Celtic Tiger just an American cub

WHEN we joined the Common Market in 1972 we had 60,000 unemployed. We were promised this would be nil when we joined a market of 250 million for our goods. Well, what happened? In no time the 60,000 had gone up to 250,000.

Did it stop there? Not at all. Soon it rose to a whopping 300,000. Remember the builder Mr Gilmartin being appalled at the jostling queues outside the American Embassy as the finest of our youth were fleeing the country. Eventually relief came. From Europe? Not at all. It came from America, so that the Celtic Tiger, in fact, is the American Tiger. I was reared on a small farm here in the west where we had everything we needed for a healthy lifestyle all grown on the farm.

Now several of my relatives say they can't make a living on the land. Many have leased their fertile little holdings.