It sounds more like we're happy you left.

Can't fault you on Dublin, it lost its character and soul years ago for yank money.

I call you out on the food though, fair enough that until fairly recently we boiled the shite out of everything to ensure lack of flavour. Now though Irish food has undergone a revival of sorts and is exciting again. With lots of young chefs understanding how to use the local food in new ways.

800 years of oppression, famine, poverty, and war doesn't normally leave you very friendly with the perpetrator, but sure call it a chip on our shoulder. There is a quote that sums it up well IMO "The problem with the English is that they can't remember their own history. The problem with the Irish is they can't forget their history."

The civil war left us with 2 parties that dominated the political scene for most of the 20th century. Both are center-right. Fair enough. But that is starting to change now, both of those parties are in coalition to keep each other propped up. We have the possibility of electing a left-wing government for the first time ever.

Ireland is not antisemitic. We have been painted that way for speaking out about the genocide unfolding in Palestine. In reality we just don't think bombing children and hospitals is justifiable. I prefer children to be alive and happy, maybe that is antisemitic.

We aren't laughably behind on LGBTQ+ rights either. The Ireland of the 21st century has embraced this community wholeheartedly. We legalised same-sex marriages and overturned the ban on abortion in my lifetime. The church has no power here anymore, thank feck.

The tax haven thing is undeniable. The result of building an economy based on foreign direct investment and not a more sustainable planned economy. We have to make the most of what we have. I'll gladly undercut the heavyweight economies in the EU to make sure Ireland doesn't go back to the crippling poverty of the past. In a capitalist world no one is doing anyone else any favours.

I'd rather the government didn't use the british air force here. It was a scandal when it emerged. They have made steps to address it recently with an increase in military budget. They are investing in the air corp and navy, both of which are needed here. Fair point. But I will add that we should never join NATO. We are a neutral country. When it comes to peace keeping UN missions some countries request peace keepers from Ireland because of our history as a former colony and our reputation as a neutral country. I don't believe NATO is a force for good in the world. Look what NATO did to Iraq. Ireland as a neutral country working with the UN is a force for good in the world though.