German industry an opportunity for Irish labour

On Christmas eve there were about 14 young men in a pub in Macroom, Co Cork, celebrating with their friends and family.

In scenes repeated across the country, conversations arose about the past year and plans for 2013. What marked this group out was the fact that all of them had come home for a couple of weeks from Australia.

Fifty years ago young men and women leaving Ireland for far distant shores had bleak options for retaining family ties. Travel costs were relatively huge and letters were the primary means of communication. Today, a stark and important contrast is evident.