Thanks for bearing with us as we work to resolve teething problems with our new online system. Your library service now has its own online catalogue where you can search and reserve items and log in and manage your account. The online catalogue for Dublin City members is https://dublincity.spydus.ie
From Independence to the IMF - a talk by Conor McCabe
A talk "From Independence to the IMF: the Irish Economy and the forces that shaped it" took place on Thursday March 1st at the Central Library. The speaker, historian and author Conor McCabe ("Sins of the Father"), took a historical perspective on economic developments as he maintains only this can allow us see social forces acting over time. Conor's central thesis is that the recent and ongoing bust has its origins in our history dating back to 1922 and the political break with the UK. Decisions were made then and subsequently which favoured the middle classes and classes of middlemen such as bankers, lawyers, stockbrokers and builders to the detriment of real, sustained economic development. A culture of home ownership was also prioritised by offering grants and tax relief favouring again the middle class over the working class.Conor presented his case very well with statistics and charts to back his argument. His presentation was followed by a question and answer session with many contributions from the audience. Comments left by the public included: " very informative, raised an interesting hypothesis", " very good speaker", "an excellent lecture and an excellent idea for the series of lectures".This talk was one of a series - The Irish Economy, What Happened? What Next? taking place at the Central Library every Thursday in March. The series is organised by librarian Pádraic Stack who previously organised the very successful "Crime & the City" talks, also at the Central Library.If you missed the first talk, don't worry, a podcast will be posted on this site in due course- check back soon and often! Also, there are four more talks with places still available for each. To book, contact [email protected] or phone 01-8734333 ext. 4. Admission is free.
