
    Principal Engineer
    https://hea.ie/skills-engagement/apprenticeships/

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Aug 19th 2023, 4:21 PM

    @Denis Rathsallagh Brady:
    Have all the apprenticeship schemes you like if no one wants to do them.

    My son is going into leaving cert class, one of his subjects is construction studies. 600 odd pupils, all boys in a large town. Traditional working area.
    Used to be a couple of classes of construction, now there is 12 in his class and, quoting him “most of them are messers that wouldn’t know a brick from a block”
    Their uncles and daddy’s are telling them to run a mile because they got caught in 2007.

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    Mute Denis Rathsallagh Brady
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    Aug 20th 2023, 2:44 AM

    @Ann Reddin: Eh, bricklayers, plumbers, painters, electricians, window fitters. Did you even read my comment. I said apprenticeships to build houses. Not sous chefs, chef de partie. Lab Technicians. Apprenticeships to build houses. Houses. Theres a shortage of workers for building sites. How is a sous chef going to help the building industry?

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    Mute Stephen Kavanagh
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    Aug 19th 2023, 9:14 AM

    That was really funny!

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Aug 19th 2023, 10:32 AM

    Reading the handful of comments above, which no doubt will disappear soon, it’s no wonder the comments are closed on those articles.
    We are not mature enough to to discuss trans issues without resorting to dismissive and sometimes abusive language

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    Mute
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    Aug 19th 2023, 10:38 AM

    @P.J. Nolan: What’s there to discuss there are two genders anything else is delusion and the vast majority of the population are fed up with this agenda being forced upon them and their children.

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Aug 19th 2023, 10:59 AM

    @P.J. Nolan: that’s the norm for all comment sections. You don’t see X closing comments or Facebook do you? Just because someone is offended doesn’t mean they are right

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    Aug 19th 2023, 11:13 AM

    @P.J. Nolan: The fact that no one agrees with you shows the opinion of the public towards this trans nonsense.

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    Mute Jason Memail
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    Aug 19th 2023, 12:30 PM

    Who says nobody agrees with him? Just because some people are loud, it doesn’t make them right, nor does it make them the majority. And yet here you are, proving his point about dismissive language

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    Mute
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    Aug 19th 2023, 1:09 PM

    @Jason Memail: Ahh is somebody upset because most people don’t like their deluded agenda??

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Aug 19th 2023, 1:17 PM

    @P.J. Nolan: Yup. Race to the bottom. The irony that the so called ‘outrage’ perpetuates the same ‘agenda’ that the flatheads want rid of. Information as Entertainment.

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    Mute Nickb
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    Aug 19th 2023, 12:59 PM

    I remember the times when you only left home to get married of for work, if it was for work you usually went home at the weekends, to get the washing done, and of course for the social life!
    Changed times!

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    Mute James murphy
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    Aug 19th 2023, 12:25 PM

    What people don’t see is this has all happened before on a smaller scale and is a very old trick by the globalists. The inflation which they plan to turn to hyper inflation, the cross dressing, the hedonism, pornography, the drugs, the unafordability of houses… Etc. It happened from 1920 to 1933 in the Weimar republic. But it has been excluded from the history books because history is written by the victors after all. Ww2 was a usury control war and the globalists lost control for 12 years.

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    Mute Ann Reddin
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    Aug 19th 2023, 5:22 PM

    @James murphy: If it’s been excluded from the history books then how come you know? Youtube – FB – Discord – Truth Central maybe? Pity that once again people like you don’t actually check facts before engaging their fingers. So, here you go – knock yourself out …
    “German house prices rose before World War I, contracted during World War I and remained low during the interwar period. They did not recover their pre-1913 levels until the 1960s.”.
    You’ll find actual facts if you bothered to read actual research papers rahter than believing everything you hear in whatever rabbit hole you like to visit. The information you seek is on page 15
    https://www.dallasfed.org/~/media/documents/institute/wpapers/2014/0208.pdf

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    Mute James murphy
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    Aug 19th 2023, 11:51 PM

    @Ann Reddin: No Ann, I read actual documents Ann. Tell me this now, why did the house priced go up?

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    Mute Denis Rathsallagh Brady
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    Aug 24th 2023, 7:35 AM

    @James murphy: She wont reply, im still waiting for her to reply to one my replies to her ridiculous statement

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Aug 19th 2023, 11:58 AM

    “You cannot feel like a real person if your bedroom looks like it smells like Lynx Africa and FIFA 2003.”… lol, good article Carl! That picture at the top is beautiful too.

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