SpunOut.ie Blog
SpunOut.ie Blog: Eire we go again?
There is a fire in our bellies to survive and thrive.
Street performer, Galway Arts Festival
There has been a lot of hype in the media recently (surprise surprise) about emigration and the Irish. Everything from Bill Cullen’s ‘molly-coddled’ Irish youth garbling, to hyped emigration figures, and the elusive ‘myth of mass emigration.’ A recent Irish Times expose on the issue described now as being the ‘golden hour’ for Ireland’s young, the period between the loss of a job and disillusionment and/or emigration.
My mobile message inbox snapshot seems to suggest that people, and young ones especially, are not just awakening to the current tough times. Our eyes are wide open. We are well aware of the situation, and cranking out inner resolve, adaptability and determination to rise above the recession with resilience and a bit of ‘feck this, I’m gonna make it work’ panache. Golden hour? I reckon we are a golden generation, one that can melt and reshape itself to fit the pressures of the times and still come out shining.
A peek at my message inbox:
- “At home in bed. Got exam 2morrow for safe pass. Fun never ends.”
- “App to Trinity complete...I’m gonna be 1 smart cookie!”
- “Can’t come out. Only have 8 cents. Could be worse, Torres is back!”
- “Recession discount: free walk on the Prom 2night...you want in?”
- “Job interview 2morrow. Wish me luck!”
Now in fairness, there are some grumblings, raging and pure down and out ones in the mix:
- “It’s 4am. Haven’t slept in days...too bored to even watch TV...”
- “Can’t believe they’re getting rid of me... after all this time, feels like a divorce!”
- “Countdown to Aus... kiss me arse Ireland!”
The point is: people the world round are doing their best to find a balance to the changes being hurled at us in all directions. We may feel a bit clumsy, exhausted, bitter and even hopeless at times. This is okay and totally expected! Worrying about getting food in our bellies and decent roofs over our heads, let alone pursuing lifestyles and career paths that will bring us joy and a sense of purpose is big time stuff to navigate!
The important thing to keep in mind, is that most of us are in the same boat. So don’t feel like you’re on a solo mission to save your future. Look towards friends and wider online and offline communities for ways you can link in with others to share and develop ideas, dreams, projects and even businesses - our shared future. We don’t need those ‘in power’ to save us. We are the people. We have the power to save ourselves.
On a related note, there seems to be a lot of consultation with young people popping up at the moment, as demonstrated in various radio and TV programmes, public meetings, workshops etc. blah blah blah, etc. Nice gesture. I can think of another few gestures to give back in return.
The time for ‘youth consultation’ is over, and arguably never should have happened. How kind of you to ask us now what we think and to let us have a say about the way forward.
Whether you’re brave enough to stay put in Ireland, bold enough to pack up and make a go of things overseas, or changing your mind on the emigration question by the hour, we all share one deep commonality - there is a fire in our bellies to survive and thrive. Fair play to every single one of us for pursuing the happiness we rightly deserve. That hunger to succeed is a force to be reckoned with, especially when we join forces.
Check out the content floating around SpunOut over the next wee while to help support and inspire you to make choices about emigration, employment and genuine social change both here and abroad. 'Eire we go again?' is a question that only you can answer for yourself, but one that we can work on addressing together.
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