I was in the Emerald Isle several years ago, and it lived up to its reputation - green and beautiful even on misty and foggy mornings. I was in Bandon and the surrounding area for a conference starting on St. Patrick's Day. I arrived on a very sunny day, and the views from the plane were stunning. Beautiful beaches and scenery. As I looked out the window, I wished I were there on holiday, but it was a business trip, and there was work to be done.
My mother and my wife are from the north of the country, and there are many similarities in the people's mindset. The way they think and their attitude to life are quite similar, especially those from rural communities. At that time, it was interesting to see the evidence of prosperity; every house I came across seemed to be bigger than the one before. It is, however, not the way things were when I visited. The country was struggling economically, and I was told that there were whole estates of houses which had never been occupied and might even be knocked down. What a shame and a waste of money.
