Yesterday was census day in Ireland and I have duly done my bit for the country by filling in my form. It feels very much like the bureaucratic equivalent of saying I woz here; and all the more poignant for the fact that I won’t be here for very much longer. Well in Ireland anyway, I do hope to be residing on this planet for a few more decades.

Ireland is in a state of great turmoil. There is a constant stream of newspaper headlines and radio debates about unemployment and the rise in emigration. Apparently over 40,000 young people have already left since Christmas. It is a sad time for many people.

But it is also a time of opportunity. I firmly believe that good things happen in the wake of disaster. The new emigrants will undoubtedly go off and change their lives, probably for the better. They will meet new people, find new careers, start new relationships and will return to their homeland with great stories to tell.

I can’t help but wonder how this period in history will be reflected in literature. I am sure that there are writers all over the world that are already dreaming up stories about the demise of the Celtic Tiger. It has certainly influenced the novel I am currently working on.