Slainte

My report to the good people of BMBS is now due, for I have traversed the four corners of the Mother Land. I must be brief for I'm on the run, sight seeing and what not. Here's my synopsis thus far.
I started in Dublin where we got real drunk. Then off to Cork (very wet but nice), where we got real drunk. Then to a real Irish Catholic wedding (they put our weddings to shame, as well they should. The damn thing last 13 hours, I'm not shitting you.) near Middleton Co. Cork, where we got real drunk. Patrick and I then met my father on the Dingle Peninsula (great scenery), from there we worked our way up the west coast through Ennis(dirty, yet a great party town), Sligo (cool mountains, wide beaches, very industrial), Donegal (tiny town, nice city center, great music), and then Derry (by far the highlight of the trip for me. I visited the walled city where many IRA fights took place ) From Derry we landed in Droughegal (wide beaches covered in algae, apparently where huge horses are held right on the beach head every September. A lot of history in the town, very old) just north of Dublin. At the moment I am typing this in Dublin... on a computer hooked up to a TV, crude by manageable.
Economy: Holland, my expectations have been met. The economy is booming, everyone in Ireland is benefiting. Lots of people walk the streets of Dublin in pin stripped business suits and the factories are pumping.
Government: Not much exposure ot this yet, but a lot of political news apparently is reported by hearsay and rumor. But one major problem here is immigration. Ironic because 15 years ago emigration was a severe problem. But because of the Celtic Tigers booming economy, Dublin has become the hot spot for immigrants. The Dubliners here love the Latvians, Poles, and Rumanians because they are honest hard workers. The problem here arises with the influx of Nigerians. They declare themselves refugees of a war so that Ireland will provide welfare to them for the rest of their lives. The locals have acquired animosity to the Nigerians, as well they should. From my sources, the Nigerians are really trying to escape a hard days work rather than a tyrannical dictator. The Dail (the Irish Legislature) has passed laws restricting these people from riding the hog of the tax payers. But the socialists EU is fighting Ireland's fight against these worthless "refugees."
Running: A lot people go for runs here, athletics is a major of part of everyone's life. Currently, the Gaelic Games are in the finals. The pubs are jammed packed watching these oddly ruled games.
Mike Leonard: His accent is so southern that the Irish look like deer caught in head lights when asked a question by old Mike.
Possibility of living here: No way, there's no good hambugers or steaks,... and there's no happy hours.
Thats all I have for now, more to come later. I have tons of picture for yall.
Later