NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
?My country has let me down. I never wish to see the place again?there are ?cute hoors? at every turn in?society and business life?
If the above quote sounds familiar read on:
There was an interesting bad rather sad article in the Irish Times on Friday last which seemed to encapsulate what happens when a country is taken over by crooked financiers, developer, spivs and charlatans. It tells the story of the decision by a couple in their fifties to abandon their country and their despair at the greedy individuals that brought the country to its knees.
There are parallels for the Isle of Man where the same type of two tier society has developed and where I hear stories and read on social media of Manx people who have gone or are contemplating leaving the Island.
In the Times article (link at the foot of the page) John D?Arcy writes:
?As a man born in Ireland, I feel my country has let me down. I never wish to see the place again. My career in engineering taught me there are ?cute hoors? at every turn in Irish society and business life. The unpunished bankers and corrupt developers who brought Ireland to its knees prove that incompetence exists everywhere, right to the top. Unless that mentality changes, Ireland is doomed to be a two-tier society. The obscenely wealthy take advantage while thousands of others, like us, have no option but to emigrate. I sincerely believe any young person with talent and a third- level qualification can do better outside Ireland. I wish I had left 35 years ago.
I feel as if my pockets have been picked. We found ourselves at the point of becoming destitute in Ireland. I studied for an engineering degree, my wife for her marketing diplomas, and we both worked hard for everything we had, including our little French apartment. Now we thank God we bought it, because it has become our saviour. We will live out our lives here, and die and be buried in France, not Ireland. Our language studies improve our French every day, and Ireland and all its problems fade ever further into our rearview mirror.?
Obviously there will be people in Ireland (thankfully) who will not be as pessimistic as John D?Arcy who will stay and fight the corruption and injustice like the many thousands who demonstrated recently against water charges. The D?Arcy?s story also indicates that they were fortunate others will not have the option available to them.
However what struck me about the D?Arcy?s story was how many parallels there are with our situation in Mann.
We have a government that is effectively picking the pocket of the low paid and those on fixed incomes ably assisted by the ?Chamber of Conmen?. We have greedy developers and crooked financiers. We have a class removed from the reality of Manx life ?gourmet gluttons? running ?boutique businesses? and salving their consciences by doing ?good works?. We have politicians for whom the ethic of public service has become the reality of ?self service?. Then there are just the crooks that the inept regulators of the FSA and FCU will never get to grips with.
When your country is being ?violated economically? should you cut and run or stay and fight, I suggest the latter is a more appropriate course!
Photo; Peel Castle symbolises our heritage but to many the Island is just an investment opportunity to be exploited.
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Celtic News
21/02/16
THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE.
The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues
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