From Periphery to Core (and Back)? Political, Journalistic, and Academic Perceptions of Celtic Tiger- and post-Celtic Tiger-Ireland

Abstract

Since the Celtic Tiger, the concept of periphery has been an integral part of the debates on Ireland’s role in the world economy, on its
position in the European Union, on its relationship with Great Britain and on internal regional disparities. Whereas Ireland has universally been perceived as being at the core of the European integration project, there is no consensus whether Celtic Tiger-Ireland eventually managed to leave the economic periphery or semi-periphery as defined in the World-Systems Analysis. Additionally, the Celtic Tiger did not manage to reduce regional disparity within Ireland – a fact that resulted in an increased focus on the internal periphery and core. The current recession negatively influences the perceptions of Ireland’s economic development and of its role in the European Union.