In Search of the Pope's Children
Encyclopedia
In Search of the Pope's Children is an Irish
television programme based on the book The Pope's Children
, aired by the state broadcaster RTÉ
and British broadcaster BBC Four
. The programme is a three-part true lives documentary
, presented by economist David McWilliams
. The show comments on the Irish economy and the social attitudes surrounding it. The show is marketed as being sharp, witty and argumentative.
McWilliams is credited with being the first economist to predict the 1990s boom in Ireland's economy and he is arguably most famous for his predictions of an Irish property price collapse between 1997 and 2002.
to Ireland in 1979 coincided with a baby boom
which peaked nine months after the visit. These children were born early in 1980, coinciding with the biggest growth of the Irish population since before The Great Famine, 135 years before. He calls these people "the Pope's Children".
In the first episode McWilliams "catches up" with the Pope's Children to see how their lives are going, finding out how much they earn, what their spending habits are, as well as how long they work and spend commuting.
. McWilliams looks at apartments in Dublin city centre selling for over €1 million, talks to people who live in County Meath
– part of Dublin's vast commuter belt – and also to those who have bought derelict cottages in the west of Ireland.
McWilliams also follows a group of Irish people to Bulgaria
where many of them are buying soon-to-be-built apartments. He meets a Scottish man living in Bulgaria who is very concerned that rental incomes from the properties will be much lower than the buyers expect.
McWilliams asserts that, like many other countries in the past, Ireland is progressing through a well-known seven-stage cycle (first described by Charles P. Kindleberger
) in the property market. He claims that the market is at the stage immediately preceding a price crash, and that it is inevitable that the Irish property bubble
will burst.
According to McWilliams Ireland's physical resources are dominating by the property industry, which forces most foreign investment into intellectually orientated industries. He claims that Ireland has been very lucky in the past; having strong ties to both other Europe
an countries and the United States
. He then made the claim that 87% of Ireland's exports generated by multinational companies such as Microsoft
, Apple Computer
, Dell
, Intel, and Google
, implying that decisions made in New York
boardrooms have a far greater effect on the Irish economy than decisions made in the Dáil.
The traditional plan for the future of the Irish economy is to become more and more merged with other European economies and form a single European economy. But McWilliams believes that Ireland has finished benefiting from EU membership. He predicts that Ireland might get a poor deal out of a future European economy, as the interest rates will probably rise dramatically. McWilliams suggested an alternative to the traditional plan he suggests that we should become less connected with the EU and perhaps create stronger links to China
and other economies likely to overtake the Europe in the future.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
television programme based on the book The Pope's Children
The Pope's Children
The Pope's Children: Ireland's New Elite is a book by journalist and economist David McWilliams.In his book McWilliams describes the effects that the Celtic Tiger and the property boom have had on the Republic of Ireland, resulting in the rise of a new bourgeoise.The book's title reflects...
, aired by the state broadcaster RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
and British broadcaster BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
. The programme is a three-part true lives documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, presented by economist David McWilliams
David McWilliams
David McWilliams is an Irish journalist and economist. McWilliams has worked with as an economist with Central Bank of Ireland and as a banker with UBS bank and the Banque Nationale de Paris...
. The show comments on the Irish economy and the social attitudes surrounding it. The show is marketed as being sharp, witty and argumentative.
McWilliams is credited with being the first economist to predict the 1990s boom in Ireland's economy and he is arguably most famous for his predictions of an Irish property price collapse between 1997 and 2002.
Episode one
McWilliams claims that the visit of Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
to Ireland in 1979 coincided with a baby boom
Baby boom
A baby boom is any period marked by a greatly increased birth rate. This demographic phenomenon is usually ascribed within certain geographical bounds and when the number of annual births exceeds 2 per 100 women...
which peaked nine months after the visit. These children were born early in 1980, coinciding with the biggest growth of the Irish population since before The Great Famine, 135 years before. He calls these people "the Pope's Children".
In the first episode McWilliams "catches up" with the Pope's Children to see how their lives are going, finding out how much they earn, what their spending habits are, as well as how long they work and spend commuting.
Episode two
The second episode of the series focuses on the property market in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. McWilliams looks at apartments in Dublin city centre selling for over €1 million, talks to people who live in County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
– part of Dublin's vast commuter belt – and also to those who have bought derelict cottages in the west of Ireland.
McWilliams also follows a group of Irish people to Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
where many of them are buying soon-to-be-built apartments. He meets a Scottish man living in Bulgaria who is very concerned that rental incomes from the properties will be much lower than the buyers expect.
McWilliams asserts that, like many other countries in the past, Ireland is progressing through a well-known seven-stage cycle (first described by Charles P. Kindleberger
Charles P. Kindleberger
Charles Poor "Charlie" Kindleberger was a historical economist and author of over 30 books. His 1978 book Manias, Panics, and Crashes, about speculative stock market bubbles, was reprinted in 2000 after the dot-com bubble. He is well known for hegemonic stability theory.-Life:Kindleberger was born...
) in the property market. He claims that the market is at the stage immediately preceding a price crash, and that it is inevitable that the Irish property bubble
Irish property bubble
The property bubble in the Republic of Ireland began in 2000 and peaked in 2006, as with many other western European countries, with a combination of increased speculative construction and rapidly rising prices....
will burst.
Episode three
McWilliams finished off the mini-series be stressing the issue of how heavily dependent Ireland's economy is on trade. also discussed how Ireland has gone from being a country with too many people and not enough money to a country of not enough people and too much credit.According to McWilliams Ireland's physical resources are dominating by the property industry, which forces most foreign investment into intellectually orientated industries. He claims that Ireland has been very lucky in the past; having strong ties to both other Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He then made the claim that 87% of Ireland's exports generated by multinational companies such as Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, Apple Computer
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
, Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
, Intel, and Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
, implying that decisions made in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
boardrooms have a far greater effect on the Irish economy than decisions made in the Dáil.
The traditional plan for the future of the Irish economy is to become more and more merged with other European economies and form a single European economy. But McWilliams believes that Ireland has finished benefiting from EU membership. He predicts that Ireland might get a poor deal out of a future European economy, as the interest rates will probably rise dramatically. McWilliams suggested an alternative to the traditional plan he suggests that we should become less connected with the EU and perhaps create stronger links to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and other economies likely to overtake the Europe in the future.
External links
- RTÉ Television: In Search of the Pope's Children
- McWilliams' blog category - Pope's Children
- Comment: Sarah Carey: Labels are just so HiCo — TV review from The Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times (UK)The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...