WE ALL PARTIED – but some more than others. Celtic Tiger Ireland was a very different island to the one we live on today.
See if you remember any of these blasts from the past.
Grrrowl.
Decking
Image: via Precision Maintenance
Patios suddenly just weren’t good enough anymore.
Patio heaters
And what did you put on your new deck?
Image: via Patio Heater Shopper
That’s right, a big patio heater and a massive gas BBQ. Because you’re worth it.
Cranes
Remember looking up and seeing the sky dotted with cranes?
Image: via Archiseek
Not so much anymore. At least we still have our rainbows to gaze up at.
Holidays homes in Bulgaria
It was The Next Big Thing.
Image: via Changing Winds
A week in your Dad’s friend’s holiday home in Dingle didn’t cut the mustard in those days.
Paninis
We have the Celtic Tiger to thank for sundried tomato pesto, fancy coffees and the sudden proliferation of the phrase “to go” instead of “to takeaway”.
A lot of those things have stuck around. But luckily good old toasties are starting to make a comeback over our continental cousin, the panini. (Panino in the singular, doncha know.)
Eddie Hobbs
Image: via BookAdda
And let’s not forget David McWilliams.
Image: via WikimediaCommons
Mad traffic
According to some seasoned drivers, the crazy traffic of the boomtime is a thing of the past.
We still get jams of course (the world isn’t that perfect) but they’re a lot less hectic than they used to be!
Shopping trips to New York
Remember people would hop across the pond for Christmas shopping?
Image: via Tumblr
Toting brands not available in Ireland was the ultimate status symbol.
Your Macy’s bag didn’t just say “I’m a nice bag” it said “I’m a nice bag with an owner who can afford transatlantic flights”.
Ads for tracker mortgages
Still don’t understand APR?
Ah it’s grand, turns out no one really did.
YouTube/onestep24
Limos at the drop of a hat
Communion? LIMO.
Image: KPCD
Hen party? LIMO.
Image: LimoRide
Debs? HUMMER LIMO.
Image: via Limo Lover
Helicopters to the Races
This poor helicopter isn’t a bad metaphor for the Irish economy’s recent trajectory…
Ouch. Not to worry, she’ll fly again after a few repairs, extra safety precautions and some luck!
Ads for housing estates
How times have changed. This ad is from 1990:
Image: via Imgur
And remember the ads for rural housing estates only “40 minutes from Dublin”? 40 minutes? Well, in that helicopter maybe…
And last but not least…
Image: via ocaoimh
There ya are, Bertie!
