Irish Miracle ?

Several times we are told both in university and through casual life, how Ireland strived their way up to the most wealthy nations of Europe..

I'd like to know about what Ireland actually did to "grow up" in details.. Anyone please ?

Uh... Irish... miracle? Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron?

By the way - and oddly quite off topic - the word "oxymoron" sounds quite offensive to me at first sight.. It's something like defining someone that needs oxygen to go moronic.. Contradictively, you go moronic when your brain lacks oxyg..AHA ! I got it !

Dictionary definition : a combination of contradictory or incongruous words

I guess I've just been an oxymoron in a Turkic comprehensive way.


Anyway, let's get back on topic..

To answer your question. Easy, EU money and lots of it

?! We heard that they applied a serious investment on their education system.

true about the education, but also thousands of americans go to ireland every year flooding the country with tourist money,i know that much but thats all i can help you with.

EU money and lots of it

I vote EU money.

when they separated from britain they got 'compensation' money iirc and then they joined the EU and got more money

Now why do I have an inkling that there's a wee bit of jealousy involved here? Are you guys uncomfortable with the Irish managing to upset the natural order of the universe according to Great Britain?

EU subsidies by itself don't do the trick. *Cough. Greece, Southern Italy. Cough* What did it, was the Irish realizing what a fantastic asset being a low-wage, English-speaking country with full access to the Common European market was. Ask Micro$oft about it.
It were the Irish themselves who had the good sense to seize the opportunity their position offered them.

Celtic Tiger.

[B]Celtic Tiger./B]
Ah the old moth eaten pussycat , now what was the long term result of these spectacular "tiger economies" ?
Now why do I have an inkling that there's a wee bit of jealousy involved here?
How do you explain my post then ?

Another factor in the so caled miracle was the return of hundreds of thousands of emigrants during the 90s who had gone elsewhere to make their money and bought the foriegn earnings with them when they returned .