Re: Re: A Nation at War with its Capital City?

Show me one other country in world were the capital city and main economic center was left to die (and dismantled) the way Dublin was, and not by a foreign occupying force, but by politicans from the countryside

An important point, but slightly skewed. I don’t think it was entirely an ‘anti Dublin’ bias that was perpetrated but an anti progress one. Since the cities were where ‘progress’, or at least progressive forces were concentrated, they felt the effects the most. Progressive influences were also stamped out in the countryside, but since they were less prevalent and less visible, the effect was less noticeable. The Pol Pot reference is obviously extreme, but not far off in terms of general intent, if not extent. The reasons behind it are complex but I think other posters have captured it well; a mix of nationalistic, regressive, cowardly and jealous motives. In many ways our electoral and constitutional systems have exacerbated this in the manner in which they establish the primacy of the local in supposedly national politics.

I wouldn’t term it a “7 decade war” either, it was never a ‘war’, and was only focussed in a meaningful sense between the years 1932 and 1959, but the consequences of it are very obvious. Our cities (plural) heve never regained their status as corporate or political entities in their own right, and have never been able to plan themselves, or their hinterlands, properly. Corks partially successful attempts are noticeable by the areas in which they haven’t worked – in the timely delivery of public transport.

(puts soapbox away for the day)