Posts Tagged ‘Ireland’
That Irish Bailout Joke: A German Tourist Arrives
IT is a slow day in a damp little Irish town. The rain is beating down and the streets are deserted.
Times are tough, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.
On this particular day a rich German tourist is driving through the town, stops at the local hotel and lays a €100 note on the desk, telling the hotel owner he wants to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one to spend the night.
The owner gives him some keys and, as soon as the visitor has walked upstairs, the hotelier grabs the €100 note and runs next door to pay his debt to the butcher.
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Posted: 13th, December 2010 | In: Money | Comments (2)
An Irishman Explains The Fall Of The Celtic Tiger To Americans (Great Stuff)
A “REAL Irishman” is on the streets of the USA talking to a genuine American TV reporter who fails to understand that when you encounter an angry Irishman the language can be fruity and blunt.
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Posted: 9th, December 2010 | In: TV & Radio | Comments (2)
Ireland Relocates to Brussels: Budget Protest Photos
IN Ireland memories are long and bloody. The Irish government has won the first parliament vote on its 2011 austerity budget. But the people are far from settled. Outside Leinster House, Dublin, Protestors and Gardai clashed. These interesting times in Ireland.
Some irony, readers, in that on the day Ireland passed the Budget, and approved the €85bn bailout, Iceland announced that it was out of recession. Yep, that is Iceland that allowed the banks to fail and its currency to be devalued. Iceland survives. Ireland goes for the big loan and props up the failed banks.
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Posted: 8th, December 2010 | In: Politicians | Comment
The Irish Suffer For The Greed Of The Bankers: Eat The Poor
FORGET all those acres of print filled by experts telling you how they knew Ireland was heading for disaster and spare a thought for the people who had the greed of bankers foisted upon them by a compliant political elite. Jonathan Swift – where are you now? Paul Krugman sums up neatly:
Then the bubble burst, and those banks faced huge losses. You might have expected those who lent money to the banks to share in the losses. After all, they were consenting adults, and if they failed to understand the risks they were taking that was nobody’s fault but their own. But, no, the Irish government stepped in to guarantee the banks’ debt, turning private losses into public obligations.
Before the bank bust, Ireland had little public debt. But with taxpayers suddenly on the hook for gigantic bank losses, even as revenues plunged, the nation’s creditworthiness was put in doubt. So Ireland tried to reassure the markets with a harsh program of spending cuts.
Step back for a minute and think about that. These debts were incurred, not to pay for public programs, but by private wheeler-dealers seeking nothing but their own profit. Yet ordinary Irish citizens are now bearing the burden of those debts.
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Posted: 29th, November 2010 | In: Politicians | Comment
Ireland Protests In Photos: Art Inspired By Fear And Loathing
THE new troubles in Ireland are inspiring graffiti artists and art lovers (the Bank of Ireland art auction is underway). Dublin Artist ADW has daubed a wall with a picture depicting Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan and Taoiseach Brian Cowen as the Blues Brothers. They should like it – the Blues Brothers win in the end.
They may less like the violence, such as the word “TRAITOR” painted on the broken windows of Fianna Fail Transport Minister Noel Dempsey TD’s constituency office in Trim, Meath.
But, then, the political elite are alright – their company cars and police outriders have managed to escape the cuts. The masses will be kept at bay…
Posted: 24th, November 2010 | In: Politicians | Comment
Daily Star Front Page Ireland Crisis: ‘Useless Gobshites’ Edition
IRELAND is in crisis and the Daily Star Ireland puts the thing in perspective with a photo of the elected elite and the headline: USELESS GOBSHITES…
Posted: 23rd, November 2010 | In: Politicians | Comment
Ireland’s Minsters Living In Fear Of The People: Photos
CAN Nationalists and anti-capitalists profit from Ireland’s Troubles? At the Gates of the Government buildings in Dublin, Sinn Fein protestors massed, including TD Aengus O’ Snodaigh. There were tussles with Gardai, whose wages will be paid by a bail-out from the International Monetary Fund and European Union. Is this humiliating for Ireland?
Bruno Waterfield has news that not all Irish feel shame so keenly:
Irish ministers are so concerned over protests that austerity plans to cut chauffeur driven cars and police outriders have been shelved to protect the government amid heightened post-EU bail-out security.
Keep the window wound up, lads, and the helmets on. Feel the fear…
Posted: 22nd, November 2010 | In: Politicians | Comment
Ireland: The EU’s Malign Institutions Kill The Nation State
THE extraordinary editorial in The Irish Times yesterday asks “whether this is what the men of 1916 died for: a bailout from the German chancellor with a few shillings of sympathy from the British chancellor on the side”, writes Richard North.
“There is the shame of it all,” it says. “Having obtained our political independence from Britain to be the masters of our own affairs, we have now surrendered our sovereignty to the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. Their representatives ride into Merrion Street today.”
But its one of their commenters, Bryan O’Donoghue, who reminds the newspaper that it has been consistent cheer-leader for the project. Not least, we ourselves can recall, it was a voluble supporter of the Lisbon treaty. Thus asks O’Donoghue: “Has this paper once openly opposed a European integration step, no matter how undemocratic or how much power it concentrates in the hands of the EU3?”
“Why,” he then asks, “now turn around a[nd] criticise the power that has been handed to Europe due to successive treaties, unions and economic arrangements, that the IT, is a principal supporter of?”
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Posted: 19th, November 2010 | In: Politicians | Comment (1)
Provo Priest Father Chesney, A Sports Car And Nine Dead
FATHER James Chesney is dead. When he was alive, Chesney played a part in the 1972 bombing of Claudy. What part he played remains unclear. Nobody was ever convicted of the crime.
The bombing left nine people dead and 30 injured. It was callous.
Three bombs in all were planted in the village of Claudy, 11 miles from Derry. Bomb No. 1 exploded by McElhinney’s shop and bar on Main Street.
Bomb No2 was found. Police helped people move to safety at the Beaufort Hotel. A bomb was in a van outside the hotel.
The Provos did not claim the bombs as their own. But fingers were pointed. And they were pointed at Father Chesney?
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Posted: 24th, August 2010 | In: Politicians | Comment
Irish Homeowners Can Legally Shoot Intruders In DIY Police Brutality
IN Ireland, new legislation means that if a homeowner is attacked in their home they can legally beat the shit out of the attacker. No need to wait for the police. This is DIY brutality.
Warning: Police Brutality without sarcasm lacks authenticity. Download Anorak’s book Of Police Sarcasm – In A Hurry Wing Commander? – now!
Irish homeowners can also use guns.
The police association of superintendents and inspectors, the AGSI, stated that “the current situation, which legally demands a house owner retreat from an intruder, was intolerable”.
Where this leaves renters is in a grey area.
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Posted: 22nd, July 2010 | In: Reviews | Comments (5)
Hundreds Buried Alive in Ireland: Pictures
TO Clougherhead, Co Louth, Ireland, where over 342 people have been found buried up to the necks in the sand. It’s a new world record, seeing off the Guinness World Record set previously in France with 342 people. The French would have had more but the 343rd agonist bottled it and confessed. Meanwhile, in southern Algeria, a man smirks and looks out over his shoe farm…
9191518
Posted: 18th, July 2010 | In: Strange But True | Comment (1)
Headline Of The Week: Bankers – ‘They Deserve To Be Shot’
THE Daily Star Ireland delivers the headline of the week, and front page of the year as it says that Sean Fitzpatrick of Anglo-Irish and Michael Fingelton of Irish Nationwide: “”They Deserve To Be Shot.” Is this news?
No quotation marks. Just a statement.
The words were taken from a blogger.
Or the Provos.
Spotter: Index On Censorship
Posted: 2nd, April 2010 | In: Reviews | Comments (4)
Ireland Cheers For Thierry Henry’s Goal Of Hurt: In Pictures
ALL of Ireland was celebrating last night as France captain Thierry Henry cheated them out of a place in the World Cup finals with a blatant bit of ball juggling.
Thierry Henry says he didn’t cheat because he didn’t juggle the ball on his hand deliberately. Henry is more of your natural cheat, able to cheat without even thinking about it. Anorak now brings you the moment that enabled all of Ireland to have a drink to drown their sorrows and feel hard done by for four years:
Posted: 19th, November 2009 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comments (3)
Irish School Asks Pupils To Bring In Own Toilet Paper
THE recession is so bad in Ireland that even the bogs have been affected – pupils at St John’s Girls National School, Cork, are requested to bring their own toilet paper to school.
Or any other paper, like share certificates and deeds to new flats.
Says Catherine O’Neill, principal at St John’s Girls National School.
“The letter was sent out just as a way of balancing books here in the school and not intended as a demand.
“I’ve done a quick tour of the classrooms this morning and I’d say at least half the pupils have brought them (toilet rolls) in.”
The other half are finding new excuse for not handing in their homework.
Spotter: Bat E Bird in the forums
Posted: 6th, October 2009 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Wales V Ireland 6 Nations Finale Must Be Replayed
Wales V Ireland 6 Nations Finale to be Replayed.
Irish rugby fans are shocked and Welsh fans delighted at the breaking news that the last match of the 2009 Six Nations Championship is most likely going to have to be replayed.
It transpires that a rogue team of groundskeepers incorrectly marked the pitch, and the WRU have grounds to request a replay. While we’re awaiting the final decision from the IRB watch our exclusive report where we talk to the Groundskeeper, the fourth official, the IRB and Irish bookie Paddy Power.
Video:
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“Small Fire Causes Minimal Damage” – Times (Munster, Ind.)
“Small Fire Causes Minimal Damage” Times (Munster, Ind.)
1982 And Bust: Trade Will Contract By 2.1 Percent In 2009
DON’T bank on Ireland, Italy or Greece…
Or anywhere else for that matter; the World Bank has consulted the goat’s entrails and it’s not looking good: it believes that global growth will be a mere 0.9% next year, and “The volume of world trade, which grew 9.8 percent in 2006 and an estimated 6.2 percent this year, will contract by 2.1 percent in 2009.”
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Posted: 10th, December 2008 | In: Back pages | Comment (1)
Irish Judge Stops Drink Drive Trial For Urine Steam Inhalation
JUDGE James O’Connor’s is presiding at Killorglin District Court in Kerry, Ireland.
Judge O’Connor hears defence submissions that inhalation of urine fumes could have affected breath-test results.
Solicitor Mr O’Connell argues that during the 20-minute period when the defendant must be observed by a garda at the police station before his breath sample is taken – and forbidden from eating or drinking anything – both his clients had used a toilet to urinate.
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Posted: 2nd, December 2008 | In: Key Posts, Strange But True | Comments (5)
Ireland Is Safer Than The Bank Of England
MOVE your money to Ireland:
Advertising group WPP went on the offensive on Monday, announcing plans to move its tax base to Ireland in a rebuff to the British government and saying it has won over yet more investors at bid target TNS…
Run!
It Was The Sun Wot Done The Economy
Posted: 3rd, October 2008 | In: Reviews | Comments (3)
It Was The Sun Wot Done The Economy
A RUN on UK banks in the Sun:
“FEARS rose last night that millions of pounds could be sucked out of the UK as Brits switch their savings to Irish banks to dodge the financial crisis” – Sun
“But there are still safe places to go. The Post Office, for example, offers several savings accounts run by Bank of Ireland” – Ian King, Sun Business editor
Fear is what Tabloids do best…
Posted: 2nd, October 2008 | In: Money, Tabloids | Comments (4)
