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Brexit – No Hard Border and the Creation of Northern Ireland – History Tidbit

Written by Joerg Steegmueller
Brexit – No Hard Border and the Creation of Northern Ireland – History Tidbit

Yesterday morning (08 Dec 2017) it was agreed that there should not be a Hard Border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit. Nobody has a clue yet how to achieve that because it looks as if this either means that Northern Ireland has to partially leave the UK OR that the UK will NOT leave the Single Market and the EU Customs Union despite their eagerness to do so. Nevertheless, the declaration was made and everyone on either side celebrates it as a big achievement (Theresa May, the EU, Leo Varadkar and the DUP in NI) even if nothing is clear until further negotiations will take place.

And here is the curious aspect: This happened EXACTLY on the day (!!) 95 years after Northern Ireland came into existence. Northern Ireland declared on 08 Dec 1922 that they would opt out of being part of the Irish Free State (the precursor of the Irish Republic) and this created Northern Ireland as a self-standing political entity.

History is fascinating! 

Irish, Politics, , , ,

The Big Smoke? That’s London, not Dublin!

Written by Joerg Steegmueller
The Big Smoke? That’s London, not Dublin!

Some people in Ireland refer to Dublin as the Big Smoke, but it is really a name that London got 65 years ago. Most of us, however, don’t know why! So let me explain because it has a lot to do with today:

On 05 Dec 1952 the “Great Smog” happened in London and that event was also called the “Big Smoke”. It was a five day period of severe air pollution (from coal), that coincided with a cold weather period, which created a thick layer of smog. It reduced visibility in London and even crept into indoor areas. Sounds uncomfortable, but it gets worse: Up to 12,000 people died as a direct result of the smog and it is expected that more than 100,000 people got ill because of it. 

London changed a number of laws to reduce the air pollution as a consequence of this event, but Dublin had to have its own episodes of severe smog (in the 1980s) before smoky coal was banned in 1987 and 1990. 

Shockingly in Ireland it will take until 2019 until the law that forces people to use smokeless coal will be enforced nationwide. That’s more than 30 years since smoky coal was banned in Dublin!! Unbelievable!

Dublin, Odd, Politics, , , , ,

Brexit: No hard border to Northern Ireland – Is that really possible?

Written by Joerg Steegmueller
Brexit: No hard border to Northern Ireland – Is that really possible?

For weeks this issue is in the media and it is/has been a big hurdle for the Brexit negotiations. No matter what some might WANT, Northern Ireland is part of the UK and the fact that it once was part of Ireland or the fact that it is located on the island of Ireland does not change that. Valid treaties are in place and unless they change Northern Ireland will remain to be a part of the UK. And if the whole UK leaves the EU, then this will also mean that Northern Ireland will leave the UK.

I am well aware that the population of Northern Ireland is divided on their allegiances and many would prefer a closer relationship or even a “re-unification” with Ireland, I am also aware that nobody would want to get back to the situation before the “Good Friday Agreement” from 1998, when terrorist organisations on both sides and highly questionable official forces made life hell for everybody.
But being from a border area elsewhere, I also am well aware that a border or even border controls is not the biggest problem in the world. Sure, we would all prefer a borderless world, but we have on one hand no problem causing a huge amount of in-humane problems to non-EU citizens who want to visit us in the EU, but on the other hand, many think that a border between Ireland and Northern Ireland would be the worst possible scenario.

I don’t agree that borders are a problem. When I grew up we regularly went to France, which was only 20 minutes away and it was never a big problem. Two countries, two set of laws and rules and a border made some sense. The EU states worked hard to break down the borders, but if one state decides to leave, I can’t see how it will work not to have borders again.

Nevertheless, it was announced on Friday that after long negotiations it was agreed that there will be NO hard borders between Northern Ireland and Ireland. So no border controls! But nobody seems to know yet how that will work in reality.

UK government said that they will ensure that there are no barriers to trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. So, there won’t be a border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK and there won’t be a border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. BUT there might be completely different tax rules. Do you see the problem?

Have a look at the agreed document here. It says nothing and leaves a lot to Phase 2 negotiations and at the same time the agreement says a lot. Clause 49, for example, more or less implies that Northern Ireland might stay in the EU Customs Union and in the Single Market. And Clause 50 promises that there won’t be any barriers between Northern Ireland and the UK, but this is then probably only possible if the UK also stays in the EU Customs Union and the Single Market. :-O

Either that agreement is not worth the paper it is printed on OR the UK just has abandoned Brexit in large parts. Odd!!

Brexit, Irish, Odd, Politics, Taoiseach, , , , ,

Dublin’s only comprehensive Christmas Market Website

Written by Joerg Steegmueller
Dublin’s only comprehensive Christmas Market Website

Every year I compile a list of all Christmas Markets and publish it on www.DublinChristmasMarkets.com . You will find nearly all the Christmas Markets in Dublin on that list. And if a Christmas Market is not on it, then it is either not a proper Christmas Market ;-) OR the organisers should rapidly work on their marketing (and also send me an e-mail with the details so that I can add their market).

The list is long, but most of the markets are “Markets with a Christmas Theme” as again this year, there is no proper Christmas Market happening in Dublin. Parameters for “proper Christmas Market” in my book are: It has to be outdoors, at least 20 stalls with a mixture of a variety (!) of food stalls and Christmas related craft stalls and other goods. There has to be a Market atmosphere AND a Christmas atmosphere (a long row of stalls usually fails the “atmosphere” criteria).

But even if there is no proper Christmas Market, I still recomment the markets that we have. They are not awful, they are perfect in their own individual way, it is just that I really miss a PROPER Christmas Market and I still can’t believe that Dublin can’t hack it to have one and to keep it! Look at Waterford or Belfast or Galway and Cork and even Dun Laoghaire tried harder than Dublin does.

So, the list is at www.DublinChristmasMarkets.com and please feel free to tell your friends, colleagues and family about it.

Dublin, Events, Tourism

Growing old…and being lonely!

Written by Joerg Steegmueller
Growing old…and being lonely!

Former Broadcaster Vincent Browne is working with charity ALONE, which helps elderly people to age at home. At the launch of their Christmas campaign, he said that 60,000 old people get hardly any visits from friends or family. And in the article about the launch, it also explains that “In Ireland, one-third of people over the age of 65 live alone, rising to 60% for those over the age of 80.”

When I read that, I struck me that this will get worse and worse in the future because the proportion of people that live alone in the age group 30-50 is significantly larger than it ever was. There are lots of different reasons why more and more people have no partner and/or no family, but the result of it is that in the future more and more people will live alone and might at some stage experience loneliness.

What can we do about it? In my opinion we have to adjust and we have to do that rapidly. Where in the past the larger family was the support infrastructure for ageing people, in the future we will need to build a different type of community where either elderly people live in a commune-type environment OR where there are support systems created that provide entertainment but also help to people living at home alone.

And hopefully, services like the “Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events)” will be around at that stage and will help the ageing communities to find lots of great events to go to. ;-)

Society, , ,
 
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