Irish Emigrants from Ballinrobe to the Bronx, 1989

[@darrenjhayes]

0:44. The young fella in the front about to raise his hand only to turn it into a "I'm just scratching my forehead" motion was a classic school move.

[@daithideburca98]

Whith that sort of indecision on his future he was a perfect candidate for teaching

[@nickbrennan3389]

🤣🤣🤣...too funny

[@seanrathmakedisciples1508]

@@daithideburca98 Thanks kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqbEqH9ngKtnZ9k

[@seanrathmakedisciples1508]

@@nickbrennan3389 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqbEqH9ngKtnZ9k

[@jamoriah]

🤣

[@Discover-Ireland]

I hope everyone of them prospered in their lives

[@MultiSamson1]

Lives.

[@richiem7716]

Ah sure thats a lovely thing to say 🙄

[@jamescopen9817]

]this was the last of the tough irish....dont make them like that any more...my generation

[@peteroneill6844]

Sad really that so many of us had to leave to find a good paying job with a future. I left in Sept of 1974 with a letter saying I had a job and 23 Canadian dollars in my pocket. I was 17 and did this alone my parents and siblings stayed in Ireland. I go home 1 or 2 a year I was luck did well and love every second of my time in Canada I still miss home and it will always be home.

[@fred66665]

sitting here in America watching this! Was telling someone today that I'm approaching the point of living longer in America than I've lived in Ireland.

[@iamachildofgodministry9360]

I've already past the half way point came here at 23yrs old 25 year ago Boston from Dublin Ireland 🇮🇪 miss home sometimes

[@em-rg3xf]

It's a strange freeing, but i can guarantee you are infinity better off out of Ireland. Ill never return. The EU and WEF run Ireland. Its gone.

[@powerbite92]

@@em-rg3xf invite in Google apple etc and soon enough the merchants ruin your country

[@anthonydowling3356]

@@em-rg3xf America has gone to shit .It used to be good up to around 1990 .

[@aviationiceman9549]

I have now lived half my life in Australia, I am from Belfast, left when I was 26. Someone once asked “any regrets “ I say yes “ one” I didn’t do it sooner!!!!!!! I will never return, the lifestyle and opportunities are endless. Good luck people 💖

[@SK-yb7bx]

The saddest thing is we lost so many of our best people.

[@gindphace]

Crushing to watch. The absolute state of us then and now.

[@ianosborne188]

And today Immigration in to Ireland is Massive!! EVEN DURING LOCKDOWN!!!!?? ENGLAND THE SAME.. PS. THE MAJORITY ILLEGAL??.

[@machida58]

@@ianosborne188 You need another famine.

[@mrmartin2079]

Indeed lol 😄

[@marcp3788]

@@machida58 knob

[@machida58]

@@marcp3788 It was just dark humor. I don't actually believe that. Lol.

[@weedyganzalays]

Oh my god I don't know where you get your footage but this is absolute gold. Fascinating. Have you ever thought about making a full length documentary? I think people would absolutely love it!! Reminds me so much of Hands. So unbeleivably captivating. Such a different Ireland and not even that long ago. Míle Buíochas a Chara.

[@liamg1706]

"absolute gold" "fascinating " "unbelievabley captivating" let's not go nuts 😂

[@weedyganzalays]

@James Falcone Bredrin! That's gas I was thinking you'd be in to this sort of thing! He has some serious old footage doesn't he?

[@kdmc40]

My situation was the other way round. In the early 90's I left a good job in Ireland because my girlfriend was emigrating. I struggled for over a year to get the same level of work and pay I had in Ireland. We didn't stay together and she eventually went back. I now work for an international company and have been to over 100 countries. I'm working on living in Ireland and working from there with the same company.

[@richiem7716]

Thanks for sharing that. It was a great read

[@Google_Does_Evil_Now]

You made the best of it.

[@bozothedog9024]

I was in a sililiar situation but I stayed in Ireland, the money in Ireland was better than in the States then, if I emigrated with my girlfriend (who was born in the US) then I would have been illegal after 90 days. Funny thing is, I had a very succesful career and life in Ireland with lots of travel, married with 3 kids and retired this year at 57. My ex girlfriend is still in the US, never married or had kids, still works in a job paying around $20/hr, life is about choices and what you make of it. If the opportunity to return to Ireland happens for you I know you wont regret it.

[@billynolan2960]

Bronx- Bainbridge to Woodlawn, and Woodside in Queens!!-- crazy fun in the 80s, early 90s. Lucky to survive...

[@Smudgeroon74]

Maspeth, Sunnyside, Middle Village and Long Island city aswell. But yes Woodside was a hub for the Irish

[@jamiewilliams685]

Bayridge too

[@Mrdresden]

It would be amazing to have someone track down some of these kids and see where their lives went. Do a comparison between their trajectory and that of those that stayed in Ireland.

[@dronespace]

Agreed

[@davek89666]

My uncle is an O' dwyer in San francisco that would have went over around the same time as the guys in this video. He has his own plastering company over there now

[@leahflower9924]

the bronx the land of single irish immigrants and Big Pun lol

[@grogscol]

As someone who has been there and done that from 1984 - 1989 a small few would have done well, maybe own a bar, construction company of some sort or a montosori school. The vast majority still work as bar tenders, trades people or child minders now in their 50's. You only become Irish when you go abroad, it's then you realize how good our country is despite it's faults, that's why so many return to raise their children here.

[@user-cy4vw1qj9m]

@@grogscol Nothing wrong with having a trade it is a decent job and they get paid more than they would here at time that if the could get a job here at all. Not everybody is going to be a millionaire most people want a decent standard of living.

[@patriciag6030]

People earning £300 a week in 1989 just shows how badly wages have stagnated.

[@georgedoorley5628]

on the building sites working 7 days a week ...............

[@liamg1706]

Some of them said they were getting between 500 and 700 a week

[@winfrank1]

About 400 now crazy 🤪

[@neilwarburton3683]

I met alot of young Irish in Holland doing warehouse work we take home 300£ a week for 35 hours and paying 25% tax back in 95

[@festusbojangles7027]

@@georgedoorley5628 why are you apologising for the situation?

[@davidyasss3484]

And in 5 years time the Celtic Tiger would begin. Boom years. I feel like I can relate a bit. I went to university in 2006, finished in 2010 during the depths of the recession. No jobs in my field, nothing. All of my friends, bar a few, emigrated to other countries in Europe, or Australia or New Zealand. Asia as well as English teachers. I wasn't in the mindset to emigrate, so applied for every relevant job that was going for a year. Found nothing. Then waited it out by going back to do a postgrad. Worked a load of random minimum wage jobs I was lucky to get to pay for it. Worked out for me in the end, but pretty much all of my good friends from school and college are settled abroad now with families. Lost touch.

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

Yeah, I had a similar experience, went to college and did a postgrad around the same time as you. When I graduated, the jobs market was very tough in the late 2000s, there was almost nothing to be had. I managed to get a job moving beer barrels in the local bar, did that for two years. Ended up settling in Austria, been there over a decade now. Am fairly happy with my lot, even if I do miss Ireland sometimes. Hard to compare with the 1980s, my mother is from Castlebar and always says that it was much tougher back then, as the gloom never lifted. People’s expectations of life were higher since the Tiger came along. Plus a lot of people in Co. Mayo only got home telephones a few years before this clip, makes you realize how far behind we were. Most of my Leaving Cert class are based in Australia now, with some others in England, Canada and the US, France and Germany. The ones in Oz especially seem to earn very well, and often have families with local women. Once that happens, the chances of returning slim down a lot.

[@backwoodsman]

The man at the end summed it up. We are great at building other people's countries, but we neglect our own.

[@samaraisnt]

Think of it the other way, the country is bad at building up/supporting its own people(, whereas others can attract and support an excess).

[@theRappinSpree]

I wonder where they are now? It’s sad to watch, to think there only real choice was to leave the country

[@margaretnesbeth593]

I hope those lads on the buildings survived without any accidents, the health and safety act was non existent back then.

[@patriciaseery343]

The Irish government never cared about looking after its own people especially the young. It was always easier to export them than to create opportunities to enable them to stay.

[@Jen8973]

I emigrated myself in 89 to the North of England. I identify with a lot of what these people are saying

[@Blank-km4qr]

Do you think of yourself as British after such a long time

[@roymunson1]

@@Blank-km4qr moved to NYC in 87 and ill never see or consider myself anything other than Irish. My accent is the same today as the day it left. You only lose your identity if you want to lose it. I know an irish man here who moved here in the 1950s and you'd think he never left home either when listening to him talk.

[@Blank-km4qr]

@@roymunson1 I don’t get that though as a proud Englishman I feel like I’d either have to stay in the UK or if I move abroad have a duel identity idk though

[@roymunson1]

@@Blank-km4qr I don't get that.. I don't care where I moved, Kathmandu, timbuktu, Antarctica or America, I'd always be Irish. Its who I am. I may love where I live, fit into the community and society but as true as the day I was born irish, I will die irish. I know countless irish here the exact same way. Otherwise what's the point. If I move to Mexico tomorrow how long before I should consider myself Mexican. And should I then consider myself irish, American Mexican. And what if when I did I moved onto Turkey. How long before that too. For me it doesn't work like that. I'd be an irish man who lived and integrated into A, B or C but I'll always be an irishman only.

[@Blank-km4qr]

@@roymunson1 if you love being Irish so much why don’t you live there

[@juliemcleod9869]

My family came to England from Ireland and Scotland for work. The Irish are HARD WORKING!

[@helenmeldon2612]

As did mine after the potato famine, I am the first generation born in England but have never felt English!

[@danielnewton7357]

I think most Irish who left moved to England.

[@juliemcleod9869]

@@helenmeldon2612 mine also came over because of the potatoe Famine on my mam's side. I had my DNA done I am 71% Irish.

[@theeaskey]

I got out in 86 with three small kids, best move I ever made, I love Ireland but love don't pay the bills or educate your kids, as an island it will always go through changes, as a member of the EU it has lost its most precious asset, it's culture and some of it's innocence.

[@jamiewilliams685]

The Irish are being replaced deliberately in much the same way as the English, French etc. They will be minorities in their own lands in 30 years.

[@noelodwyer]

The EU was the best thing that ever happened to this country.

[@martinhanley9524]

It has lost its culture no thanks to the EU and Brussels and globalization . They were better off outside the EU . America's gone .

[@MLMACCANA]

I moved to america and decided to move back to Ireland because I do ACTUALLY love my country.

[@patrickkelly5609]

There is free education in Ireland for over 50years

[@inspectec]

Would be interesting to see how many came back and how many stayed and had families there.

[@conor85882]

600 per week? That’s almost as much as I’m on and it’s 2022 . Life was much better back then. “Having” to leave was just the adventure of a lifetime. What I would give to have lived back then. Straight over to New York with my mates from school and never look back

[@Addebroberg]

New york was hella fucked up and corrupt in those days unfortunately. Crack epidemic and mafia, corrupt unions(mafia) and politicans just overall high crime high/corruption but nowadays it's very much the opposite for the most part.

[@LeMerch]

@@Addebroberg opposite? Have you been.. NY is a complete shitshow

[@Addebroberg]

@@LeMerch haha not compared to the 70’s - 90’s Buddy😂

[@baizhanghuaihai2298]

No, I’m an American myself and I live in a large city here. The crime is back up to 1970s levels, it’s horrible. Don’t come here, honestly. No good paying jobs, no healthcare, homelessness and drugs and gang violence and gun violence, shootings and carjackings in my neighborhood all the time…I don’t go out after dark or take the bus anymore…I was born in the 1980s, I never saw this kind of crime and desperation and lawlessness before…we’re a dying empire, soon to collapse.

[@samaraisnt]

@@baizhanghuaihai2298 lmao this guy's obviously on a healthy dose of Fox "News."

[@noelkeane5603]

They were tough times on young people.

[@sabertoothwallaby2937]

How so?

[@Kevin-rw4yw]

@@sabertoothwallaby2937 no jobs, no hope, no direction...

[@LeMerch]

@@sabertoothwallaby2937 No money, no jobs, no real prospects of anything even hope was a luxury back then. I grew up in them times and stayed and works my back off for nothin but glad I stayed cuz I had a family, met good friends along the way and now live a decent enough life in retirement. Lot of my older school friends ended up in bad ways over in America and England. Drinkin and the lot will catch up to ya when you start realising how alone you are in a bigger place.

[@LeMerch]

@Cian MacGana Whose he?

[@joeybloggs2100]

Not as tough as what's coming. Think the great depression and the famine but no emigration option. Yeah, that's right.

[@gabrielsouthrenburns41]

3:20 Never new Krist Novoselic grew up in Ballinrobe. Maybe that is what encouraged him to join Nirvana

[@owenmcgee8496]

I wonder sometimes if investigative journalism like this simply isn't done anymore. Quite probably a similar story could be told. The first half reminded me of a "business organisation" teacher who used to breakdown every class, going into a five-minute diatribe (if anyone had a doss or smile on their face) that we were all going to have to emigrate and how futile he felt his job was, the way Ireland was. We were all living on east coast suburbia. He was originally from Mayo. But he wasn't wrong.

[@Kevin-rw4yw]

Good reporting no spin.

[@tonybourke4946]

Tony walkin gave me a lift from Castlebar to Ballinrobe was thumbing a lift nice man

[@thechosenone3197]

This was before the Celtic Tiger. 10 years later and the country had made massive strides only for the economy to crash again in 2008. However by then, Australia was the destination of choice for most of the young Irish emigrants.

[@gavindaly5731]

And now Canada , it seems like ...

[@jamesoriordan1742]

I'm English. With an irish dad and grandad parents. I have recently moved to Ireland with my irish wife and child. There are plenty of opportunities to make a good life. Ireland is a great country. Currently living in rural Ireland and it is the best thing I've ever done.

[@2009bigchief]

@@gavindaly5731 na was there i had a 2 year workig visa and only hacked the place for 6 months couldn't wait to get out of the place went thre expecting it to be like America as was there about 10 years and tbh was nothing like america .the Canadians dont want to see u there and well the Irish there dont want to see you either as i tried to get a job in a Irish bar and they didnt want to know lol i got myself a job my way and when leaving and even when there i told no irish when was there who i was working for and nothing i knew .america was way different got a job no problems there

[@Smudgeroon74]

@James O'Riordan the authorities are making it increasingly difficult(regarding building planning) for people to keep living in rural areas.

[@jamesoriordan1742]

From what I've seen in the rural areas there are lots of houses for sale. I personally won't be building my own as there is no need. I'm sure the regulations are stringent for a reason. I can get a nice detached bungalow with a bit of land for the same price as a terraced house back in England surrounded by people and a tiny garden.

[@2009bigchief]

i left Ireland and went to first boston when was young back in 2000 boston was fun then went home again as was Christmas's time and well i was still under my 3 months visa when i came home i stayed at home until just before paddys day and went back to America to chicago that was a great city was great was there about 10 years came home as my father got sick in 2009 and tried to get back to Chicago again but they didnt let me in as i was ilegal plus immigration gave me a bit of grief the first and second time i went to america. after that i got a iec 2 year working visa for canada and went thre was good enough but was nothing like america so i only hacked canada for 6 months i did not like it at all .tbh i hated the cold so now living at home here now in Ireland and well i love it .

[@michaelmclaughlin7325]

Was in boston myself around that time. What a city

[@wc389]

Did they not teach you to use a full stop when you were away.

[@jesusisking3974]

In 1980 I was working a 42 hour week for £42 wage...£1 the hour. A year later the working hours were reduced to 38 a week by Government. It was in a Supermarket in Scotland and as it was hard to find a job then you just had to grab whatever came. Considering I had to take two buses there and two buses home...oh my that was long day's especially in the Winter. Then after a few years went into the Caring Sector with some night shifts but the wages were good £350 weekly....big difference from £42 weekly. However I do think looking back those high wages in the NHS is what caused the decline in Health Care finances ...they went bust....and want to usher in American Privitisation which will be disastrous for the many to facilitate the few. We are it seems going backwards I Progression because of the imbalance of working wages.

[@jackmack8287]

Group of us went to New York in 1990 . Pay was good , but you worked 6 days a week for it on the buildings . I think some of my friends never took to the USA but stayed on because they thought they would be seen as a failure if they returned too soon . USA is my life now and I rarely visit Ireland

[@samaraisnt]

So true about sticking to things to save yourself the look of failure. Wish we'd all put our pride away and just pursue our hapiness...but then easier said then done! I'm also guilty!

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

My grandfather spent some time in London in the 1960s, he told me that he once had to collect the body of a mate of his from Victoria Station, guy fell on hard times (drink) but was too proud/ashamed to ask for help or return home. Ireland was and is a shame society.

[@bozothedog9024]

You need to let it go or you will never be happy, that "failure" attitude destroyed too many Irish in America and London. Ireland is a great country, way better than the 1980's or 90's.

[@entity76]

I left Ireland in 1989 for America. I remember there where several documentaries around that time about immigration. Mostly illegal before the No preference visas came out.

[@michaelairley2015]

On a building site in jeans, shirt and plimsolle show. Classic 80's.

[@Iveraghboy]

Same for my parents who had to leave for England in the 30s, God knows what the Irish Politicians are up to.

[@pmacc3557]

Not much if since time eternal as it seems, they are unable to not solve but at least reduce this phenomenon

[@Monaleenian]

@@pmacc3557 What phenomenon? The phenomenon of there being better opportunities outside of Ireland?! The number, quality and remuneration of jobs in Ireland have improved hugely over the last few decades, so much so that over the 26 year period from 1995 to 2021 there has been net inward migration every year apart from the 5-year period from 2009 to 2014. That's a huge change from the situation in the 1980s, where economic opportunities were significantly better abroad.

[@Iveraghboy]

@@Monaleenian For Dublin area and Leinster no doubt.

[@sherlockholmes6990]

I'm not sure asking high schoolers is quite a representative sampling. Most high schoolers have the "I need to get the fugg out of here" attitude no matter where they live.

[@coolegarry]

I wonder about that too. I did my Leaving cert that year , did shite so I worked for two years and earned 60 - 80 pounds and it was plenty for an 18 yr old at the time. Went to college about 2 years later and always had a job I liked. I know life is harder for some people but I don't remember my school friends going around with faces like them.

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

There was huge emigration from Co.Mayo in the 1980s and early 90s, especially from skilled tradespeople. Chances are that the answers may not have been too different if they had asked people in their 20s.

[@seandoshandy]

I remeber living on McLean Ave in yonkers. Mid to late 2000’s!

[@sbm5379]

$500 a week 33 years ago! Fuck it id go!

[@folksurvival]

People these days don't realize. Young men and women, not too long ago, could afford to buy homes and raise families with normal jobs. Now most young people can barely survive on their own in rented places, never mind supporting a family, even if they have University degrees and work white collar jobs.

[@jakmak1199]

""Anco trained bricklayer" now your talking !

[@dellhell8842]

@@folksurvival Yes people then could afford a house with a normal job; the problem was getting a normal job, any job, there weren't any. I was lucky enough to get one after finishing university, but virtually all of my university classmates and secondary school classmates had to emigrate. Some have since returned. I was six years saving up, with zero vacations or weekends away, with my university educated wife-to-be similarly three years saving up, so that we could purchase a bog standard semi-d in 1991.

[@anthonybrennan5908]

In England some guys were getting 800 pound s a week in 1980's.

[@liamofthornhill]

Same pal I don't get that laboring per week now 😭

[@brianallen858]

If they only knew what was happening in balinrobe now 😢

[@finny_bux]

I'm sitting here in Australia, I don't have a degree so my chances of permanent residency are extremely low. I envy my parents generation who could pick up and leave and find a place either here or in America/Canada. I have no choice but to return home where no doubt I'll make nothing compared to here unless I find a trade and try my luck again in the future.

[@2009bigchief]

Ireland is good boss tbh ur missing nothing been away but if you are young well tbh seeing the world is good to. i went to Canada with the iec working visa program but tbh was not for me i hated the place but i was in America 10 years before and loved it so thought Canada would have been the same but was not like night and day . i was counting down the days to leaving Canada to come back home. i love home life its great

[@aviationiceman9549]

You don’t need a degree !!!!! I am in Perth, they are screening out for people, anything at all and you can get PR ! Where are you at the minute? Btw I’m from Belfast, been here 22 years now and love every minute 🤪

[@KravMagaThailand]

@@2009bigchief I was in Canada from 1989-1994, I did not like it at all, actually I hated it. It was dull, boring & unfriendly. I loved the USA though & the people in USA. It found the US had a buzz about it. You are right the difference was night & day for sure.

[@danielnewton7357]

My mother family left Ireland in the 1930s even though they spent a lot of time going back visiting family. The sad thing is my generation has lost touch with our relatives and our Irish culture.

[@davidhuff5676]

I'm probably going to get snarky comments from cynical commenters but I believe those bad old days are behind us, we now have the potential to be a powerhouse, inward investment is flying in, SMEs are opening up all over the place. We have problems with housing and inflation etc. but overall it's a mighty little country full of potential, and great people, I would hate to live anywhere else.

[@JDLeonard74]

I hope things keep improving for you all over there.

[@seamusmeehan6036]

Yes ireland is a much different country now but I must say I emigrated in 1987 it was a great move for me it was a dead in place back in dat eara

[@liamg1706]

Ireland is still a shithole, we live to get robbed by politicians who give nothing back

[@nickbrennan3389]

Ireland now is a good country yes, but its not for everyone.....its grim...January now and it's cold, grey, silent, empty streets...living in a warm country is better for me

[@liamg1706]

@@nickbrennan3389 is there another country called Ireland that I don't know about ,the one I'm in is far from good

[@anonymoushowaboutthat7423]

Love this channel golddust this Footage from a Scouser 👍

[@patricksheridan7899]

Emigration is by disign. Research deep enough and you'll find the truth. Was trucking US and Canada back those years myself. living in Canada now, watching a 70Km long truckers convoy trucking to Ottowa for freedom from tryanny

[@nw5362]

Drive safely

[@John_Wood_]

you lot are living in tyranny over there, same as here, worldwide in fact

[@williewilliams4654]

Love this stuff pal,,, ❤️🇮🇪

[@dronespace]

❤️

[@kopthelotklopp1523]

The scenery is lovely in Ireland but you can't eat the view.

[@billybanter9573]

I was born on Bambridge Avenue and my folks are Irish.

[@kealanhoran5500]

It’d be interesting to see how they’ve all got on in the intervening years. Did they stay in the US? Or did any of them return to Ireland during the Celtic Tiger?

[@peterkellegher4419]

My name is Peter and I'm the bricklayer in that video in the last segment about 9min in . Pretty take aback when this video was forwarded to me this morning by a friend. Had totally forgotten all about it. I was 24 at that time so am 56 today. I'm from cavan about 10km from Ballinamore but living in Dublin now. I lived in the Bronx for 4 years and about 2 years prior to that in London. A lot of people I knew then either stayed in New York or moved home as things started to improve in Ireland in the early 90's or moved to different parts of the USA. There was a lot of Irish illegally living in NY at that time including myself. The only way most irish people met up was in the bars all around the Bainbridge area of the Bronx (I know there was other Irish areas also like in Queens or brooklyn) my personal view it must have created a lot of alcoholics so many drunk young Irish people on for street at 4am when most places started to close about that time. My biggest gripe at that time for illegal people was when you got payed by check u couldn't change the check in a bank when u didn't have a bank account so only the bars would change it cause everyone or most I'd image got paid on a Friday head to the bar that night with the check so the amout if money people had so lots of drink to be bought then the bars may not have enough cash to hand out so u might get half it and told to come back mid week for the rest so another big booze up ..

[@pmacc3557]

@@peterkellegher4419 Vicious circle so . Hope u are doing good in life. The money must have been nice back then but as u said, who drank it and who saved it

[@2009bigchief]

@@peterkellegher4419 boston was like that in the 2000 i got paid and right into the irish bar change my cheque. plus bar man tip for changing it and as you say booze the night away after lol i only stayed there for less than 3 months then came home for chrstmass then planned to come back to america again the next year for good when weather gets good so went to chicago for 10 years i am a bricklayer also and well i cam back to ireland as my father got sick and i seen him for one month after as he died i came home skint in $3000 in dept to american express credit card .i paid that off from working at home from scratch again like a 16 years old had nothing lost my drivers licence when i went to America so had to start off again lol but anyways i paid off my credit card bill as i wanted to keep my social security number good but i tried to go back to chicago after my father died a few months after but chicago immagration did not let me in so home now life is good married now working away living the simple life .

[@solomonstrain2358]

the reseachson took them away the virus is bringing them back well from Australia anyway what I see

[@aidanquinn5498]

People moved back from NYC to Ireland, in 08 and a lot are back here, leaving Ireland broke,

[@deet1558]

I work me Bolox off in Ireland and it seems this country is favouring immigrants and dossers over hard working people,I get nothing for nothing,but a lot of these people expect to be giving everything for nothing,the sense of entitlement of these people is shocking to me.

[@seirbhiseach]

It's because they are. That is the directive of the United Nations and the European Union, because it's far more profitable to squash your own for migrants to step on them than it is to stand up for your own.

[@donfalcon1495]

I’m sure there was some clown just like you from England and the US saying exactly the same thing about the Irish immigrants in the 80’s.

[@deet1558]

No buddy we were workers the odd dosser but not 95% of people coming in here

[@donfalcon1495]

@@deet1558 any evidence to back up this claim?

[@seirbhiseach]

@@donfalcon1495 only if you dig up some to back your own assertion

[@alexanders.170]

I myself see my future outside of Ireland as well.

[@fintan254]

"Career guidance" in 1980/90's lreland 😆 Non existant

[@anthonyredmond6713]

Especially from someone who has spent their life in a religious order, like the Christian Brother in the video. What relevant career advice / life experience could he pass on to those kids?

[@nickbrennan3389]

Get out....that's what I was told 🤣

[@JustAnother_Irishman]

@@anthonyredmond6713 exactly since the brother has never been married or a parent how could they learn these things. Just like a male gynaecologist or an oncologist how could they possibly know how to look after a women or a cancer patient.

[@inthecouchproductions8103]

All I know about my family origin is that we were named Mea/Maye and lived near Ballinrobe. Don’t know exactly what year we came to the US, but it was in the 1700’s.

[@donfalcon1495]

Ironic, the number of anti-immigrant comments on this video from Irish people!

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

Yeah, saddening stuff. When I read these comments from Irish people online, I always wonder which “lazy foreigners” they’re complaining about, as they don’t often go into further detail. Would it be the Eastern Europeans working in construction? The Filipinas working as nurses and care workers? The Indians and Pakistanis working as doctors? The mostly Western Europeans working in the financial sector? The Americans running the pharma and the other factories? The Chinese, Italians etc. running the chippers and fast food places? The Brazilians working in the meat factories? If foreign labour and capital withdrew in the morning, Ireland would be a lot poorer for it.

[@RyanTheMan000]

Its a sad thing to think about. he'll its still like that now, im in college at the moment and I'm just like "yep this place is a kip". Like fuck id love to stay in ireland but I can honestly say that money is a tight thing here.

[@punchy1325]

That's a sad way to think if more of you would stay maybe there'll be more opportunity you've to fight for your rights son being young really is wasted on the youth go have your adventure yes but come home don't let the system force you out don't take the easy way out waving your flag from another shore if we all did this there'll be no irish left anymore

[@Iveraghboy]

@@punchy1325 easy to say not easy to do when your pockets are empty .

[@punchy1325]

@@Iveraghboy your right it's not easy but not impossible either my pockets have been empty most my life I've still managed to survive and stick it out here it's been very hard at some stages if you look at who has left over the last 50 years it's been mostly people with money to leave they'll always leave anyway and cry about it from a far instead of coming home I'm talking about a certain mentality the irish seem to have o its not working here I'll leave yes it was impossible to stay at some stages in our history but over the last 50 years or so it's become a trend

[@Danny.r1]

@@punchy1325 Would be nice if more young people stayed but can you blame us really. There are much better opportunities abroad. I never felt financially comfortable working in Dublin. You paid rent, bills, got your groceries, went out once a week maybe, paid some miscellaneous expenses. The salaries were so low relative to the cost of living that there wasn't much left at the end of a month. Often times I wouldn't have anything left with 10 days to go until my next paycheck. The thought of owning a house didn't ever seem achievable. It would honestly have been a case of waiting for your parents to die and leave something to you. All that after 5 years work experience and a masters from Trinity. I moved to NYC three years ago and haven't looked back yet. I would want to see a lot of change before moving home.

[@punchy1325]

@@Danny.r1 the only way we get that change is if if people like you come home or never left I did it without a masters degree I managed to get a house no 1 said it was easy I know exactly what your saying but if 1 generation just stays there'll be more to argue the point as it is everyone just heads of none of this is easy you just gotta work at it you should have got a paying job instead of 5 years work experience come on who does that for someone with a masters your not very clever to do that fact is if not enough stay they'll never do anything to change it and you can't change anything from a far no matter how much you wish it you've no say unless you're here I'm surprised at some of the responses here it's seems its all about the individual but you all cry about wanting to come home and we better change over here how is it possible when are youth just leg it because its hard life isn't easy we all know that but if no one stays we have no discussion then enjoy your life in NYC i hope its really going well for you I really do but just remember you can't change anything from over there and I can't get a conversation going over here unless people come back in force or better yet come home in force again no of this is easy but either was staying here and putting up with the shit its been a generational thing now it needs to stop honest question for you in the 5 years you did work experience did you not think of working in mc Donald's or cleaning or supermarket or is the guy with the masters to good for that it so happens its how I survived after the crash managed to pay my bills nothing is easy in life and you choose to leave no one forced you like so many have been over our long history you choose this

[@anthonymulcahy1166]

10 out of 43 - And the rest is two thirds of the class???? 🤣🤣🤣🤣 - Dodgy maths there lad

[@TikeMyson69]

No wonder they can't get a job.

[@tonyhancock3912]

Tree trees are forty tree it would seem

[@rossmorebaz]

imagine of you had told these people that the celtic tiger was around the conrner and that a quarter of a million eastern Europeans would come to ireland for work

[@annytgingatall]

They were tough times . Had to be a wanderer in employment form 84 till 95.got home eventually. In 95 i was 26.

[@crompazuzu6488]

Those kids at the start were lucky to be able to play with a football in the playground! We weren’t allowed at my school . Had to play with a plastic bottle. Thank you nuns!!

[@E_O_S_]

Bolox

[@crompazuzu6488]

@@E_O_S_ Scoil Ide , Galway, in the late 80s... no “bolox”

[@michaelroberts7374]

Nuns rule

[@tearitloosetearitloose4670]

You're full of shit.. no plastic bottles in the 80's ...all glass.

[@andrewg.carvill4596]

In our school it was 40-a-side with a tennis ball. Goals painted on the wall at each end of the yard. Great training in single touch football but not in 'passing' - you just blasted it at the goal every time you could get a foot to it!

[@MrT79shakeshake]

All these lads are 50 now..there or there about, scary.

[@peterkellegher4419]

Not sure that as we all get older that it has to be seen as scary although I suppose that depends on your situation. I'm going to turn 57 in the next month and I'm the guy Peter in the last segment about 9min in on that video I was 24 when I done that brief interview. Life is really about what you make of it your self personally my life has got better and better as I got older. U care less about what other people think about you in fact it's none of my business what other people think of me . If u follow or stay on track for the life that u really want or most desire and as long as it's realistic you shouldn't go wrong .living your life to suit someone else or another person's expectations of u will leave u with an unfilled life now that's scary lol. So getting older is not the scary part really it's are u living the life u most want or desire and what u are actually doing about achieving that .

[@beyondroom3133]

Most of that generation of Irish who went to the USA came home. This was the first time this happened in Irish emigration history.

[@amplep1913]

Why don't the workers wear overalls ? When did it become The Thing to wear expensive clothes only to have them destroyed while labouring or bricklaying or plastering or decorating. After that, the workers use public transport + spread sand + muck + paint everywhere while damaging other commuters' clothes in the process. An overall worn at work + removed before travelling would solve the sand + muck+ paint - spreading problem. SIMPLES.

[@dellhell8842]

The population of Ballinrobe more than doubled from 1,229 (in 1991) to 2,786 (in 2016), reflective of the progress we have made as a country since that time.

[@folksurvival]

"Progress"

[@IRELAND_SAYS_NO]

Foreigner's

[@Dessienewshoes]

All foreign

[@mickgolden5987]

Invasion

[@turbosnail159]

brought in for cheap labour employers no respect for their own

[@frontleftfender]

Umm tough choice ballinarobe of NYC? 🤔

[@neutralfm9620]

Was in 2nd year at this time don't recall being aware it was this bad. Never felt I had to emigrate luckily

[@formzino]

My dad moved to the bronx from Derry in 75. Worked there as a carpenter, met my mum, had me and was eventually deported.

[@jamiewilliams685]

Did you stay in America ?

[@formzino]

@@jamiewilliams685 nah, lived in Ireland all my life

[@seandoshandy]

Had a similar situation. Interesting!

[@michaelroberts7374]

Brilliant, again

[@MrGreyWolfAlpha]

I feel I will be on my way out of Ireland soon, as do many of my friends unfortunately.

[@chrisgriffiths2533]

The Very Sad, Very Repeat Story of Ireland. Factually Ireland was Not Governing itself Well for at least Three Hundred Years. Hopefully Now the Current Irish Government will Value Their People and Create a Great Ireland. A Great Ireland is Very Possible. Go Ireland Go.

[@kokobwild2413]

In 1989 who the fuck was telling them that there were 6 £400 a week jobs to pick from in UK jobcentres? Bullshit

[@eileenmclean5474]

My own parents left Eire in 1949 for the same reason

[@frankspig]

What's also very interesting as some one left education in 89 .no massively over weight people .

[@kd2239]

bacon, spuds and cabbage

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

Less junk food around back then, disposable income was tight.

[@hillmidget1326]

Wow great video

[@identitywithheld1027]

It's great they can go but sad that they have to.

[@jimmymorgan3324]

NOW. IF YOU LOOK AT. A SCHOOL NOW IN 2019. They. Could be the. ODD ONE. OUT . or. Kneeling before. School.

[@noelmaher4633]

Career guidance was ring local politician "let me tell you"😉 and off to Public Service, if you had the number or distant relative..#true...

[@Lar308]

I was lucky - I had a charmed life working in Ireland my entire life with not one day unemployed. Began working in 1978 and retired at 54 in 2013. All the jobs were satisfying and paid well and they were jobs I choose to do myself rather than being just any job. I did work extremely hard though so opportunities seemed to just present themselves at my feet. I had resolved to move to the USA if things did not work out for me though but now seeing the way the USA has gone since Trump I am glad I stayed here. The USA kind of disgusts me now whereas Ireland can be proud of the way it has evolved and progressed. Sometimes I think people give up to easy or are not willing or can't move to places work exists within Ireland.

[@2009bigchief]

well tbh trump was a smart man at least he was m8ts with putin and tbh that was the whole thing that new world order knew that trump ands putin was good friends /now this retard Biden wants to take them into ww3 . stupid people have no brains . at least trump wanted to keep America same and strong as hes a great businessman but as i say he was getting in the way of new world order and the greater israel . they want to see America on its knees and Europe flooded and broke with refugees. wake up stupid people

[@John_Wood_]

ireland is the lapdog of the e u. A place being over whelmed with i mmigrants and worse still people like yourself cannot see what is in plain sight.

[@jamiewilliams685]

The President of America is a figure head to distract and divide the people. He or she has no real power whatsoever, it's all smoke and mirrors.

[@mjmayo970]

Only have vague memories of the late 80s myself as I was too young, but that's said would ye go back to it, ye older generation? Everyone I talk to of the age lamemts the fun they had here then.

[@discopants100]

Sounds like they are lamenting their youth. Ireland is an infinitely better place to live in now, despite what some people may tell you.

[@jlover911]

May I ask… what is it about the immigrated Irish that came here to NYC during the 1980’-90’s seem very smug and almost act as if they are better than say the Irish American family that has been here since the 1930’s?

[@JK-jz2yn]

Illegal means cash tax free, of course people did well 🤷‍♀️

[@luckybestwash]

I interviewed some Bronx illegal Irish for my school paper in 1989. Wow were they a snide, smug lot.

[@glossalth]

Yes we seen these guys come back home lovely clothes car , ,and then when you join them in Eng ,you find it's not all a bed of Rose's, they were tough times ,.

[@mrmartin2079]

Full time jobs didn't seem to suit those inner city Dubs - what a surprise lol

[@barrywalsh7926]

Where are these, not so young people anymore, now?

[@peterkellegher4419]

I can only speak for myself I'm the guy in the very last segment Peter. I was 24 then about to turn 57 now and I live in Dublin but originally from Cavan .

[@daithideburca98]

Priest... how many of you see yourself winning an all ireland medal for mayo .

[@78Cathal]

And none raised there hands 🤣

[@DPK12]

Priest… how many would touch this for tenner

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

Funnily enough, that school actually won an All-Ireland a few years back. Maybe a few sons of those kids were on the team?

[@tonyclifton265]

the kids were depressingly bearish on ireland just before it took off and became the celtic tiger

[@clonie9963]

100% ethno state in 1989

[@folksurvival]

Which is why it had to be destroyed by driving out the natives then complaining that they needed workers etc and bringing them in.

[@clonie9963]

@@folksurvival yes

[@TheLastAngryMan01]

It’s almost like no one would have wanted to emigrate to an island with a poor economy and an active war zone back then.

[@grogscol]

This was the sad negative attitude in Ireland in the 1980's. Those "lads coming back from England looking well" did more damage to Irish society than anything else. No talk about further education, training or starting a business just emigration. These Irish that ended up in America or Britain are the most shallow people you will come across, they have become echo chambers for Trump rethrotric and Brexit, how sad is that.

[@captainscarlett1]

Ireland trains young men to come to Australia and take jobs in the construction industry. Unfortunately, Australia doesn't train young men to take jobs in the construction industry. Australians have to pay for training themselves so that they can compete with foreigners who have their training paid for by their home governments. The Australian government claims there's a shortage of skilled labour, they do nothing about it but import foreigners to do skilled work.

[@2009bigchief]

very interesting well your government like Canada as i found out are giving out work visas like sweets as tbh im guessing the people have plenty of know how themselves to do construction themselves tvh manual construction is stupid shit to learn why u think so many people are doing it as you don't need many brains to do it and well alot of people that dont do good at school end up in the construction industry such like me. end of the day its nothing to do with your government not providing training for your own citizens in reality there bone lazy and dont want to do heavy construction work simple that just want it is just simply they are bone lazy and want to do nothing maybe get free government money.

[@danbreen1916]

Exporting fine wine and Importing vinegar

[@donfalcon1495]

Were you imported?

[@danbreen1916]

@@donfalcon1495I bet you've been rodgered more times than a second hand walkie talkie.

[@donfalcon1495]

@@danbreen1916 so you were imported!

[@danbreen1916]

@@donfalcon1495 no but you're rent boy was by the sounds of it you punk bitch

[@donfalcon1495]

@@danbreen1916 thanks for sharing your fantasy but I’ve zero interest! You seem like such a high quality individual!

[@jamoriah]

The students look about 36

[@toddianuzzi9296]

Yea going ro the Bronx, real step up there. Leave Ireland because of no "future" to get robbed by Puerto Ricans and blacks

[@atthewhiskey]

The irony is that today, 60% of the youth will leave still. This is as the flood gates are open to immigration & there is a housing crisis as a result. Disgusting what the Irish government have done to the Native population. The reality must change, and fast, or Ireland will never be the same.

[@dylantierney6407]

And now everyone moves to Berlin and Canada

[@razorramon8031]

500 euro a week as labor in 1989, wow im poor.

[@jethrobodean8585]

Their educators failed them.

[@philipmulville8218]

That simply isn’t true.

[@donfalcon1495]

How so?

[@qasaaye23]

Very informative.

[@SteabhanMacGR2]

When you consider the Government can create jobs anytime they want.

[@the701squad1]

It’s like a dog show with the girls haircuts

[@michaelbuglerstudio]

😂

[@michaelmcmullan2300]

So much for wonderful Ireland .when they all have to leave .sure begora you can always blame the british

[@HAPPYTHELEAF]

little has changed with Irish leaving, and foreigner coming.

[@maid7171]

Omg I was a leaving cert student in 1989 annd I an emigrant

[@bizzjoe]

Now everybody's coming here ffs

[@anthonymullen6300]

That's my generation and I f***** off to Australia but now I'm back.