Bring Them Home 2
Like many citizens, I do listen to all the media coverage on 'our poor economy', writes Billy Redmond, so much recently that I have had to take a break from it all. One of the themes seems to be 'well, what can we do?', 'we' being the ordinary citizen. Considering the complexity of the situation we now find our little country in, well, that statement is not surprising.
For a few months now I have been harbouring this little idea, which if it could be followed through, would mean that we the citizens of Ireland could make a contribution.
As all of us know, there isn't a house or apartment in this country that doesn't have family members spread out across the globe, many many millions, and I don't include in that statement those who have recently emigrated. What if, I surmise to myself, only a fraction of those millions were encouraged to come home this year for a few days, maybe a week or so? Well, I can't claim to be a financial expert, but the benefit to our overall economy would be enormous.
What would it cost? Well, outside maybe the cost of putting up a visitor or two, the cost would be nothing. Also, this little objective could be got under way immediately, what with Facebook contacts, writing a letter or two to one's relatives, mobile phone contacts, etc.
I firmly believe that if such a little scheme could indeed be got started NOW it would have a snowballing effect all over. On top of that, I would envisage local communities countrywide taking more interest in their environment, a little house or gate painting, collection of litter and suchlike activities, you know, just to have our smashing little country looking its best for the inflow of visitors. These few activities in themselves would have the effect of involving EVERYBODY in every community.
If my little idea developed any sort of momentum, either locally or nationally, well then sure couldn't these visitors have a huge knock-on effect on the numerous festivals, field days, vintage rallies etc throughout the land?
The other thing that I would like to highlight is the fact that as a race of people we have a very high reputation worldwide when it comes to responding to many of the disasters that occur periodically, and whatever about anything else, we are a very generous people. So why not do this little thing for ourselves for a change?
ED NOTE: I think there's great merit in Billy's proposal. Some of you may remember I suggested something similar the year before last, in a little talk here. And the River Festival last year has also had its own effect, with one of the organisers reporting to the Diary that some expat Kilcullenites have asked for the date of the 2011 festival so they can coordinate a visit home with it.
For a few months now I have been harbouring this little idea, which if it could be followed through, would mean that we the citizens of Ireland could make a contribution.
As all of us know, there isn't a house or apartment in this country that doesn't have family members spread out across the globe, many many millions, and I don't include in that statement those who have recently emigrated. What if, I surmise to myself, only a fraction of those millions were encouraged to come home this year for a few days, maybe a week or so? Well, I can't claim to be a financial expert, but the benefit to our overall economy would be enormous.
What would it cost? Well, outside maybe the cost of putting up a visitor or two, the cost would be nothing. Also, this little objective could be got under way immediately, what with Facebook contacts, writing a letter or two to one's relatives, mobile phone contacts, etc.
I firmly believe that if such a little scheme could indeed be got started NOW it would have a snowballing effect all over. On top of that, I would envisage local communities countrywide taking more interest in their environment, a little house or gate painting, collection of litter and suchlike activities, you know, just to have our smashing little country looking its best for the inflow of visitors. These few activities in themselves would have the effect of involving EVERYBODY in every community.
If my little idea developed any sort of momentum, either locally or nationally, well then sure couldn't these visitors have a huge knock-on effect on the numerous festivals, field days, vintage rallies etc throughout the land?
The other thing that I would like to highlight is the fact that as a race of people we have a very high reputation worldwide when it comes to responding to many of the disasters that occur periodically, and whatever about anything else, we are a very generous people. So why not do this little thing for ourselves for a change?
ED NOTE: I think there's great merit in Billy's proposal. Some of you may remember I suggested something similar the year before last, in a little talk here. And the River Festival last year has also had its own effect, with one of the organisers reporting to the Diary that some expat Kilcullenites have asked for the date of the 2011 festival so they can coordinate a visit home with it.
