Unemployment Drops to 12 Percent. But Backlash Against Government in Local Elections Exposes Resentment

Newsflash, Eyeries, County Cork. It's official, folks. Today Ireland's Central Statistics Office announced that the unemployment rate has fallen to 12 percent. That's the best showing in years. What this means, of course, is that more than 100,000 people are at work today than had been at the bottom of the Great Recession. More jobs are driving increased consumer spending and government tax takes. More jobs are helping people - both locals and immigrants - to crawl out of their desperate financial straights and get on with living. More jobs are giving people hope.

Right? Well maybe not. Not if you take the results of this past weekend's local elections into account. Last Friday, the Irish people voted on a county by county basis to choose over 900 local representatives as well as 11 MEPs, Ireland's European Union legislators. The results were shocking, at least to the sitting government.

Candidates from parties that currently form the existing coalition government - Fine Gael and Labour - were given a roasting at the local polls. For the first time in Ireland's history, Sinn Fein - Ireland's left-leaning political party- gained almost 20 percent of the popular vote. Political Independents have also done exceedingly well.

The local elections, occurring almost mid-term in the life of the present Government, gave Irish people the opportunity to grade the Government on its performance to date. That grade? An F. For Failure.

We're Mad as Hell and We Won't Take it Anymore

Why has Ireland's current government been giving such a poor mark? This government has, after all, managed to turn the country around. The economy is also in the middle of a U-Turn that can only be welcomed by everyone - both employed and unemployed.  Ireland is officially out of bankruptcy and we've managed to get rid of the European Troika who made our lives a misery for the past six years.  And while Ireland Inc continues to increase its indebtedness, the rate of that increase is falling drastically. Soon, it is hoped, Ireland will begin the grueling task of chipping away at the Mount Everest of debt that we've incurred since 2008.

But the turn-around has come at a price. The people of Ireland have paid for it - every bloody red cent - and will continue to pay for generations to come. We pay in record tax increases that the Government has inflicted on its population. We pay for it in significant salary cuts experienced by anyone who happens to be an employee of the Government. If you're a cop, a fireman, a teacher, a civil servant, a doctor, or a nurse, you've seen your income drop by almost 20 percent one way or another.

We pay for it if we are fortunate to have a private pension fund. The government takes a slice of any cash that we've saved - both principle and interest - and will do so for years to come. We pay whenever we buy something because the standard rate of VAT (Value Added Tax) which had been 21 percent before the recession now stands at 23 percent. We pay in new property taxes and new water charges and a new Universal Social Charge which adds a couple of percentage points to the already outlandish tax on salaries.

The Irish also pay with a significant drop in social services. If you're poor, don't automatically expect to receive a medical card. Or housing. Or enough social assistance to keep you from starving. Recently, I heard of a young woman - a friend of my daughter's - a single Mum, broke, down on her luck. For a long time she suffered in silence. Then, at her wit's end and not knowing what else to do, she approached her friends for help. It turns out that this young woman was going to bed hungry every night. That shouldn't happen. Not in 21st Century Ireland.

If you're an American reading this, you might not appreciate the horror that Ireland is experiencing. But America is not a social welfare state. Ireland is, and we pay mightily for the privilege. Middle income people pay over 52% of their income in taxes. But we expect a few things in return.

Young single mothers not going to bed hungry, for example.

Yet it's happening in Ireland. Despite what we pay and will continue to pay for years and years to come.

Ireland's unemployment rate is way, way down.  A wonderful thing. But Ireland's ability to protect those least able to help themselves is being compromised. Which is why the Irish gave the sitting Government a kick in the Goolies this past election.

We're angry, dammit. And unless the existing Government sorts things out, we'll find someone else who will.

Healing in Beara

It takes a bit of effort to get to the Beara Peninsula. Which is why not everyone who visits Ireland travels this far. Which is also why those that do either stumble across this breathtaking corner of Ireland by accident or come to this hidden gem of the world for very specific reasons. Take a look at a map and you'll see why the journey isn't exactly a simple one.

Coming from Dublin? Then it's a five hour journey by car: three hours on the new M8 Motorway to Cork City, then take the N22 to the N71 turn-off, travel overland to Kilkeal; then down to the picturesque village of Glengarriff where Maureen O'Hara lived until recently (her departure is a story in itself and filled with local intrigue and gossip), then along the coast road into the interior of Beara to Castletownbere and finally to Eyeries Village (a lovely spot that I now call home). Traveling from Limerick and Shannon Airport isn't quite as bad but it's still a bit of a stretch for most people. As I've written elsewhere: unlike the Dingle Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry, or other spots, Beara Peninsula isn't exactly on the tourist trail.

Why, then, do people come? Let me answer it this way: a few years ago, when I moved here, an Irish fellow banged on the front door. He had cycled from Cork City down to Eyeries and was desperate to find a place to pitch his tent. In that we didn't have such facilities in the village at the time, he asked me if I'd mind if he camped in my back garden. I had no problem with the idea and let him at it. Long and short of it is I now allow anybody who comes along with the appropriate gear to camp in the back yard. I've had folks from all over the world visit me: couples from Oakland California, a family of four from the Isle of Man, oldsters and youngsters from England, Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Holland, and all places in between, and even a group of Scouts from Switzerland. It was hard work for them to get from where they had come from to the isolated microcosm called Eyeries, but come they did.

Most come here to walk or bike along the scenic coastline. Some come to find ancestors. A few are interested in local history and archaeology. But others come for something else. They come to Beara because of the energy of healing to be found here.

Finding a Space for Healing
I'm not getting any younger and I've finally learned that human beings are a fragile lot. Into every life a little rain will fall - sometimes in torrents. We can be challenged by many complaints, sometimes of our own making and sometimes not. We suffer: from physical and emotional illness; from life's hardships including the death of loved ones, divorce  and disaster. No matter how old we are, or how apparently strong and resilient, we can become scared silly by things that go bump in the night. And sometimes, we cannot cope. But if we're lucky, if the stars are aligned just right and if that Big Fella is looking in the right direction and notices our plight, we might be sent to Beara to find our way and gain a little sanity. At least that's what has happened to a number of people that I've met, me included.

How, you might ask, does the Beara Peninsula heal? I would argue in many ways, and with many often unapparent tools. It works like this: healing, I think, comes in part from a sense of inner-peace - a sense of calm that allows us crazy humans to take stock, find a bit of safety, and get on with the healing process. The Beara offers that in spades. For instance: a few years ago I met a woman from the States who had gone through a disastrous, rancorous divorce. She was in absolute bits: her sense of self-worth was zero, just like her bank account. Her self-belief and self-respect had been stripped from her. The word 'hope' had been driven from her vocabulary and disaster defined her sense of tomorrow. For two weeks she stopped in Beara and did nothing else but to give herself permission to rest and emotionally heal. She took long walks along the coast in wind, rain, and sun. She borrowed a fishing rod and fished for mackerel and pollack off the nearby rocks - something she had never done before. She swam in the cold waters of Coulagh Bay and had a couple of pints with the locals. And she went home knowing that she could cope with what would come.

Or take the couple from England. They had been through it all: a parent had died; they had been hit by the recession and had lost their home. One of them had contracted a chronic illness. In short, life looked dismal indeed. While visiting, they heard of a woman named Mary Maddison, a wonderful human being who has many gifts. While here, they visited Mary a few times. I know that Mary read their stones (which is not as weird as it may sound), allowed them to talk of their grief, sorrow, and worry, and gave them a healing session. Frankly, I'm a bit uncertain about the credibility of such healers. Many - not including Mary I hasten to add - are rip-off artists. They leverage people's frantic hopes with a snake charmer's promise and large fees to match. But Mary, who believes that her gifts were freely given and should be passed on just as freely, charges not one red cent. I'm not certain if the couple's wishes came true, but I do know that when they left Beara they left much happier and more content than when they first came.

Or take Charlie and his wife Joanne. They are from the Boston area and having heard about Beara had always wanted to visit. Joanne, a visual artist and poet, had first come on her own for a stint at Anam Cara, the local writer's retreat center. She then convinced Charlie to come along and they began to rent a local house for two, three, and four months at a stint. I met them when I first moved down here and had the pleasure of spending Thanksgiving with them. They fell in love with the area and came back frequently. And Charlie decided to die here. It was unexpected, of course. They had come over with the intention of staying a few months. Charlie was working on a book; Joanne was painting. Scheduled to return to Boston he began to feel unwell. The flight was canceled and the local doctor called. Charlie, then in his early eighties, passed away with Joanne and close friends that he had made during his visits here at his side. As Joanne says, Charlie chose to die in Beara because he felt so peaceful that it was easier for him to let go.

Dying isn't healing, of course. But Charlie found a depth of tranquility in Beara that Joanne believes he could find no where else. And that peace allowed him to slip from his mortal coil without pain or suffering. When I pass the house I always say hello to Charlie, firmly believing that he looks down on me as I trudge up the main road to the pub.

Healing in Beara offers people other tools that may be more appropriate to their needs or beliefs. I've seen visitors talk to the local Catholic Priest in hushed confidence, or attending Mass for the first time, finding a faith here that helps them to walk forward through the difficulties of life. I've seen others visit the Buddhist Retreat (Dzoghzen Beara) to find peace and compassion in meditation. Still others, mostly women, locate renewed strength and peace of mind by visiting the Hag of Beara, a weirdly-shaped rock that looks down on the Bay not far from Eyeries. It is said that the rock is the frozen persona of St Brigid, or more likely, the Celtic Goddess also called Brigid who is the embodiment of the feminine, and a source of strength and renewal.

Whatever people find or use, I watch them walk out of my sight renewed and refreshed. There is, it seems, a magic to be found in Beara. At night, when I'm on my own and standing on the deck that overlooks the Bay, I can sometimes feel it too. It is in the gentleness of the salt-smelling breeze that tickles my scalp, or in the call of the seagulls coming home from a day's fishing. It is in the voice of the tides that sweep over the rocks nearby and in the fingers of the sun's rays as they sink salmon colored over the Western horizon. The magic of healing is in the sing-song of the West Cork accents that greet me as a friend and neighbor, and in the scallops that have been given to me as a gift by a local trawler captain who I now call 'friend' and which I eat for dinner.

As a friend of mine said, a woman from America who stayed here for weeks and who struggled with cancer, and who came here to find peace and acceptance: "I can't touch it or explain it. But there's a healing to be found here in Beara that goes beyond reason."

I'll finish on that.

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2014 Kindle Edition Available Now

Want to learn more about living in Ireland? Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland or moving to Ireland? If so, you might consider the purchase of the 2014 Kindle ebook edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Now 80,000+ words long, and having sold over 10,000 copies in its various editions, it could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the links above to purchase this new Kindle version. You can also download various free aps to read this Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

Ireland's Economic Recovery Accelerates

The Irish are a solid lot. Even in the face of extreme economic hardship and negative sentiment we all tend to put a rather obtuse smile on our faces and do what we can to weather the storm. Mind you, after five years of recession, tax rises, falling income, high unemployment, and being told almost daily that worse is yet to come, we can't help but bitch occasionally about our situation.

But - and a big but - Ireland's prospects seem to be improving dramatically. At the end of last year - only days ago - Ireland regained economic sovereignty with the withdrawal of the so-called Troika of European banks that had propped up the country's cashflow requirements by lending us billions of euro. Late last week, Ireland's central bank went to the market to raise a few bucks all by itself. The result was tremendous: Irish bonds on offer were over-subscribed so much so that our central bank could have sold 3 to 4 times the amount that was on offer. Even more significantly, the demand for our bonds was so great that it pushed down interest rate borrowing costs to just over 3 percent. Not bad when you consider that when the country left the free market a few years back, borrowing costs were tipping 17 percent.

Even today, the Irish public received more good news: a survey of Ireland's business owners and managers found that a majority anticipate increased revenue and profit growth in the short-term. With any luck, this will also translate into increased employment over the next year.

It's about time we had some good news. For five years we've only had reasons to grouse. Today, Ireland's economy finally seems to be steaming back to recovery.

Prospects for Employment Improve

Many visitors to this blog (and believe it or not I've received over 36,000 page views since I started writing this) come here for one reason: to determine how they might get a job in this country. In fact, Job-related posts in Surviving Ireland receive by far the most visits.

So for those of you thinking of moving here and finding a job, there at last seems to be some positive news. But do keep in mind that Ireland's unemployment rate, while slowly falling, is still hovering around 12.5 percent. That means that some 300,000 Irish people are still looking for work, which presents some astounding competition. That said, if you desire to move here things really do seem to be picking up.

Industries seeing growth: if you're attempting to discover industry areas that offer opportunity, then check out this report: http://campus.ie/jobs/job-news/the-six-top-growth-industries-in-ireland-today. It reflects what I've written previously. But if you have skills in these areas, you are obviously more likely to find a position.

Turning on a dime: remember too that Ireland is a small, open economy. In bad times, the country's economic performance can plummet like a brick. But in good times, the reverse is also true: Ireland can rebound quickly. This is exactly what happened in the recession of 2001. The country turned around so quickly that it took most of us by surprise. And I suspect that this is what is going to happen this time.

If you're hoping to work in Ireland, now is the time to start to network. If based abroad, check out the wide range of employment websites devoted to Ireland simply by Googling Jobs in Ireland or any relevant subset (nursing jobs in Ireland, IT jobs in Ireland, etc). Make sure that you've polished your CV to highlight relevant skills and experience. Contact the relevant employer prospect. Then, if you're truly serious about this, get over here. The chances of landing employment over the Internet are small (mind you, anecdotal stories suggest that high in-demand skills such as the medical profession can indeed land employment without a face-to-face meeting.)

If you're serious about finding a job in Ireland, now would apparently be the time to really start looking. Good luck!

Want to learn more about living in Ireland? Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland or moving to Ireland? If so, you might consider the purchase of the 2014 Kindle ebook edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Now 80,000+ words long, and having sold over 10,000 copies in its various editions, it could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the links above to purchase this new Kindle version. You can also download various free aps to read this Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

Traveling to Ireland?

If So, Visit an Unspoiled Corner of the Country - the Beara Peninsula

Spectacular aftermath of gales along the Beara Way

How many people have I met (Americans in particular, for some reason) who dream of visiting Ireland. When I run into these folks (most often through the Internet of course), many ask the same questions: Where should I visit? When should I go? What's interesting?

When I virtually chat with these good people, I find that most are naturally influenced by what they've read and heard. So invariably, their possible itinerary leaves them stuck on the tourist trail, herded like cattle among the obvious destinations: Dublin, The Ring of Kerry, Galway, perhaps Cork City. While these locations have much to offer (Dublin can be fascinating, the Ring of Kerry spectacular though often loaded with tourists, Galway a fabulous city, and also the oldest chartered city in Ireland), they aren't for everyone. Which brings me to my point:

If you're considering a visit to Ireland in 2014, I hope you'll consider visiting the Beara Peninsula and Eyeries Village in particular.

The Beara is one of the best kept secrets in the country. Few know about it. Often, tourists (either from abroad or from Ireland) stumble upon this little corner of the world by complete accident. I know I did. About ten years ago, and looking to get away from it all, I visited Anam Cara, an Artists Retreat located about a mile from Eyeries, owned and managed by fellow American Sue Forbes-Booth. I stayed for a week to work on a screenplay. Struck by the overwhelming beauty of this area, I dreamed that one day I would live here. Now I do.

The Beara Peninsula is located way, way down in the far South West of County Cork. Bantry, the gateway to Beara and a wonderful seaside town, is at the far east of the area. Drive to Bantry (a 5 hour journey from Dublin by car, 2 hours from Cork), head due west, and you'll enter an area of magic.

Beara sticks out into the Atlantic like a lost finger pointing west. A series of high craggy hills forms a spine all the way down the peninsula. These great blocks of granite and basalt thrust up into the sky, their balding sacred forms blasted by wind and rain. In the summer, the Irish sun casts them in a golden glow of wonder. In winter, many are peaked with white blankets of snow. During all seasons, wisping fog can curl between valleys, turning them into ancient lands where the spirits of the long dead just might still wander.

But while the peaks of these hills are fantastic, it is the sea that makes the journey magical. Drive down the coastal road, still heading east toward Glengarrif and you'll behold the Wild Atlantic in all of its might. Islands dot the sea near the coast. And if you're lucky, a setting sun will transform the sea into sparkling diamonds.

Stop for a bit when you get to Glengarriff. Until recently, famed actress Maureen O'Hara called the place her home. If you have some time take a local boat out to Garinish island and walk in the magnificent gardens. Then grab a cup of tea and a bun, visit the many woolen shops you'll find there, climb back in the car and keep heading west.

Forty minutes or so later you'll reach Castletownbere, one of Ireland's largest fishing ports. Maybe stop for a meal or talk a walk along the pier and watch local fishermen off-load white fish catches from a row of huge trawlers. Finished with Castletownbere, keep going west. Stop in the Buddhist Centre (Dzogchen Beara) for an hour of meditation in stunning rooms that look directly out over the Atlantic, or have a cuppa in their wonderful tea room. When you're spiritually replenished, continue west: next stop Allihies. This village - one of the most westerly in the country, is home to an old copper mine. When the mine closed almost 100 years ago, many of the miners emigrated to Butte, Montana, not only helping America to become a powerhouse of industry, but also adding the distinctive cultural heritage of West Cork to the local melting pot of immigrants.

Allihies has one of the best beaches around, as well as some of the nicest pubs, many serving an amazing selection of local foods, in the area. So stop awhile and enjoy yourself.

Then proceed to what is, in my opinion, the crown jewel of the area: Eyeries Village. To get there, all you have to do is keep following the coastal road around the tip of the Beara. Stop for a minute as you drive over the rugged hills to look back on the breathtaking view of the Skellig Islands riding like tall ships on the Atlantic. Keep on driving and 15 minutes later you'll enter the village of Eyeries.

Eyeries Village is one of the best-kept secrets of the lot. The village, a picturesque collection of early-20th Century terraced houses all painted in a variety of pastels, is perched above Coulagh Bay like sanctuary. It is so pretty that Bord Failte (Ireland's tourism organization) uses photos of it in many of its brochures. And it is so clean that over the years Eyeries has won a variety of Tidy Town awards.

I live here, so I'm biased. But I'm convinced that there's magic in this place. When I walk down to the sea I could swear that older residents - now long gone - watch me with a mixture of approval and horror at an American blow-in.sauntering along. There's a tranquility here that I've found no where else. The breeze blowing gently onto the village carrying the musky smell of the sea with it. The occasional surprise of walking along the coast's Beara Way, turning a corner, and finding a seal swimming in the gentle waves. Yell to him and he'll return a stare of nasty contempt. In poor weather, sit in the local pub with a pint at your elbow, watching the Bay turned to broiling whitewater that smash waves against the rocky shore below, hurtling salt spray heavenwards.

And at night in clear weather, walk out into the back garden and gaze at the carpet of stars and the Milky Way that sweeps unobstructed and unperturbed above this coastal sanctuary.

If you're thinking of a visit to Ireland, I hope you'll consider the Beara Peninsula and Eyeries. It's a secret corner of Ireland that you're sure to enjoy. But please - don't tell any of your friends about it. Otherwise my local friends and neighbors will get annoyed at me because the secret of the area will no longer be a secret.

Want to learn more about living in Ireland? Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland or moving to Ireland? If so, you might consider the purchase of the 2014 Kindle ebook edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Now 80,000+ words long, and having sold over 10,000 copies in its various editions, it could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the links above to purchase this new Kindle version. You can also download various free aps to read this Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

A Cracked Christmas in Ireland

John, Mary and Donkey looking for
a Christmas dig-out

Well sure now, and isn't it Christmas already? And we here in Ireland are hunkering down between the wind and rain, snow and hail to celebrate the Season. We're planning so many wonderful events - so much fun for all the family! And on Christmas day, we'll pop our Christmas Crackers with glee.

Except for Johnny and Mary, of course. 'Cause they've had to emigrate to Australia, God Bless 'em. Couldn't get a job when they'd been let go from the local factory. And this despite what the Irish Government had promised us all - because we'd seen the last of the Three Ghosts of Christmas Past (also called the Troika) the dreaded program of Austerity was supposed to be at an end. And even though Johnny and Mary pestered their local TD to death in hopes of landing new positions, their local politician was so busy attending Christmas parties that he never did get around to helping the poor couple. Instead, the bank that held their mortgage foreclosed, and they found themselves tossed out in the snow, forced to raise a few bucks with their Living Crib in the town square. Even the Donkey has been reduced to begging for a few carrots.

Least poor Johnny and Mary can take comfort in knowing they're not alone. So many Irish families are facing the same prospect come the New Year! And they'll all climb on the plane, bound for Australia or Canada or the United States, or wherever they might find opportunity, and celebrate Christmases for years to come in those far off places. And the rest of us, stuck here forever, will have to make due with Skype to share our Christmas dinners with them. But virtual Christmas dinners just aren't the same, are they?

Ah, but that's fine, we'll all make due. We'll trundle out to buy our Christmas presents for the kids and grandkids who remain here. But then, there's not much to spend. Not after the tax increases - the new property tax, the new Universal Social Tax, the increase in VAT, the upcoming Water Charges. We'll be reduced to giving the kids a used muppet or two purchased from the Euro Shop, and if they complain that Santa wasn't good enough for 'em, they'll just have to contact their local politician too.

Of course, not everyone will be practicing penury this Christmas. For instance, the directors of certain so-called charitable organizations have been caught out robbing the piggy bank despite the fact that we're funding them through our small donations and large financial contributions from the Government. Needless to say, those moneys come from us too because we're paying them in taxes. Ah, but when they got caught out for earning 200,000 euro and more we felt so sorry for them because they told us of the personal overheads they have to pay: the new house in Portugal with those stunning views of the sea, and the 2014 Jaguar that they're treating themselves to, to make certain that get from A to B in a flash.  But feck it, we'll pay for that too it seems, and it's no big deal. Even though we can barely keep coal in the fire and our transport has been reduced to a goat and cart. That's okay! We're delighted to pay!

This Christmas, we've decided to put up with it all. We'll ignore the bank big shots who never bothered to burn their bond holders when the banks failed, and instead left us poor Irish taxpayers holding the multi-billion euro bill. We'll turn a blind eye to the owners of now defunct construction companies who still

Ah the Christmas drink. And sure, what else is there to do?

managed to salt away a few million despite having ripped-off the country with their illegal mortgage deals, and are keeping it all anyway because they've declared themselves bankrupt and say they don't have a farthing. We'll forgive the Irish politicians who still have some of the largest pay packets in Europe despite the entire country going bankrupt. We'll even turn our backs on the Irish Health Service who can't seem to manage anything, and give huge salaries to unneeded administrators though they've cut the wages of nurses, doctors, and those that we need and trust to give us wonderful care.

Ah to hell with it all. The Country is all cracked, and we'll have a great Christmas anyway. And if all else fails, we'll do what we Irish have done for centuries. We'll wander down to the local and have a pint. After all, that's what Christmas is really for, isn't it?

Want to learn more about living in Ireland? Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland or moving to Ireland? If so, you might consider the purchase of the 2014 Kindle ebook edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Now 80,000+ words long, and having sold over 10,000 copies in its various editions, it could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the links above to purchase this new Kindle version. You can also download various free aps to read this Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

A Winter's Peace in Eyeries

A number of years ago - 3 now, to be exact - I decided to move away from the Big Smoke of the Dublin area to the small and tranquil village of Eyeries way down in West Cork. The village, with a population of only 60 or so, is located on the Beara Peninsula, one of the last corners of Irish solitude. The peninsula, a finger of land that juts out into the Atlantic, is a place of wilderness. Barren, rocky mountains form a spiny line that marches all the way from Bantry to the east (and the gateway to Beara) all the way to Allihies, a small windswept village to the far west, and one of the most westerly centers of population in Ireland. In the spring, surging falls of white-water cascade down across the face of the stony hills as the water from spring rains seek the ocean. Heathers bloom, dotting sheltered areas in vibrant yellows. In the summer, glorious rainbows arch across rocky chasms, and in early mornings when conditions are right, wispy tendrils of fog twist and turn across green valleys, almost hiding massive boulders left during the last Ice Age.

In September, the weather turns to autumn. The swifts which make their home here in the summer twist and turn in the fall skies as they gorge themselves on insects for their return crossing to Africa and their winter grounds. Blackberries grow ripe within their nettled protective confines of curling bush that surge low along many roadways. Heather and gorse again bloom, as do some wild roses, adding brilliant colors to long walks. As autumn turns to winter, the weather caves in. Huge low pressure systems storm across the Atlantic, finally making landfall in this westerly corner of the country. Gale winds sometimes breaching Force 8 or more push massive seas onto the rocks below my house, and geysers of whitewater sometimes taller than 30 feet surge skyward in breathtaking beauty. Fishing boats make way for shelter in nearby Ballygrovane harbor, snuggling like litters of kittens along protective piers. Village residents, wearing all manner of coats and hats, dash between showers intent on getting to the small shops and back home in one piece.

As we approach winter solstice on 21 December, darkness closes in. The sun, which in summer had lit our lives from as early as 4:30AM to final twilight as late as 1AM, now plays hide-and-seek. On stormy days, our world seems to reside only in twilight. But the darkness also treats us to special gifts. On clear nights the stars glisten like fireflies. Astral formations such as Orion and its belt march playfully across our skies. The Milky Way - the center of our solar system - stretches like a glowing carpet within a field of obsidian darkness.

The village of Eyeries, located on the northern side of Beara and perched on a rocky ledge a hundred feet above Coulagh Bay, hunkers down for the winter. The small main street along which so many tourists walked in summer is now often deserted, as if taking a few months off for much needed rest. But though it appears to be asleep, Eyeries is still very much alive. During the week, villagers go to work as fishermen, farmers, shopkeepers - and writers - driving through the dank mornings in pursuit of a much needed wage. Trailer-loads of firewood are backed down small boureens to be stacked by grateful homeowners as winter fuel. On Saturday nights, the main street is choked with cars as the faithful flock to the weekly Vigil Mass.

Winter in Eyeries is also a time for social activities. Of participating with the church choir if you've a voice. Or joining the local history club, or finding a moment's peace with the Yoga group, or learning to paint from local artists, or taking a walk along the coast despite the weather to fill your lungs with fresh sea air and watch the sturdy cormorants and gulls dive for their winter's breakfast.

It is a time, too, of reflection. And as we hurry toward Christmas, it is a time of anticipation as we await relatives to make their travels back to us from far-off distant lands. Here in Eyeries, the winter gives us time to weigh up what is most important. And often, we can ditch the complexities of the world simply by looking out onto the surging Atlantic or up at the night's sparkling, majestic skies, and know a bit of peace.

Want to learn more about living in Ireland? Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland or moving to Ireland? If so, you might consider the purchase of the 2014 Kindle ebook edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Now 80,000+ words long, and having sold over 10,000 copies in its various editions, it could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the links above to purchase this new Kindle version. You can also download various free aps to read this Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

Just in Time for Christmas! 2014 edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland!

Dear all,

Forgive me as I plug the most recent edition of my book, A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland.  The 2014 edition, now over 80,000 words long, is filled with information and anecdotes on what it's like to live in this beautiful country, how to get a job, how to buy a house, how to find that perfect pint of Guinness, and how to make it as an expatriate in a country that is slowly, ever-so-slowly, pulling itself out of Recession.

The 2014 edition of this book is now available on Amazon as a Kindle version. To take a look simply click here: A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland

Over the course of the past few months, I've received a number of questions from readers of this Occasional blog, particularly on how the country is doing, what industries are growing, and how they might make it in this country. A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland answers most of those queries.

Did you know for instance that Tech is growing like a weed here? That LinkedIn, Yahoo, Facebook, Google, and so many other are crying out for qualified staff? A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland gives you the insight you need.

Or are you a nurse or GP? Ireland is looking for those people. Or are you involved in the food industry? That's one of the areas that is growing rapidly even in the teeth of a crazy recession.

Simply click on this link for more information and to purchase the book: A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland.

My best to you all - Tom

Can't Get a Job? Make One!

The recession is a global phenomenon. It's here in Ireland, there in the US, and throughout Europe and most of the rest of the world. The only place that seems to be keeping its head above water is China. And I don't particularly feel like going to China.

When I came to Ireland in 1982, I was also in the middle of a recession. I didn't have a job, and I couldn't get a job. If you're in the same boat, what do you do about it? The answer, as it turns out, is to create your own job.

Me? An Employer?

That's right. You. You can do this, and it's not that big a deal. I did it, and if I can do it, you can too. Back in 82, it worked like this: here I was, a Yank living in Ireland. I knew no-one. Nada. I wasn't able to get a job for months.

Then luck finally shone its face on yours truly. I got a job. Unfortunately, it paid just enough to keep body and soul together. With a wife, 2 kids, and another on the way, I needed something a little more lucrative. I wasn't hoping to make millions, mind you. But I wanted enough cash to do things: like buy shoes, for instance. So in 1987, I set up a marketing company. I've been at it ever since. And what'cha know? Even now, in the middle of recession, it's profitable.

So How Do You Do It?

Step One: the Idea

It helps, of course, if you have a good idea. A 'Business Proposition'. You don't need to be building a new Space Shuttle to start a company. Instead, look around you: what is it about an existing product or service that you use that really annoys you, or that you think should be done better? Turn that idea around in your head. How could you do it better?

Step Two: Research

Now do a little research. Who else provides what you think you want to provide? How much do they charge? What about their customer service levels? The quality of the product and service? How could you do it even better? Is it an area and product or service that offers future growth?

Step Three: the Business Plan

Now put your ideas down on paper in a Business Plan. A good business plan contains a minimum of: An executive summary; a product description; a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis; target market description; list of competitors; a marketing plan (including the 4 Ps: product, price, promotional/advertising/awareness programme, distribution - which is 'place' or the 4th 'P'); a list of Unique Selling Propositions (e.g. what will make your product/service better than the rest); and finally, a finance plan that includes projected pro forma profit and loss accounts for the next 3 years.

Step Four: Do the Plan

Remember, you don't have to have big money to get into business. When I started my marketing company, I had exactly 1 dollar as the initial seed capital. You can start almost any kind of business with very little money. So don't let money - or the lack of it - prevent you from starting your own business.

Now You're Your Own Boss

I started my own company over 20 years ago, and I've never looked back. If I can do well in Ireland, then you can do well where ever you happen to reside. All it takes is a little courage, a little thinking, and a great deal of energy and commitment.

So if you're trying to fight the recession, and have either lost your job or are worried that you might lose your job, then consider starting your own business. You'll never look back.

The Backstory: Why an American Came to Ireland

Every now and then, the wind blows us in a variety of different directions. In 1980, the wind blew me east, big-time. The short version of a fairly long story is this:

• In 1980, and with a newly minted MBA under my arm, I decided to take a long holiday. After some considerable consideration, I decided to throw my bicycle onto a Freddie Laker flight, and flew onward to London. There, assembling the bike, and with only a couple of paniers, a passport, change of underwear, and some cash for company, made my way southeast. The plan was to journey first west, then north, and eventually to Scotland. Then back to London and a departure back to San Francisco.


• However, fate had other ideas. Making my way to Wales, and eventually to Holyhead, I decided to take the ferry to Ireland. 'Why not?' I thought to myself. 'I've never been to Ireland. I might as well have a look.' So I did.
  
• In Ireland, I disembarked in Dun Laoghrie, then peddled north. Past Dublin. And eventually to Dunleer in County Louth. There, I met a beautiful woman: Bernie.


• Three days later - and it seems like a dream to me now - I asked her to marry me. Yep, right here on the spot, with the wonder of Ireland surrounding me. Fortunately, she said yes. Little did I know that her simple agreement to my proposal would change my life so fundamentally.

We moved back to the United States. But in 1982, and facing the raging winds of Recession, and with Bernie begging me to take her back to Ireland - her homeland - I did what any husband would do: I agreed. Having sold off most of our belongings, we climbed on a flight and headed to here.

I've been in Ireland ever since. (For more information on why I came here, and why I've stayed for so many years in this terrific company, go to http://ebooks.escapeartist.com/products/country-reports/ireland/guide-to-living-in-ireland/).

The intervening 27 years have been a journey of discovery: of learning to understand a new culture, and a people that are the most welcoming in the world. There have been ups and downs and the occasional heartache. But all in all, I've discovered that this American can live in Ireland, and survive here.

If you'd care to, follow me now as I keep you abreast of the latest in this land that still possesses a certain magic.

(Pictured: the sun sets in West Cork)

Welcome to Surviving Ireland

As an American living in Ireland for the past 27 years, I've had the privilege (and occasional hardship) of making a home in this country through the good times, the bad times, and the times in between.

This occasional Blog, Surviving Ireland, hopes to be a compendium of advice, news, and gossip about what's happening in Ireland, why it's happening, and the possible side-effects of those 'happenings'.

It hopes to be a companion piece to a book that I had the fortune to write: A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. In fact, the new 2009 edition has just now been completed, and is available at http://www.escapeartist.com/ for only a few US bucks.

In point of fact, this Blog will also hope to answer:

* What's happening in Ireland - its changing landscape, economy, and concerns of its people (particularly the concerns of this Ex-Pat)

* Places to go and see - if you are considering visiting - and perhaps living in - this welcoming country, my hope is that this Blog might become a forum for continuing discussions about where to go and what to see when you get here.

* Musings on Ireland - and for those of you who simply enjoy the wonder of this magical, though often damp, country, I'll take delight in offering you some simple thoughts on how this one American has managed to survive in Ireland for over 25 years.

So pour yourself a pint of black, and check back when you can. Cead Mile Failte, and welcome to Surviving Ireland.

Tom Richards