The Celtic Tiger is purring again

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Five years of austerity enforced by the terms of an €85bn bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund ended last December when by prudent financial management the Irish Republic unshackled itself from its lender’s handcuffs. It ended a deep and painful recession for its 4.6m citizens, more so as it had been preceded by 12-years of Celtic Tiger-induced growth.

But now Irish eyes are smiling once again and the nation’s consumers are back on the high streets of Dublin and Cork, and consequently the ports are experiencing a surge in imports. Indeed, according to this just-released data from the Irish Maritime Development Institute container shipping volumes rose by 9% in the third quarter of the year, compared to the same period of 2013, with laden containers spiking by a very impressive 13%.  The Celtic Tiger is back.