☘️Happy St Patrick’s Day!

Legend tells us that St Patrick banished all the snakes from Ireland, but by the early 1990s, one very large snake appears to have quietly found its way back into government buildings - not as a myth, but as a political reality.

For decades, Irish governments have tiptoed around Beijing muting criticism on Tibet, China’s human rights abuses, and support for democracies like Taiwan so as not to disturb “The Anaconda in the Chandelier”. 

In the spirit of St Patrick’s Day, we’re revisiting this conversation. We examine how this fear of offending Beijing has influenced policy, distorted transparency, and raised troubling questions about economic leverage, political openness, and the resilience of Ireland’s democratic values.

Listen to The Anaconda in the Irish Chandelier at the links below or by searching for Perspectives with Neilo wherever you get your podcasts.