Eamon Fay has been making Irish dancing sneakers for greater than 40 years.
He counts the Riverdance and Lord of the Dance troupes amongst his prospects, in addition to the 1000’s of younger youngsters who’ve taken up the passion.
Mr Fay, 57, is the one remaining Irish dance shoe producer in Eire. He says the financial downturn with COVID was a significant hit to enterprise.
“I’m kind of the last man standing at this stage,” he says.
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‘Heavy’ Irish dancing sneakers in Fay’s store in Dublin’s metropolis centre
Mr Fay lives within the north Dublin suburb of Clontarf, together with his spouse and three sons, aged 27, 24 and 22.
“There’s quite an argument in my house because my three sons vote Sinn Fein and I vote Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, and so does my wife.
“So we have had many heated discussions as a result of they need Sinn Fein, as a result of they are saying in regards to the housing disaster. However they’re younger sufficient that in my estimation, they do not know Sinn Fein the best way I do know Sinn Fein – so I vote Fianna Fail and High-quality Gael.”
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Fay’s store in Dublin’s metropolis centre
The debates in Eamon’s house replicate 1000’s of households throughout Eire.
The 2 centre-right coalition events seem to have outperformed each the exit ballot and expectations earlier than polling day.
However that very same exit ballot reveals the huge variance in how the generations voted.
Amongst these aged 25 to 34, Fianna Fail and High-quality Gael’s mixed help was 22%, versus Sinn Fein’s 36%. Different left-wing events had been on a complete of 24%.
However the two centre-right events had been supported by 55% of over-65s, in contrast with 13% for Sinn Fein and 13% for the opposite left-wing events.
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1:53
Meet Eire’s first-time voters
Dara Walker, 19, is a pupil at Dublin Metropolis College. He lives together with his dad and mom in Dublin and works part-time at a neighborhood restaurant.
“Housing was probably one of the biggest factors when I was deciding to vote – I went towards candidates who were offering [that].
“I might like to maneuver out proper now ideally, with the quantity that I am working, however I feel it is unimaginable.
“I can’t work full-time as well as being in college – it’s hard to find that balance.
“I like residing with my dad and mom however I do desire a degree of independence and I desire a candidate who will give that to me.”
Meanwhile, friends Odhran Lagan, 19, and Julia O’Connor Breathnach, 18, also say housing is their biggest issue.
The law and French students are from Derry and Galway respectively – both more than 200km from Dublin.
“Clearly we do not have correct jobs, we’re not professionals – we’re college students and we’re anticipated to pay obscene rents for terrible rooms,” Odhran says.
“It is insane – €1,200 (£995) for a shared room. It is November now and we’re already speaking about what we’ll do for subsequent yr and making an attempt to determine it out someway,” Julia provides.
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0:30
Irish election in a single phrase?
“We’re not going to stop our studies but obviously we have to find a place to stay. So I’d say housing is really a huge one, especially in Dublin, and just the cost of everything.”
“We have had the same parties in power for how long now and it’s still getting worse. I remember Leo Varadkar saying, ‘One person’s rent is another person’s income’,” Odhran added.
“[It is] one of the most striking things about the 2024 election – it looks really like the incumbents are going to be returned.
“It is a product to some extent of the electoral system, but in addition a booming financial system and a normal worry to some extent about what the long run holds,” she said.
“It is a normal election – what actually issues is chequebook politics.
“People care about the cost of living, housing and economic stability. That’s what’s first and foremost in their minds when they’re voting,” Professor McElroy added.
“The current incumbents are running a stable, economically successful government. And it seems like the people of Ireland are happy enough.”
