Donald Trump - an American Embarrassment

Okay I'll say it. Donald Trump is a scurilous, repulsive, xenophobic, bigoted fool. God knows I'm not offering proof for this statement. I don't need to. Proof lies within the unbridled rhetoric Mr. Trump has been spouting since deciding that he should grace the United States' electoral process.

As an American living in Ireland, I'm occasionally asked by fellow US citizens what the Irish think of US politics. The answer has changed over the years. During the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the Irish overwhelmed me with their sympathy and support. Throughout the Gulf War, the same Irish looked at me with more than a little embarrassment, particularly when President Bush & Co came up empty-handed in their search for weapons of mass destruction.

The subject of Guantanamo gets unbridled silence ("What are those Americans up to after all this time?" they seem to be thinking). Shannon Airport, which is often used by the US Military as a refuelling stop for the transfer of service men and women to points east, receives a mixed reaction. Some Irish, those who support American foreign policy, give it tacit approval. Others aren't so sure. Recently, a couple of elected Irish politicians climbed over the airport fence to accost a newly landed military transport plane. They were prosecuted for their trouble (though their standing in the eyes of many an Irish person shot to new heights). Of course it can get worse. A few years back, one woman punched a hole in a US 737 nose cone with a handheld axe. I gather she was somewhat annoyed with US military might. My point is this: if the Irish are pissed-off about the United States, they're fairly quick to show it.

And as I say, US politics - and politicians - get a mixed reaction from the Irish. That, however, is not the case when it comes to Mr. Donald Trump.

Except for a tiny percentage of this country's populace, The Donald is viewed by the Irish with contempt. First, they can't stand his hair ("The fella needs help," I heard a woman gasp recently in reaction to the wind whistling through his dry as a bone corn-huskings).  Second, they dislike his cavalier attitude ("You're telling me he wants to chase immigrants from the United States? But what about all the Irish in Boston and New York? Is he going to throw them out too?" said a fellow recently as we discussed Mssr Trump over a couple of pints. When I responded that Trump probably did, the fellow threw his pint glass at me.)

Or the best one, from a lady down the road: "The fecker should be banned from the country," she said indignantly. "The English had the right idea but they didn't go far enough. The Donald isn't wanted here. The government should invite him over on some pretext, embarrass the shite out of him, then throw the fellow out of our country for insurrection and a foul mouth!"

For the first time in many a year, this Republican is actually embarrassed to be American particularly when asked by my Irish friends, "Why would any intelligent, honest-thinking American even consider voting for the fool?"  To which, of course, I have no real answer. When I mutter about the plight of the American middle class and how Donald somehow appeals to their sense of abandonment, the Irish only look at me and laugh. "If he wins, we're all fecked," they say.

And it's true. If he wins we're all fecked including the Irish. But especially me. Because I'll be stuck trying to explain how such an ill-tempered bullying rich-kid managed to pull it off in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.

I'd better order another pint.

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2015 / 2016 Kindle Edition Now Available!
If this blog interests you, then you might want to know more about living and working in Ireland. Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland, moving to Ireland, working in Ireland? Do you want to understand what makes the Irish tick, how you can get a job here, and how to survive in this wonderful country? If so, consider purchasing the 2015 Kindle edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Over 11,000 have already done so! Now over 85,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the above links to purchase the new 2015 Kindle edition. You can also download free apps to read the Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

Getting a Job in Ireland 2016: It's Gonna Be a Cracker of a Year

Okay, I admit it. I'm astounded by the number of people who have visited this Blog. Currently and as I write this on New Year's Day 2016, that figure stands at just shy of 80,000.  And most visitors still want one thing: more information on how to get a job in Ireland.

Over the years I've written a number of Posts on this area. The facts, figures and suggestions that I've noted have swung wildly, matching the crazed cyclicality of the Irish economy. With the dawn of 2016, all indicators point in one direction with regard to employment: Up.  In short, those seeking employment in this country haven't had it so good in years.

An example: Recruitment consulting firm Morgan McKinley reports that there has been a 9% increase in jobs coming onto the market - brand new professional positions - in 2015 v 2014. Of even more interest, new jobs were increasing at a rate of 7 percent per month. The demand for talent to fill those positions is quickly eating into Ireland's unemployment rate which has fallen from over 15% three years ago to just over 8% today.

The McKinley report suggests that certain sectors are hotter than others: IT is continuing to rocket out of orbit - for every skilled IT professional in Ireland, each has three to four job opportunities available to them. HR and Financial professionals are also being snapped up as the Irish economy continues to surge forward. Medical personnel - doctors, nurses, medical technicians, radiologists - are in high demand. This is a complete about face for this sector compared to a few years ago when medical professionals were leaving Ireland in droves. Today, there is such a shortage that the HSE, Ireland's pre-eminent medical organization - is chasing those who fled the country during the Great Recession, hoping to attract them back with better financial incentives and working conditions.

People with Multilingual skills are also in high demand which is simply explained. Ireland is now a centre of excellence for the Global sales and support of many large Blue Chip companies. Microsoft, PayPal, Yahoo, Google and so many more have created huge offices here, manned by speakers of French, German, Polish, Hebrew, Arabic, Spanish.... you name it.... to help customers located in countries across the world. And most of these companies are expanding. Each requires talented multilingual people to support their efforts.

Other areas crying out for skilled people include:

• Hospitality / Tourism - over the Christmas holidays, the newspapers reported that in 2015, Ireland had its best tourism season on record. More tourists visited Ireland than ever before. For this reason hotels, restaurants, and other tourism-focused businesses are actively recruiting personnel to cope with the higher demand.
  
• Skilled trades - the construction sector is finally showing signs of growth. Yet many skilled builders, electricians, plumbers and similar fled from Ireland during the Great Recession. While this sector has not yet fully recovered, it seems an area of opportunity for those getting in now.
  
• Engineers, Chemical Scientists, Medical Lab Scientists, and Physical Scientists - with skills in manufacturing and product development.

How to Get a Job in Ireland: Do You Qualify for a Critical Skills Employment Permit?

If you are an Irish national or a citizen of the European Union, taking advantage of Ireland's rocketing economy and employment growth is easy because you are legally entitled to work in this country. However, if you have citizenship from outside the EU, qualifying to work in Ireland can be daunting (see the many other articles in this Blog covering this area).

However, such is the skills shortage in Ireland that the Irish government is working to attract non-residents to fill these vacancies with the recent Critical Skills Permit initiative. Essentially, what this means is that an employer will be granted a permit to employ a non-national relatively easily, as long as the job on offer meets the Highly Skilled Occupation List. (see below for references)

This new system can provide non-Irish nationals with a method to fast-track employment in Ireland. The only catch: you need a job offer from an employer for a Highly Skilled Occupation (that is, a 'highly skilled job' that has a critical skills shortage) before the employee can obtain a work permit for the new non-national employee.  In other words, if you want to work here, you need a permit provided by an employer first. And you can't get the permit unless you have a job offer.

If you're outside of the country and trying to get a job here, distance can make things difficult. But as I've counselled so many times before: search the Internet for jobs in your area. Then, contact prospective employers directly by email and / or phone. Do your best to create a relationship with them. Keep your fingers crossed, stay persistent, and you too could soon be working in Ireland.

To find out a whole lot more about the Critical Skills permits, go to:

- http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/migrant_workers/employment_permits/green_card_permits.html for detailed information and

- https://www.djei.ie/en/What-We-Do/Jobs-Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Employment-Permit-Eligibility/Highly-Skilled-Eligible-Occupations-List/ for a full list of 'Highly Skilled Occupations' in Ireland

Good luck in 2016. It's going to be a cracker of a year. And with any luck, you too can ride this roller coaster of an economy into fruitful Irish employment.


A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2015 / 2016 Kindle Edition Now Available!
If this blog interests you, then you might want to know more about living and working in Ireland. Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland, moving to Ireland, working in Ireland? Do you want to understand what makes the Irish tick, how you can get a job here, and how to survive in this wonderful country? If so, consider purchasing the 2015 Kindle edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Over 11,000 have already done so! Now over 85,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the above links to purchase the new 2015 Kindle edition. You can also download free apps to read the Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

Let There be Light at Winter's Solstice

Ireland's Newgrange Monument Welcomes Winter Solstice

Okay, I admit it. One of the things that gets on my wick here is winter and the lack of light. Sundown right now is at 4:30 PM. Sun-up is 8:43 AM. I get rather tired of bumping into things when I forget to turn on the lights in the house, and I bump into almost everything: the Christmas tree, the cat, the full mug of coffee that I just poured which invariably ends up all over my naked feet.

The good news of course is that today - right now - it's Winter's Solstice! The shortest day of the year which means of course that from  here on out the days can only get longer. Simple astronomical physics, right? For today, here in the land of darkness, we'll all go slightly dopey as we celebrate the fact that we've made it through another long winter's night, and can look forward to the coming spring: the longer days, the lengthy twilights at mid-summer ... the constant rain.

Of course, the Irish have been celebrating the end of darkness and the coming dawn of spring for millennia. All the way back to the construction of Newgrange, and longer than that, of course. Five thousand years ago, I gather that the locals up in County Meath got together and decided on a cold, dark, lonely winter's night, something had to be done about it all. I can hear them now:

Megalithic Irish Husband: "The bloody darkness, fer feck sake! I can't take it anymore. When's it going to start getting brighter?"
Megalithic Irish Wife: "You're asking me? How would I know. Stop complaining and do something about it."

So he did. He and a whole troop of other fella's of course. They got together and hauled tonnes and tonnes of rock from way down in County Wicklow, north up the Irish Sea, down the Boyne, to the bend in the river known as Newgrange. God alone knows how they did it, but did it they did. Then they probably took a breather and scratched their heads in unison.

Megalithic Irish Husband: "We're gonna build a clock. Something to tell us when the short days stop getting shorter and the long days are gonna get longer."
,
So they did that too. Somehow they organized that great pile of rock so carefully - and without the aid of Google - into a Holy Show complete with Roof Box. When they were finally finished with the build, they must have waited for the next Winter Solstice with baited breath. Can you imagine if they'd screwed up the engineering? What if the Sun didn't come through that tiny hole as planned? They were hardly going to rearrange thousands of tonnes of rock to get things right, now were they?

So on that first Winter's Solstice, when the sun finally peaked above the horizon and flooded through that Roof Box to light the interior within, I'm sure there was quite a bit of back-patting and hand-shaking and self-congratulation. And I can hear the wife saying: "Well good on ya. Now if you're so clever what about a washing machine rather than these stupid rocks I have to use to get the stains out of yer leathers?"

Congratulations, Megalithic Engineers of Ireland. Your clock still works. On this shortest day of the year, it's great to know that at least something still works in Ireland.

(I see that author and comedian Colm Tobin has entitled his most recent tome Surviving Ireland. Colm, could ya not have thought of an original title fer yerself, fer feck sake? :) )

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2015 / 2016 Kindle Edition Now Available!
If this blog interests you, then you might want to know more about living and working in Ireland. Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland, moving to Ireland, working in Ireland? Do you want to understand what makes the Irish tick, how you can get a job here, and how to survive in this wonderful country? If so, consider purchasing the 2015 Kindle edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Over 11,000 have already done so! Now over 85,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the above links to purchase the new 2015 Kindle edition. You can also download free apps to read the Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

Ireland: Still a Great Place to Live

It's 6 AM. I'm sitting in a hotel lobby near Dublin Airport. My father is flying in from Tampa (God bless him) and I'm up early to get some coffee into my system before fighting the traffic to the Arrivals Terminal. I'm talking to Dave, the night porter, and comparing notes. Dave has four kids. He's originally from Navan (where I lived for almost 30 years before escaping to Eyeries in West Cork). Dave is ruminating on his recent decision to move to County Cavan, 40 minutes or so up the road.

"Navan just isn't the same," he says. "It's filled with scumbags. It has too much crime. It's just not a good place to bring up kids anymore."  I can understand his sentiment. The growth of Navan, as well as all other bedroom communities around Dublin, is one of the many issues that propelled me out of the area like a scalded cat.

"What do you think of Cavan?" I ask, sipping my coffee. "Is it better for the kids?"

"Great schools," he responds as he gets ready to open up the hotel for early morning visitors. "Mind you, I love the States."

That catches my attention. "Have you been there?"  He nods. "Once. To Vegas. I loved it."  Me: "But would you live there? I mean, if you could do it, would you bring the kids and wife over and make a new life?"

That catches his attention. "Now I didn't say that, did I?" Dave replies. "Visiting is one thing. But leaving Ireland? Not on your life."

The Pull of Ireland
Since the beginning of the Great Recession in 2007 / 2008, thousands of Irish have had to immigrate to find new jobs and make a new life simply because Ireland was falling apart. Unemployment had surged, approaching 20 percent. The country was littered with ghost estates: new housing construction that had been halted because builders had run out of money. Entire families were being evicted from their homes because they couldn't pay their mortgages. In desperation, many fled to Australia, England, Canada, and the United States seeking a new start.

And yet... they did so reluctantly. They knew they were leaving behind a way of life that can rarely be found any more: people that care. Schools that teach kids how to read, write, and do 'rithmatic. Welcoming smiles of neighbours and friends. Pubs that do much more than serve a Pint but rather are the focus of many rural towns and villages.

In leaving they knew that they were leaving behind walks beneath soft Autumn rains and hikes along windswept ocean side trails. The coo of doves hidden in the branches of tall trees during mid-Summer. They would be abandoning their local GAA teams and the shouts and roars of disappointed Irish fans who watched as the Irish soccer team yet again crashed out of a European Final. They were leaving behind the Pull of Ireland - the magical magnetism of this country that is at the heart and soul of every person who has been born or lived here.

But - they're coming back. As the Irish economy recovers, these Irish immigrants, these stalwart thousands, are beginning to drift home in search of the spirit of Ireland that resides in their hearts. In talking with them, I find that they have enjoyed their time away. They enjoyed the humming city of Sydney and the frantic buzz of New York. They thrived and learned in Dubai. They put shoulders to the wheel of economies in Montreal, London, Berlin, and Madrid. But now many are coming home.

They come home to the open arms of their families. To the fine soft rain that descends to hug them on cool Autumn days. They come home to their mates who have waited for them by turf fires dotted around the country.  They come home to the wonder that is Ireland and to the recovering economy that can once again allow them to live here.

The Irish are on their way back home. They know that despite their travels, despite the trauma of the past few years, Ireland is still a great place to live.

They're coming home. And even if you're not Irish but are pulled here by the magnetism that is Ireland, now is the time to consider making Ireland your home too.

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2015 Kindle Edition Now Available!
If this blog interests you, then you might want to know more about living and working in Ireland. Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland, moving to Ireland, working in Ireland? Do you want to understand what makes the Irish tick, how you can get a job here, and how to survive in this wonderful country? If so, consider purchasing the 2015 Kindle edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Over 11,000 have already done so! Now over 85,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the above links to purchase the new 2015 Kindle edition. You can also download free apps to read the Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

2015 Kindle Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland Now Available

Good morning all. And just a quick announcement: The 2015 Edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland has finally been launched.

Frankly, this should have been available back in April. However, a large project managed to eat into any available time. When I first published the original edition back in 2005 I had no idea that this would prove such a popular title. 11,000 copies in its various versions have now been sold.

The current 2015 edition includes new information on getting a job in Ireland, working in Ireland, industry trends, and what's happening here as the economy finally gets back on track. And as with past editions, it is filled with the anecdotes of this erstwhile Yank along a journey of survival in this country - sometimes successfully, sometimes not - over the course of the past 33 years.

Now that the major project mentioned above has been finished, and the 2015 edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland has at last been published, I'll be able to update this Blog with additional posts over the coming months. If you have any specific questions about traveling to, working in, or getting a job in Ireland - just let me know.

Slan!

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2015 Kindle Edition Now Available!
If this blog interests you, then you might want to know more about living and working in Ireland. Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland, moving to Ireland, working in Ireland? Do you want to understand what makes the Irish tick, how you can get a job here, and how to survive in this wonderful country? If so, consider purchasing the 2015 Kindle edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Over 11,000 have already done so! Now over 85,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the above links to purchase the new 2015 Kindle edition. You can also download free apps to read the Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

Got a Language Proficiency? Get a Job in Ireland

New statistics reveal that Ireland's job market is continuing to rocket. Unemployment is scheduled to fall below 9 percent by the end of the year, while gross domestic product (GDP) will grow by up to 5.5 percent in 2015. Shrinking unemployment lines combined with continuing economic growth puts pressure on employers as they fight for qualified people to meet staff resource needs.

In short: if you're looking for a job in Ireland, now is a good time to do it.

Hot Sectors
Key sectors are showing incredible demand for qualified personnel:

1. Language skills - do you speak French, German, Russian, even Hebrew? Because Ireland acts as a services gateway to Europe (and the rest of the world) many companies expand by establishing customer-centric service centres here. If you're multi-lingual, you could find yourself supporting your employer by dealing directly with customers located in countries throughout the world, in their own language - and all from the comfort of your Irish-based desk.

2. ICT - information technology continues to show outstanding growth. It seems like every day, new companies are either setting up or are announcing expansion. Even more new organisations are being created to act as 3rd party suppliers to support larger businesses. If you have skills in cloud computing, mobile apps, gaming; if you're a savvy tech person or a great marketeer with a knowledge of this industry, you could well  be in high demand.

3. Finance - is showing burgeoning growth as financial institutions look to assess risk in an ever changing market place. You don't have to have a finance degree to take advantage of this opportunity, however. Tech, HR, marketing, sales, back-office administrators - all are being recruited to support growth in the financial services sector.

The Irish Times reports that 42 percent of Irish companies have increased headcounts since the start of the year. Employment growth among professionals is up 19 percent year-on-year. These figures prove what many here already know: if you have the right skills, Ireland is offering the opportunity.

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2015 Kindle Edition Now Available!
If this blog interests you, then you might want to know more about living and working in Ireland. Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland, moving to Ireland, working in Ireland? Do you want to understand what makes the Irish tick, how you can get a job here, and how to survive in this wonderful country? If so, consider purchasing the 2015 Kindle edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Over 11,000 have already done so! Now over 85,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the above links to purchase the new 2015 Kindle edition. You can also download free apps to read the Kindle version on any PC or Mac. 

Getting a Job in Ireland Easier as Irish Exports Hit Full Throttle

Irish exports grew 10 percent in 2014 to a record high of €18.6 billion, giving the current economic recovery some teeth and driving continued jobs growth. Exports are critical to the Irish economy because cash surpluses pouring into the country can be reinvested in continuing R&D, manufacturing, marketing, and related operating areas. Increased demand for products and services produced in Ireland drives employment in key sectors.

Taxes derived from export sales help to pay down the vast debt mountain the country acquired during the Great Recession. Increased government tax takes will also enable additional hiring of public sector personnel - from nurses to teachers to police - in coming months. Public sector employees lucky enough to still have jobs should also benefit from an increase in salaries, particularly among the lower paid, as they seek to claw back pay concessions made during the past 7 years as the government fought to reign in spending and meet EU and Troika demands.

Key Sectors
Ireland's indigenous software industry recorded the largest growth in exports. Surging sales is increasing demand for employees with a wide variety of IT skill-sets: from those with coding and product development skills to customer support personnel.

But other sectors are also seeing growth. Increased exports, driving higher tax revenues, will trigger increased employment in the public sector. Nurses, doctors, and other professionals within the healthcare sector are being actively recruited.

The construction industry is also - finally - seeing some light at the end of a dismally dark tunnel. Professionals as well as unskilled labourers are being recruited, though this sector remains patchy.

Retail and tourism is also showing significant growth. Ireland's tourism industry is benefiting from the strong dollar and weak euro. Retailers are finally seeing a recovery as discretionary spending recovers, if only marginally.

Urban Areas Showing Most Growth
Not all of Ireland is benefiting from employment growth. Urban areas - particularly Dublin and surrounding counties - are demonstrating rapid employment increases. Rural Ireland, at least at this time, continues to lag behind.

Those seeking jobs in Ireland should search first for opportunities in Urban locations including Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.

As noted in past entries on this site, if you're thinking of moving to Ireland now is the time.

A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland 2015 Kindle Edition Now Available!
If this blog interests you, then you might want to know more about living and working in Ireland. Are you thinking of traveling to Ireland, moving to Ireland, working in Ireland? Do you want to understand what makes the Irish tick, how you can get a job here, and how to survive in this wonderful country? If so, consider purchasing the 2015 Kindle edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland. Over 11,000 have already done so! Now over 85,000 words long, this book could make the perfect gift for those interested in this wonderful country. Simply click on any of the above links to purchase the new 2015 Kindle edition. You can also download free apps to read the Kindle version on any PC or Mac.