If I was asked to re-brand and repackage Ireland to the rest of Europe and the world how would I do it.
For almost 20 years Ireland had been seen as the Celtic Tiger attracting many blue chip US companies. We have had a thieving economy attracting many people from Eastern Europe seeking employment here earning Irish wages.
Now these companies like Dell in Limerick have gone to Eastern Europe. Those Eastern Europeans who came here seeking work have now gone back to earn Eastern European wages.
Have we just been a product of our own success? The Collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989 led the way for all this European expansion.
But how do we now reflect the image that Ireland is rebuilding itself since the Celtic Tiger has gone.
A tiger is an aggressive animal something Ireland never was. I think this was the wrong imagery to be giving in the first place.
We now have a government that is seen to be hell bent on getting 4 billion in wage cuts. They portray an image of a government lacking in direction without a clear development plan in place to help stimulate the economy creating new jobs.
Now don’t laugh what about the Celtic Donkey. A donkey has long been seen as a symbol of ignorance, but its not its more than that.
The donkey for me is a symbol of hard work,very vocal and the courage of a tiger.
Donkeys have been used throughout history for transportation of supplies, pulling wagons, and, in a few cases, as riding animals. During World War I they were used as a British stretcher bearer.
Donkeys were until recently used in the Italian Army. The Mountain Fusiliers each had a donkey to carry their gear.
So throughout history the donkey has been seen as a hard worker a symbol of rebuilding.