Satiric Insights into Post-Celtic Tiger Ireland: The Case of Peter Cunningham’s Capital Sins

Abstract

Much has been written about the Celtic Tiger and many speculations on its abrupt, though clearly foreseeable, ending have been discussed in the most reputed economic forums. The Boom that turned Ireland into a socio-financial referent worldwide overshadowed more complex variables that were systematically concealed behind the veil of unprecedented welfare and growth. From being an agricultural-oriented economy, the country progressively became the headquarters of the most prominent multinationals and the site of the most acclaimed banking operations. This ‘roaring’ atmosphere was stimulated not only in macro-economic terms but also in the sense that ordinary citizens began to enjoy a period of massive, almost compulsive, consumerism thanks basically to the exponential rise of their salaries.

I would like to thank the National Research Project “La familia disfuncional como efecto de la globalización en la producción narrativa y fílmica irlandesa (1980–2010)” (FFI2011-23941) for their financial and academic support that enabled the writing of this essay.