You know sometimes what we talk about is a little abstracted from the general public. When an economic boom hits the average Joe Q. Public so that everyone is talking about it – it must be real. My wife coming back from Brazil spent five hours or so in the Toronto airport and struck up a conversation with a 4o something couple from Ireland. Without prompting, the woman launched into a monologue about how Ireland was just ‘boomin’ (and it was quite amusing to hear my wife, a Brazilian, trying to imitate an Irish woman, but I digress).
So she, my wife, informs the Irish that her husband is fascinated by the Irish economic miracle and in fact was in Ireland three years ago to study the phenomenon. And so, by proxy, my better half engaged in a blog-like conversation with a couple of average Irish citizens just thrilled to be in a growing and dymanic country that was once the eyesore of Europe.
Ireland 30+ years ago was the out-migration centre of Europe. It was the poorest performing economy in the EU. One might say it was the New Brunswick of Europe (I know I now call Portugal the New Brunswick of Europe but I am not the most creative person around).
So, I wonder, in 30 years, will New Brunswick couples, beaming from ear to ear, talk about how New Brunswick is boomin’ or booming, eh?
The reforms in Ireland started in the mid 1970s, folks.
Time to get crackin’.