14 things Irish people did during the Celtic Tiger (some of which you won't believe)

Captain Farrell

Ush1 wrote: »

To be fair, I don't think "chances are". Realistically you would be in a small percentage of the population.

Yes, but out of thousands of posters on boards.ie at least a few of them will go on to be in a similar position. People become successful all the time.

5live

Captain Farrell wrote: »

Just answering a question.

I've had my share of cheap holidays too, both as a child and an adult. Weekends in a caravan in Rhyl, trips to Blackpool, camping in the yorkshire dales etc and have also made sure that my children have experienced that too.

I just don't go along with this notion that i am "privileged" because I have worked damn hard to get to where I am in life. Chances are some of the younger posters on here will be in a similar position when they are in their 40s. It just seems alien when you are younger.

When I was 20, saving up to spend £200 on a ford fiesta and a week in Benidorm with my mates, i would never have imagined being in the position I am now. But the only way i got there was by working. privilege to me refers to people that had it handed to them on a plate by inheritances etc. I went bankrupt at the age of 23 after my first venture went bust and had to spend 6 months living on an inflatable mattress at my friend's house. Would have been easy to give up at that point and become a begrudger.

Fair play. Enjoy it. You worked hard and made lots of sacrifices for it.

I wouldnt take much notice of the begrudgers on here. Life is too short.

In 8 years i will be debt free and earning good money and i aim to enjoy my holidays with my family in part to compensate for missing out on a lot while they were growing up.

Respect!

Ush1

Captain Farrell wrote: »

Yes, but out of thousands of posters on boards.ie at least a few of them will go on to be in a similar position. People become successful all the time.

You spent 15k on a holiday. Realistically you are a millionaire(possibly a multi millionaire).

Millionaires are 2.2 per cent of the Irish population, leave aside multi millionaires. Chances are the vast, vast majority of uses on boards will not be in your position at any age. That's a statistical fact.

Captain Farrell

Ush1 wrote: »

You spent 15k on a holiday. Realistically you are a millionaire(possibly a multi millionaire).

Millionaires are 2.2 per cent of the Irish population, leave aside multi millionaires. Chances are the vast, vast majority of uses on boards will not be in your position at any age. That's a statistical fact.

So if there were only 2k posters on boards, statistical fact would say that 44 of them would be millionaires. So, by that logic, chances are that it will happen. 2.2% is hardly a negligible amount.

padd b1975

Ush1 wrote: »

You spent 15k on a holiday. Realistically you are a millionaire(possibly a multi millionaire).

Millionaires are 2.2 per cent of the Irish population, leave aside multi millionaires. Chances are the vast, vast majority of uses on boards will not be in your position at any age. That's a statistical fact.

They will be all living in a socialist paradise by then.....

bear1

Why are some posters focused on Captain Farrell's lifestyle?

Ush1

Captain Farrell wrote: »

So if there were only 2k posters on boards, statistical fact would say that 44 of them would be millionaires. So, by that logic, chances are that it will happen. 2.2% is hardly a negligible amount.

Yes, 44 of 2000 is a very small amount, possibly even less due to the smaller sample size.

You're obviously much more likely to be in the 97.8% who don't go on 15k holidays.

jimgoose

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

...On the other hand no need to be so precious about 4 hour flights. Lord have mercy that you might actually have to sit rather than lie down for 4 hours.

I'm 41, and I find economy class on an aeroplane pretty much unbearable after about two hours. Having said that, I don't really fly anymore, unless it is absolutely necessary, and when I do I use business class. Back around the start and middle of the 2000s I did a lot of buck-leaping around the world on various junkets, business-class all the way, hired Mercs, lobster thermidor, yadda-yadda. The whole flying thing simply isn't much fun anymore and I am vastly happier driving down to Antibes (via Blighty) for a week or two, or simply a remote part of Kerry which hasn't hitherto been corrupted by the elec-trickery. :cool:

Xavi6

Captain Farrell wrote: »

Business class is well worth the money for flights over 4h in duration, especially overnight ones. Remind me of your opinion next time you're sat with your knees under your chin eating crap food while sat cramped in the middle of two people. Much prefer a flat bed seat, good food and entertainment, no queues to check in and the use of a very pleasant lounge myself. If my flight is longer than 10 hours I pay for first class, depending on the airline.

I live in one of the most isolated cities in the world so four hours is a short hop I always fly economy, would rather spend my money on more important things than a bed for that amount of time. By the time you got to sleep you'd get two hours kip and it would be not far off time to land. But hey, you seem to have money to burn so why not? Fair play.

I'll hit you up when I do the same thing on my next long haul flight

jimgoose

bear1 wrote: »

Why are some posters focused on Captain Farrell's lifestyle?

We all thought Phil Lynott had shot him??

bear1

jimgoose wrote: »

We all thought Phil Lynott had shot him??

There's a chance he may not have...

jimgoose

bear1 wrote: »

There's a chance he may not have...

So it appears. His money he is countin', with a ring dum-a-dee dum-a-daah... :D:D

Captain Farrell

Captain Farrell wrote: »

Just answering a question.

I've had my share of cheap holidays too, both as a child and an adult. Weekends in a caravan in Rhyl, trips to Blackpool, camping in the yorkshire dales etc and have also made sure that my children have experienced that too.

I just don't go along with this notion that i am "privileged" because I have worked damn hard to get to where I am in life. Chances are some of the younger posters on here will be in a similar position when they are in their 40s. It just seems alien when you are younger.

When I was 20, saving up to spend £200 on a ford fiesta and a week in Benidorm with my mates, i would never have imagined being in the position I am now. But the only way i got there was by working. privilege to me refers to people that had it handed to them on a plate by inheritances etc. I went bankrupt at the age of 23 after my first venture went bust and had to spend 6 months living on an inflatable mattress at my friend's house. Would have been easy to give up at that point and become a begrudger.

Yes, you are privileged. Not saying you didn't work hard, but even if you had your health (for example), that makes you privileged compared to many. You wouldn't believe how many brilliant young people I know who can't fulfil their potential because they're always in hospital. There's no harm in recognising good fortune as well as your hard work...a bit of humility wouldn't go amiss. Neither would recognising how truly well-off you are compared to most.

And I'm sorry but saying you can't hack 4+ hours in an economy seat just makes you sound spoiled and clueless. You really must have some blessed life if you think being a bit cramped for a few hours on your way to an amazing holiday is some sort of ordeal.

Montroseee

bear1 wrote: »

Why are some posters focused on Captain Farrell's lifestyle?

Because some day, we too would like to be in a position to spend 15k on a holiday.

jimgoose

Madison Icy Album wrote: »

...And I'm sorry but saying you can't hack 4+ hours in an economy seat just makes you sound spoiled and clueless. You really must have some blessed life if you think being a bit cramped for a few hours on your way to an amazing holiday is some sort of ordeal.

Well that's two of us spoiled and clueless then! :pac:

bear1

Madison Icy Album wrote: »

Yes, you are privileged. Not saying you didn't work hard, but even if you had your health (for example), that makes you privileged compared to many. You wouldn't believe how many brilliant young people I know who can't fulfil their potential because they're always in hospital. There's no harm in recognising good fortune as well as your hard work...a bit of humility wouldn't go amiss. Neither would recognising how truly well-off you are compared to most.

And I'm sorry but saying you can't hack 4+ hours in an economy seat just makes you sound spoiled and clueless. You really must have some blessed life if you think being a bit cramped for a few hours on your way to an amazing holiday is some sort of ordeal.

TBH it depends on the airline, with Ryanair I can't stand it but at their prices I couldn't care.
Aer Lingus I find have good sizes for economy and I flew Virgin once in economy to Barbados and it was fantastic.
All depends on the point of view.

bear1

Montroseee wrote: »

Because some day, we too would like to be in a position to spend 15k on a holiday.

Depends on the holiday
Personally I would never want to spend such a sum on a holiday, this is me though.
The cheaper I can get the flights, hotels, car rental the more I can spend on goods when I'm there.

jimgoose

bear1 wrote: »

Depends on the holiday
Personally I would never want to spend such a sum on a holiday, this is me though.
The cheaper I can get the flights, hotels, car rental the more I can spend on goods when I'm there.

I want to buy an old-ish artic, with a refrigerated trailer, which I will then convert into half mobile workshop/garage, and half comfy accommodation camper-van style for two. I'd spend £15k on that. Come on the Ring of Kerry!!

Captain Farrell

Madison Icy Album wrote: »

Yes, you are privileged. Not saying you didn't work hard, but even if you had your health (for example), that makes you privileged compared to many. You wouldn't believe how many brilliant young people I know who can't fulfil their potential because they're always in hospital. There's no harm in recognising good fortune as well as your hard work...a bit of humility wouldn't go amiss. Neither would recognising how truly well-off you are compared to most.

And I'm sorry but saying you can't hack 4+ hours in an economy seat just makes you sound spoiled and clueless. You really must have some blessed life if you think being a bit cramped for a few hours on your way to an amazing holiday is some sort of ordeal.

I did australasia, north america and south america in economy in my younger years. No problem. Now I'm older and can afford comfier travel why should I not take it? I have pointed out that sometimes when i fly alone for pleasure i go economy or premium economy. I don't need to put myself out or be less comfortable just to please people who can't afford it.

Do you buy the cheapest of anything you want just to sympathise with those who can't afford what you can? Of course you don't.

As for now, why would I not go business class for a 7 hour overnight flight when I know that 3 hours after I get back home on monday I will have a meeting to attend? Cost is not just financial, it is opportunity cost.

I'd also argue about "privilege" and "good fortune" just because some people are in hospital. Statistics would say that the vast vast majority of people are not in hospital, therefore to be in good health is not a privilege. To be in poor health is very unfortunate, however.

I know I am well off, and I have seen both sides of the coin. That's why I run my companies as ethically as possible, and pay good wages, great wages to the people that have earned them. And I don't see those high earners as privileged, I see them as getting reward for their work. Privilege is the person who did not have to work for his circumstance, and that may be someone who is happy to live the life they have while sitting on the dole even. That is their privilege.

MurdyWurdy

I'd love to take my children on a 15k holiday one day. I'd happily spend that money in travel (if I had it). If you have the money, fair play.

I'd take them away to see more of the world than New York though. Just think of the parts of the world you could show them with that money. We travelled a good bit when we were kids and it can be a great part of a child's education.

Still, whatever floats your boat. I hope you and your family have a nice holiday Captain Farrell.

bear1

jimgoose wrote: »

I want to buy an old-ish artic, with a refrigerated trailer, which I will then convert into half mobile workshop/garage, and half comfy accommodation camper-van style for two. I'd spend £15k on that. Come on the Ring of Kerry!!

How much for a week? Ya mad yoke ya

Montroseee

bear1 wrote: »

Depends on the holiday
Personally I would never want to spend such a sum on a holiday, this is me though.
The cheaper I can get the flights, hotels, car rental the more I can spend on goods when I'm there.

It's all relative IMO. I can see where your coming from, I also gawk at that figure and know of people who have used 15k as a deposit on their house. But if your earning say 500k net/year, it's not such a big deal.

jimgoose

bear1 wrote: »

How much for a week? Ya mad yoke ya

You can furk off. Shifting 18-speed on a narrow hairpin overlooking the Lakes is mine, dammit!! :D:D

Captain Farrell

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

I'd love to take my children on a 15k holiday one day. I'd happily spend that money in travel (if I had it). If you have the money, fair play.

I'd take them away to see more of the world than New York though. Just think of the parts of the world you could show them with that money. We travelled a good bit when we were kids and it can be a great part of a child's education.

Still, whatever floats your boat. I hope you and your family have a nice holiday Captain Farrell.

Thanks Murdy.

We take them to plenty of places, NYC is because we love it near Christmas as it's great for food, shopping, cultural activities, and I get to watch some NFL.

I've shown the kids sights as varied as Prestatyn Sands caravan park and the Great Wall of China, or Kilkee and Marrakech.

Now, I do see my children as privileged, as they get to see these places as a result of the hard work me and my wife put in, but they already know that they will have to make their own way in life as they get older. Of course we will help them, but we won't be bankrolling them or they will learn nothing.

bear1

jimgoose wrote: »

You can furk off. Shifting 18-speed on a narrow hairpin overlooking the Lakes is mine, dammit!! :D:D

Sure it's fecking Christmas!

FTA69

RoboRat wrote: »

I think the most shocking thing about the celtic tiger was labourers on about €1000 - €1500 a week. I don't know how many times I considered jacking my job in to do it but thankfully I didn't.

Myth.

Captain Farrell

Captain Farrell wrote: »

I did australasia, north america and south america in economy in my younger years. No problem. Now I'm older and can afford comfier travel why should I not take it? I have pointed out that sometimes when i fly alone for pleasure i go economy or premium economy. I don't need to put myself out or be less comfortable just to please people who can't afford it.

Do you buy the cheapest of anything you want just to sympathise with those who can't afford what you can? Of course you don't.

No, but I also have the self-awareness not to talk about an economy plane seat as if it were water torture. I know different people have different standards of living, but seriously, I know people who are incredibly rich and always have been who don't talk like that. Because they realise that most people would kill just to sit in that economy plane seat to New York. Do you not see what I mean? Saying 'I prefer to fly business class because I can afford it and there's more space' is a million miles away from saying what you said.

As for now, why would I not go business class for a 7 hour overnight flight when I know that 3 hours after I get back home on monday I will have a meeting to attend? Cost is not just financial, it is opportunity cost.

Not arguing with that. I know plenty of people who fly business class all the time. I'm not saying people shouldn't fly business class, I'm saying talking about economy the way you did makes you sound incredibly spoiled.

I'd also argue about "privilege" and "good fortune" just because some people are in hospital. Statistics would say that the vast vast majority of people are not in hospital, therefore to be in good health is not a privilege. To be in poor health is very unfortunate, however.

Look at it whatever way you want, but don't pretend that everyone else had the same opportunity you had and could have been as successful if they'd worked as hard. That's not how life works. Most of the rich people I know know that and hence feel extremely lucky and grateful for their good fortune.

I know I am well off, and I have seen both sides of the coin. That's why I run my companies as ethically as possible, and pay good wages, great wages to the people that have earned them. And I don't see those high earners as privileged, I see them as getting reward for their work. Privilege is the person who did not have to work for his circumstance, and that may be someone who is happy to live the life they have while sitting on the dole even. That is their privilege.

Why can't it be both?

Captain Farrell wrote: »

Thanks Murdy.

We take them to plenty of places, NYC is because we love it near Christmas as it's great for food, shopping, cultural activities, and I get to watch some NFL.

I've shown the kids sights as varied as Prestatyn Sands caravan park and the Great Wall of China, or Kilkee and Marrakech.

Now, I do see my children as privileged, as they get to see these places as a result of the hard work me and my wife put in, but they already know that they will have to make their own way in life as they get older. Of course we will help them, but we won't be bankrolling them or they will learn nothing.

Do they see themselves as privileged? I know I did, and I was nowhere near as privileged as your kids, by the sound of it. But I knew Christmas trips to New York were not the norm for most 12-year-olds in Ireland, let alone around the world, and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world the few times we went. My dad worked hard, but so did most of my friends' dads and they didn't get all get to go on two foreign holidays every year. And I went to quite a posh school where nobody was actually poor by any stretch of the imagination.

There's nothing wrong with providing the best for your kids, but I would be so disappointed if my kids ever regarded business class travel for family holidays as 'normal'. To me, that indicates a total lack of appreciation of what they have in relation to what the vast majority of people have. That's what bothers me about your attitude. The whole 'it's no big deal' attitude about it all.

SpaceTime

My most memorable Celtic Tigre moment was when I was a student and went to a Bank of Ireland ATM and tried to withdraw money and discovered I was out of cash.

The ATM offered me a €700 overdraft there and then. All I had to do was press "I accept". This was at about 2am on a Sat night.

clairefontaine

Captain Farrell wrote: »

Thanks Murdy.

We take them to plenty of places, NYC is because we love it near Christmas as it's great for food, shopping, cultural activities, and I get to watch some NFL.

I've shown the kids sights as varied as Prestatyn Sands caravan park and the Great Wall of China, or Kilkee and Marrakech.

Now, I do see my children as privileged, as they get to see these places as a result of the hard work me and my wife put in, but they already know that they will have to make their own way in life as they get older. Of course we will help them, but we won't be bankrolling them or they will learn nothing.

Id fly business class too if I had the money, but I would not do it with a family of four for a weekend. I need at least three weeks in NYC. I'd rather pay economy class and stay longer. It's not worth it for a quick turn around.

I went to school in NYC with some very very wealthy kids, one of whom got a corvette for their sixteenth birthday for a grandparent, another who got AT &T stock for Christmas, some of whom had pretty famous parents too, and I can tell you no one did weekends away in Europe, would have been perceived as spoilt beyond spoilt.

cabledude

Captain Farrell wrote: »

We'll be sleeping on the plane coming home in flat bed seats, and on the way there we'll enjoy the lounge and then comfy seats, great food and drinks, and inflight entertainment.

Money is relative. £15k may seem a lot, and it is, to most people. For me it's what I gladly pay for the five of us to have our traditional weekend away. I'd rather spend it on that than buy my kids overpriced electronics or other such crap. No need for kids to have iPads or PS4s etc.

Captain Farrell wrote: »

Yeah, it's hard to imagine that instead of being a 20 year old student there are posters out there who are in their mid 40s and have been succesful.

I formed the opinion, after reading the above posts, that you were on a wind up because

a) you seem to have no problem spending €15,000 for a weekend trip to NYC
b) at the same time you would view spending €500 on an iPad for your kids as being crap purchase and a waste of money.

I'm not going to get into the merits of purchasing an iPad or other such type tablet for kids. If you are as successful as you claim, and I have no reason to doubt you, you should know the benefits of buying tech for kids over lavishing them with business class flights to NYC.

I didn't post begrudgingly. I don't care what people do with their money. It's their money. But, when I saw your post, something didn't add up. Thats why I posted that I considered you to be on a wind up.


I'm not a 20 year old student either.

keeponhurling

Deleted User wrote: »

I never got any of this

now now, less of that, we ALL partied

getsome

IvaBigWun wrote: »

From http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/ThreeTrending/blog/14-things-you-wont-believe-irish-people-did-during-the-celtic-tiger-29825905.html?hyd


4. Getting student loans on minimum wage

Many students working minimum wage jobs were able to get loans and overdrafts of a couple of thousand euro, with no way to pay it back in the foreseeable future.


How many did you do and what did they leave out?

I got this after the recession I don't think they learned anything as I had no job when they gave me a 750 overdraft along with 2000 euro loan! my girlfriend got screwd during the celtic tiger getting a loan of up to 20,000 euro on minimum wage job that she was in for less than a year.

keeponhurling

getsome wrote: »

my girlfriend got screwd during the celtic tiger getting a loan of up to 20,000 euro on minimum wage job that she was in for less than a year.

getsome

keeponhurling wrote: »

She was handed the money to easy at the age of 18, crazy considering she had no real savings and now shes paying heavily from poor regulations and lack of sense on her side too.

cabledude

getsome wrote: »

my girlfriend got screwd during the celtic tiger getting a loan of up to 20,000 euro on minimum wage job that she was in for less than a year.

Did she not ask for the loan. How was she screwed?

getsome

cabledude wrote: »

Did she not ask for the loan. How was she screwed?

Yeah she did ask for the loan but that amount at that age, if she was in a well paying job for a few years I would understand, I know its her fault aswell just saying shes now stuck with a huge debt at a young age because the loan system was not being regulated properly.

cabledude

getsome wrote: »

Yeah she did ask for the loan but that amount at that age, if she was in a well paying job for a few years I would understand, I know its her fault aswell just saying shes now stuck with a huge debt at a young age because the loan system was not being regulated properly.

What was the loan for? The reason I'm asking is because if it was for a car she could have sold the thing and payed down the loan. If it was for college it will be a good investment.

EDIT : This being a Celtic Tiger madness thread, surely the loan has been paid off by now?

eljako

Went on the leaving cert holiday, went to the fancy gym and still paying off my student overdraft today

Pumpkinseeds

I spent weeks online tracking down the perfect Vera Wang wedding dress. I can tell you it cost me a pittance to get an immaculate pre-loved one. Then again, I was living in England on a modest income. Still, I'd never consider paying a 5 figure sum for a wedding dress.

glass_onion

Cosmetic surgery was another craze during the boom-
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/looking-good-splashing-ssia-cash-on-plastic-26296679.html

April O Neill II

Captain Farrell wrote: »

Yes, but out of thousands of posters on boards.ie at least a few of them will go on to be in a similar position. People become successful all the time.

You do realise that successful doesn't necessarily equate with loadsa money, right?

Thepoet85

April O Neill II wrote: »

You do realise that successful doesn't necessarily equate with loadsa money, right?

This is true. I've been running my own business since I was 26. I'm two years into it and I feel it's a success. I'm not taking in a massive wage at all tho. There certainly is a difference.

All in all, people can do what they like with their own money. I just feel sorry for people who were ill informed and are now struggling to cope with huge debt that they can no longer afford to pay off.

smurgen

Captain Farrell wrote: »

Thanks Murdy.

We take them to plenty of places, NYC is because we love it near Christmas as it's great for food, shopping, cultural activities, and I get to watch some NFL.

I've shown the kids sights as varied as Prestatyn Sands caravan park and the Great Wall of China, or Kilkee and Marrakech.

Now, I do see my children as privileged, as they get to see these places as a result of the hard work me and my wife put in, but they already know that they will have to make their own way in life as they get older. Of course we will help them, but we won't be bankrolling them or they will learn nothing.

I'm trying to understand is there a difference between new money and old money or Irish rich folk and international rich folk.See the four partners in my old company were serious ballers.They were worth between 400 and 550 million each and they even had a Gulf Stream jet between them. However when it came to their kids I was told they kept their kids on a very tight leash. They had prepaid phones and had an allowance which they had to earn. They also had very modest holidays. One of them,a fella from Lebanon told me how they went around west Cork and Kerry camping for the summer!
This sounds a lot different from the kind of lifestyle your kids are used to. But to be fair these fellas come from families with long histories in the banking industry so their wealth is well established and therefore they don't really feel the need to show it off as much. As they say money talks, wealth whispers.

cabledude

smurgen wrote: »

As they say money talks, wealth whispers.

Never heard that before. Very good.....

IvaBigWun

glass_onion wrote: »

Cosmetic surgery was another craze during the boom-
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/looking-good-splashing-ssia-cash-on-plastic-26296679.html

I thought it still was. Several new clinics and companies have emerged in recent years so there must still be serious money there to be made

danotroy

I got a 15000 euro loan as a 22 year old unemployed student in 2009! Even after the tiger had well and truly began to starve to death.

lufties

IvaBigWun wrote: »

From http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/ThreeTrending/blog/14-things-you-wont-believe-irish-people-did-during-the-celtic-tiger-29825905.html?hyd


1. Getting 100% mortgages.

Some people were even getting up to 110% mortgages - a bit extra to cover some nice furniture. Wasn't that nice of the banks?



2. Christmas Shopping in New York

Some Irish people used to just 'pop over' to New York for a bit of shopping - as you do!



3. Drink champagne in the hairdressers

Back in the 'good times', Irish people were not only offered tea and water in the hairdressers but also had the option of champagne.



4. Getting student loans on minimum wage

Many students working minimum wage jobs were able to get loans and overdrafts of a couple of thousand euro, with no way to pay it back in the foreseeable future.



5. Arriving to your children's First Holy Communion in a helicopter

In 2007, Celtic Helicopters recently reported a healthy business from the parents of children taking Communion at a measly cost of €1,250 an hour.

Business meetings were sometimes scheduled based on the nearest location to a heli-pad, often meaning those people still using cars were heavily inconvenienced.

At least one company saw the funny side and offered to put the 'leftover Celtic Tiger helicopters' to a good use.



6. Lavish 21sts

In 2007, a property developer booked Girl Aloud for his daughter's 21st. The group were reportedly flown by private jet to Dublin and performed on stage before mingling with guests. According to event planners, the cost of the band alone could have been anything up to €400,000.

Developer Johnny Ronan was also reported to have gifted his daughter a 'Super Sweet 21st', with a €500,000 price tag. Guests at the party in Enniskerry downed gallons of Montrachet wine at €150 a bottle.

Let's not forget that giving cars as 18th and 21st presents also became the done thing in the Celtic Tiger.



7. Skiing holidays

Anyone who was 'anyone' went skiing at least once a year, if not twice.



8. Gran Canaria 'Leaving Cert' holidays

Leaving Cert students would often celebrate the end of their Leaving Cert by jetting off as a group to Gran Canaria or even Ibiza. These excursions would often be wild, and young Irish people developed quite a bad name overseas for a while.



9. Giving shares as presents

The daughter of one wealthy business family had to make do with shares for her 30th birthday. Unimaginative present but we're sure she wasn't too upset as she was given €11 million in company shares.



10. Visiting Santa in Lapland

Children used to be brought by their parents to meet the main man himself in person. In Lapland. Those were the days.




11. Vera Wang Wedding dresses

Vera Wang dresses in Brown Thomas retailed at more than the average recession wedding budget - a simple Wang could be bought for a cool €25,000.



12. Luxury gyms

Looking back, did Irish people really need gyms with chandeliers?




13. Max the Credit cards

During the Celtic Tiger, it was no problem to 'put it on the credit card' and worry about it later- sure, you could always get a loan to pay it off if you had to.

Some would argue this attitude may have somewhat contributed to where we are now.



14. Watched '30 Things to do with your SSIA'/Listened to Eddie Hobbs

The notion of a 'Special Savings Incentive Account' seems like a distant memory now. Even more distant is the image of Eddie Hobbs on the television telling us the best way to spend our plunder. It's so long ago now, we can't remember how tongue-in-cheek it was, but the number one things to spend your SSIA on was getting elected to politics.

"Take a punt on politics. Popularity with the public could win you some perks - and potentially give you a 3,500pc return on your investment," we were told.


How many did you do and what did they leave out?

A helicopter to a communion:eek::eek:, think I need a ly down...

Who in the name of fcuk would do that

lufties

smurgen wrote: »

I'm trying to understand is there a difference between new money and old money or Irish rich folk and international rich folk.See the four partners in my old company were serious ballers.They were worth between 400 and 550 million each and they even had a Gulf Stream jet between them. However when it came to their kids I was told they kept their kids on a very tight leash. They had prepaid phones and had an allowance which they had to earn. They also had very modest holidays. One of them,a fella from Lebanon told me how they went around west Cork and Kerry camping for the summer!
This sounds a lot different from the kind of lifestyle your kids are used to. But to be fair these fellas come from families with long histories in the banking industry so their wealth is well established and therefore they don't really feel the need to show it off as much. As they say money talks, wealth whispers.

Us Irish have a long history of poverty, and probably hadn't the education to handle money well during 'the boom', myself included-but on a small scale, I used to buy expensive clothes, diesel jeans worth 250 euro etc. It really was a different time though, I remember a colleague of mine on less than 40k a year bought a 2 bed flat in ballymun/glasnevin for over 300k, then he said the bank offered him an extra 20k for a car and a tv on top of his 100% mortgage, so he took it. That same guy works in the middle east now.

Personally I've gotten much wiser with money, I hope others have.