Excuse my language, but I can’t
help asking, what it is we are actually celebrating? Our severely indebted
nation? A year we banished one incompetent government in favour of another (Let’s
face it, their work has hardly signalled the beginning of an economic
recovery!)? A Eurozone teetering on the brink of a possible break up or possible
dissolution of the signal currency?
Hmm...And still, we celebrate! What
a positive little nation we are! (That or we just can’t say no to a party!)
Am I the only one fearful of a
year worse than last? Not that I’m fond of negativity, I merely think
realistically, that the worst of the economic crisis is not over. I’m sure Doctor Doom himself, Morgan Kelly
would concur. But somehow, I can see this year to be tougher than last for all
concerned, small businesses and bigger businesses alike, coupled with a hike in
the VAT rate, possibly redundancies for people across the nation in both the public
and private sector, and a nation of skilled graduates with a crippling desire
to work post university, but having to leave the emerald isle if they want to
do so!
I may sound like a broken record
at this stage, but sometimes it feels that the voice of young graduates remains
unheard! Young graduates worrying about their future and the future of their
country, unlikely story 10 years ago! My how things have changed – pretty sure
I’ll be availing of the Botox jabs in years to come (if the bonus is reinstated
that is!) to banish the worry lines this young nation are sporting given the
uncertainty of our shattered economy! New Year, new beginnings and all the jazz,
supposed positivity, supposed glimmers of hope – to me those are farfetched
from the bleak reality we are now faced with! 2012 – the year of the dragon –
let’s hope so, we could do with someone putting a little bit of fire up the
current government’s ass and getting this country on the road to recovery!
So remind me why we are celebrating?!
So remind me why we are celebrating?!
Maybe it is embedded in our
innate Irishness that we are partial to a good nights craic, even if the old
year wasn’t a great one, and the new year doesn’t look too promising either –
but maybe New Year’s Eve, just maybe, it gives us cause to forget, if just for
one night, the economic difficulties this generation, the next and the one
subsequent to that will face repairing a demolished economy..... Possibly!
But alas, there is another perfectly
reasonable explanation, we’re Irish, and wherever we may be tonight, it’s New
Years Eve... and juxtaposing these two components, there is no better reason
for a good aul’ piss up!! It may even help us forget about our exorbitant debt
levels...sure isn’t that why former Taoiseach Brian Cowen conducted many an
interview in a drunken / hungover state?
Happy New Year one and all!
The Forgotten Irish Graduate 31 December 2011
P.S. Please don’t forget my generation of Forgotten Irish Graduates
this year Enda... we’re worth a shot! Am pretty damn sure I could do as good a
job as half your cabinet... god knows some of them must be nearing retirement
at this stage!
