'Ireland can be proud of the good attitude of its people'

VOX POPS: People were in good spirits, but economic woes were very much on their minds, writes ROSITA BOLAND

VOX POPS:People were in good spirits, but economic woes were very much on their minds, writes ROSITA BOLAND

ON OUR national feast day in 2011, what has Ireland to be proud of? Not much right now, judging by the number of people this reporter spoke to on the packed streets of Dublin yesterday but who refused to go on the record, because, as one said angrily, “I’ve only negative things to say.”

There was the grandmother from Cavan on Nassau Street, whose daughter, a special-needs teacher, had lost her job on Friday. The couple up from Wexford for the day, wearing shamrock, who said the last government had bankrupted us, and who are considering emigration to Canada.

“We’re a little bit delusional, thinking we’re a very special people. We have a terrible name in Europe right now, but I think we’re on the up,” Ann Phelan said.

READ MORE

“I remember the Ireland of the 1950s and the 1980s. We got through all of them, and we’ll get through this again,” declared Dermot Smyth. “We can be proud of our literature and our music. And especially our people. The spirit of our people will get us through.”

“Ireland can be proud of the good attitude of its people. I don’t think from looking around today at the good humour of people that you would know there’s a crisis in the country,” said New Yorker Hayley Strickland, visiting with her friend Nicole Lastres.

“I’m sure there’s a lot going on beneath the surface, but you wouldn’t know from the atmosphere today that Ireland is in recession and economic crisis,” Lastres observed.

“We can be proud of our history and our culture. And proud that so many other nationalities from round the world want to be here celebrating with us today,” agreed Gerard and Caitríona Kerlitz, from Louth.

Nuala and Mark McMullan were wearing green and sprays of shamrock, en route to the parade. “We’re proud to wear green today, and proud that Enda Kenny is our new Taoiseach,” Mark said. “We believe in him. He’s a great leader for the future. We didn’t create the problems the last government left us with, but we’ve come through bad things in the past and we’re going to come through this too.”

“And we have our culture and our music,” added Nuala.

“I don’t know if there is anything to be proud of about Ireland today, but I suppose one has to show a certain sense of loyalty,” sighed an elegant woman in a white coat, who wore an emerald-green silk scarf wound around her neck, and who only wanted to give her first name, Pat. “Our culture is becoming Americanised and it’s disintegrating. Our education and health systems are failing us. Ireland has no personality any more. Look at this parade today – it’s Mardi Gras.”

“For me, the amazing thing about Ireland is the resilience of its people after all you’ve been through,” confided Linda Ryan. “I can’t believe your sense of humour.”

A first-time visitor to Ireland, she had come from New Mexico, with her daughter Kaisa and grandson Friday.

“We can be proud of our sense of humour,” commented Joan Brady, visiting from Dundalk. “We’ve lost everything, but we still have our personality and spirit. . . . Today is like New Year’s Day. We have a new government, and everything starts again tomorrow.”