Countries all round the world have suffered at the hands of the recession. However, one of the worst hit has been Ireland, who last week accepted an $89 billion ‘bail out’ from the IMF in order to bridge their gaping financial deficit. Humiliated and angered by the economic mismanagement (and in the eyes of many, political corruption) which lead to the spending crisis, the Republic’s citizens took to the streets of Dublin last weekend to voice their discontent. An estimated 150,000 people took part in the protest – a colossal figure considering the country’s small population, and the travel restrictions placed due to snowy weather.
There was little in the way of unified objectives or targets, however – different groups spoke of different woes. For most, the huge spending cuts about to be implemented by the government was a major concern. Others aimed to draw attention to the huge amounts of natural gas (valued at around €420 billion) found just off the coast of Ireland coast – gas which has been seized upon by foreign-owned companies such as Dutch Royal Shell. “Give us our natural resources back, and our funding problems will be solved,” they claimed.
Yet, despite the doom and gloom, in a typically-Irish fashion there was still room for humour. Banners were carried bearing slogans like “IMF – WTF?”, “FIANNA FAILED” (a pun on the political party many hold responsible for the crisis, Fianna Fail) and “FIANNA FAIL: PUTTING THE ‘N’ IN CUTS” (for those that are unaware, this spells a word which is incredibly offensive in Ireland). A young girl of around twelve was also spotted carrying a sign reading “My mum told me Justin Bieber would be here”. Something tells me she was perhaps as disappointed as the rest of the nation was that day.
Words and photography by Rosa Abbott
Rosa Abbott is an arts, fashion and culture obsessive originating from Yorkshire, England, and currently living in Dublin, Ireland. On top of being a student at the illustrious Trinity College, she is a freelance journalist, writing for a number of Irish publications, and also edits the visual arts section of entertainment magazine Totally Dublin.
When she’s not up to her eyeballs in writing, Rosa works as an assistant to stylist Aisling Farinella and volunteers at various art galleries. Her musings on life, style and art can also be found over at her blog, Too Gallant.
