Celtic Tiger - Wikipedia Celtic Tiger For the Irish dance show, see Celtic Tiger Live. `` Celtic Tiger '' ( Irish : An Tíogar Ceilteach ) is a term referring to the economy of the Republic of Ireland from the mid-1990s to the late - 2000s, a period of rapid real economic growth fuelled by foreign direct investment. The boom was dampened by a subsequent property bubble which resulted in a severe economic downturn. At the start of the 1990s, Ireland was a poor country by West European standards, with high poverty, unemployment, inflation, and low growth. The Irish economy expanded at an average rate of 9.4 % between 1995 and 2000 following the institution of free education to second level and then third level, which produced a generation of well - educated entrepreneurs, and continued to grow at an average rate of 5.9 % during the following decade until 2008, when it fell into recession. Ireland 's rapid growth has been described as a rare example of a Western country to match the growth of East Asian nations, i.e. the ' Four Asian Tigers '. The economy underwent a dramatic reversal from 2008, hit hard by the European economic crisis, with GDP contracting by 14 % and unemployment levels rising to 14 % by 2011. Contents 1 Term 2 Tiger economy 2.1 Causes 2.1. 1 Tax policy 2.1. 2 European Union Structural and Cohesion Funds 2.1. 3 Trade within the European Union 2.1. 4 Industrial policies 2.1. 5 Geography and demographics 3 Impact of economic growth 4 Downturn, 2001 -- 2003 4.1 Post-2003 resurgence 5 Challenges 5.1 Property market 5.2 Loss of competitiveness 5.3 Promotion of indigenous industry 5.4 Reliance on foreign energy sources 5.5 Distribution of wealth 5.6 Banking scandals 6 Death of the Tiger 7 Aftermath 8 See also 9 References Term The colloquial term `` Celtic Tiger '' has been used to refer to the country itself, and to the years associated with the boom. The first recorded use of the phrase is in a 1994 Morgan Stanley report by Kevin Gardiner. The term refers to Ireland 's similarity to the East Asian Tigers : Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan during their periods of rapid growth in the early 1960s and late 1990s. An Tíogar Ceilteach, the Irish language version of the term, appears in the official terminology database and has been used regularly in government and administrative contexts since at least 2005. The Celtic Tiger period has also been called `` The Boom '' or `` Ireland 's Economic Miracle ''. During that time, the country experienced a period of economic growth that transformed it from one of Western Europe 's poorer countries into one of its wealthiest. The causes of Ireland 's growth are the subject of some debate, but credit has been primarily given to state - driven economic development ; social partnership among employers, government and trade unions ; increased participation by women in the labour force ; decades of investment in domestic higher education ; targeting of foreign direct investment ; a low corporation tax rate ; an English - speaking workforce ; and membership of the European Union, which provided transfer payments and export access to the Single Market. By mid-2007, in the wake of the growing global financial crisis, the Celtic Tiger had all but died. Some critics, such as David McWilliams, who had been warning about impending collapse for some time, concluded : `` The case is clear : an economically challenged government, perniciously influenced by the interests of the housing lobby, blew it. The entire Irish episode will be studied internationally in years to come as an example of how not to do things. '' Historian Richard Aldous stated the Celtic Tiger has now gone the `` way of the dodo ''. In early 2008, many commentators thought a soft landing was likely, but by January 2009, it seemed possible the country could experience a depression. In early January 2009, The Irish Times, in an editorial, declared : `` We have gone from the Celtic Tiger to an era of financial fear with the suddenness of a Titanic - style shipwreck, thrown from comfort, even luxury, into a cold sea of uncertainty. '' In February 2010, a report by Davy Research concluded that Ireland had `` largely wasted '' its years of high income during the boom, with private enterprise investing its wealth `` in the wrong places ''. It compared Ireland 's growth to other small eurozone countries such as Finland and Belgium -- noting that the physical wealth of those countries exceeds that of Ireland because of their `` vastly superior '' transport infrastructure, telecommunications network, and public services. Tiger economy From 1995 to 2000, GDP growth rate ranged between 7.8 and 11.5 % ; it then slowed to between 4.4 and 6.5 % from 2001 to 2007. During that period, the Irish GDP per capita rose dramatically to equal, then eventually surpass, that of all but one state in Western Europe. Although GDP does not represent the standard of living, and the GNP remained lower than the GDP, in 2007, the GNP achieved the same level as of some other Western European countries '. Causes Tax policy Many economists credit Ireland 's growth to a low corporate taxation rate ( 10 to 12.5 % throughout the late 1990s ). Since 1956, successive Irish governments have pursued low - taxation policies. European Union Structural and cohesion funds Since joining the EU in 1973, Ireland has received over € 17 billion in EU Structural and Cohesion Funds. These are made up of the European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF ) and the European Social Fund ( ESF ) and were used to increase investment in the education system and to build physical infrastructure. These transfer payments from members of the European Union, such as Germany and France, were as high as 4 % of Ireland 's gross national product ( GNP ). Ireland is unique among cohesion countries, having allocated up to 35 % of its Structural Funds to human resource investments, compared with an average of around 25 % for other cohesion fund recipients. The Irish economy 's increased productive capacity is sometimes attributed to these investments, which made Ireland more attractive to high - tech businesses, though the libertarian Cato Institute has suggested that the EU transfer payments were economically inefficient and may have actually slowed growth. The conservative Heritage Foundation also attributed to transfer payments no significant role in causing growth. Trade within the European Union Ireland 's membership in the EU since 1973 helped the country gain access to Europe 's large markets. Ireland 's trade had previously been predominantly with the United Kingdom. Industrial policies In the 1990s, the provision of subsidies and investment capital by Irish state organisations ( such as IDA Ireland ) encouraged high - profile companies, such as Dell, Intel, and Microsoft, to locate in Ireland ; these companies were attracted to Ireland because of its EU membership, relatively low wages, government grants, and low tax rates. Enterprise Ireland, a state agency, provides financial, technical, and social support to start - up businesses. Additionally, the building of the International Financial Services Centre in Dublin led to the creation of 14,000 high - value jobs in the accounting, legal, and financial management sectors. In July 2003, the government established the Science Foundation Ireland on a statutory basis to promote education for highly skilled careers, particularly in biotechnology and information and communications technology, with the additional purpose to invest in science initiatives that aim to further Ireland 's knowledge economy. Geography and demographics A favourable time zone difference allows Irish and British employees to work the first part of each day while US workers sleep. US firms were drawn to Ireland by cheap wage costs compared to the UK, and by the limited government intervention in business compared to other EU members, and particularly to countries in Eastern Europe. Growing stability in Northern Ireland brought about by the Good Friday Agreement further established Ireland 's ability to provide a stable business environment. Irish workers can communicate effectively with Americans -- especially compared to those in other low - wage, non-English - speaking EU nations, such as Portugal and Spain ; this factor was vital to U.S. companies ' choosing Ireland for their European headquarters. It has also been argued that the demographic dividend from the rising ratio of workers to dependents due to falling fertility, and increased female labour market participation, increased income per capita. Impact of economic growth Public debt as a percentage of GDP dropped significantly over the 1990s. Ireland was transformed from one of the poorest countries in Western Europe to one of the wealthiest. Disposable income soared to record levels, enabling a huge rise in consumer spending with foreign holidays accounting for over 91 % of total holiday expenditure in 2004. However, the gap between the highest and lowest income households widened in the five - year period to 2004 - 2005 ; in response, the Economic and Social Research Institute ( ESRI ) stated in 2002 : `` On balance, budgets over the past 10 to 20 years have been more favourable to high income groups than low income groups, but particularly so during periods of high growth ''. Unemployment fell from 18 % in the late 1980s to 4.5 % by the end of 2007, and average industrial wages grew at one of the highest rates in Europe. Inflation brushed 5 % per annum towards the end of the `` Tiger '' period, pushing Irish prices up to those of Nordic Europe, even though wage rates are roughly the same as in the UK. The national debt had remained constant during the boom, but the GDP to debt ratio rose, due to the dramatic rise in GDP. The new wealth resulted in large investments in modernising Irish infrastructure and cities. The National Development Plan led to improvements in roads, and new transport services were developed, such as the Luas light rail lines, the Dublin Port Tunnel, and the extension of the Cork Suburban Rail. Local authorities enhanced city streets and built monuments such as the Spire of Dublin. Ireland 's trend of net emigration was reversed as the republic became a destination for immigrants. This significantly changed Irish demographics and resulted in expanding multiculturalism, particularly in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Galway areas. It was estimated in 2007 that 10 % of Irish residents were foreign - born ; most of the new arrivals were citizens of Poland and the Baltic states, many of whom found work in the retail and service sectors. A study conducted in 2006 found that many Irish people regarded immigration as an important factor for economic progress. Within Ireland, many young people left the rural countryside to live and work in urban centres. Many people in Ireland believe that the growing consumerism during the boom years eroded the country 's culture, with the adoption of American capitalist ideals. While Ireland 's historical economic ties to the UK had often been the subject of criticism, Peader Kirby argued that the new ties to the US economy were met with a `` satisfied silence ''. Nevertheless, voices on the political left have decried the `` closer to Boston than Berlin '' philosophy of the Fianna Fáil - Progressive Democrat government. Writers such as William Wall, Mike McCormick, and Gerry Murphy have satirised these developments. Growing wealth was blamed for rising crime levels among youths, particularly alcohol - related violence resulting from increased spending power. However, it was also accompanied by rapidly increased life expectancy and very high quality of life ratings ; the country ranked first in The Economist 's 2005 quality of life index. The growing success of Ireland 's economy encouraged entrepreneurship and risk - taking, qualities that had been dormant during poor economic periods. However, whilst some semblance of a culture of entrepreneurship exists, foreign - owned companies account for 93 % of Ireland 's exports. Downturn, 2001 -- 2003 The Celtic Tiger 's growth slowed along with the slowing in the world economy in 2002 after seven years of high growth. The economy was adversely affected by a large reduction in investment in the worldwide information technology ( IT ) industry. The industry had over-expanded in the late 1990s, and its stock market equity declined sharply. Ireland was a major player in the IT industry : in 2002, it had exported US $10.4 billion worth of computer services, compared to $6.9 billion from the US. Ireland accounted for approximately 50 % of all mass - market packaged software sold in Europe in 2002 ( OECD, 2002 ; OECD, 2004 ). Foot and mouth disease and the 11 September 2001 attacks damaged Ireland 's tourism and agricultural sectors, deterring U.S. and British tourists. Several companies moved operations to Eastern Europe and the People 's Republic of China because of a rise in Irish wage costs, insurance premiums, and a general reduction in Ireland 's economic competitiveness. The rising value of the Euro hit non-EMU exports, particularly those to the U.S. and the United Kingdom. At the same time, economies globally experienced a slowdown. The US economy grew only 0.3 % in April, May, and June 2002 from a year earlier, and the Federal Reserve made 11 rate cuts that year in an attempt to stimulate the US economy. The EU scarcely grew throughout the whole of 2002, and many members ' governments ( notably in Germany and France ) lost control of public finances, causing large deficits that broke the terms of the EMU Stability and Growth Pact. The economic downturn in Ireland was not a recession but a slowdown in the rate of economic expansion. Signs of a recovery became evident in late 2003, as US investment levels increased once again. Many senior economists have heavily criticised the government for the economic imbalance in favour of the construction industry, and the prospect of sustaining economic growth in the future. Post-2003 resurgence The Information Technology ( IT ) sector was a significant factor in the Irish economic boom After the slowdown in 2001 and 2002, Irish economic growth began to accelerate again in late 2003 and 2004. Some of the media considered that an opportunity to document the return of the Celtic Tiger -- occasionally referred to in the press as the `` Celtic Tiger 2 '' and `` Celtic Tiger Mark 2 ''. In 2004, Irish growth was the highest, at 4.5 %, of the EU - 15 states, and a similar figure was forecast for 2005. Those rates contrast with growth rates of 1 % to 3 % for many other European economies, including France, Germany, and Italy. The pace of expansion in lending to households from 2003 - 2007 was among the highest in the euro area In 2006, there was a surge in Foreign Direct Investment and a net increase of 3,795 in IDA supported jobs, with International and Financial Services having the highest growth rate. The reasons for the continuation of the Irish economic boom were somewhat controversial within Ireland. Some Economists, Civil Rights Activists and Social Commentators have said that the growth throughout this period was merely due to a great increase in property values, and to catch - up growth in employment in the construction sector. Globally, the U.S. recovery boosted Ireland 's economy due to Ireland 's close economic ties to the US. The decline in tourism as a result of foot and mouth disease and the 11 September 2001 attacks had reversed itself. The recovery of the global information technology industry was also a factor ; Ireland produced 25 % of all European PCs, and Apple, Dell ( whose major European manufacturing plant was in Limerick ), HP, and IBM all had sizeable Irish operations. There had been a renewed investment by multinational firms. Intel had resumed its Irish expansion, Google created an office in Dublin, Abbott Laboratories was building a new Irish facility, and Bell Labs planned to open a future facility. Domestically, a new state body, Science Foundation Ireland, was established to promote new science companies in Ireland Maturing funds from the SSIA government savings scheme relaxed consumers ' concerns about spending and thus fueled retail sales growth. In September 2009, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan said Ireland had lost ground in international competitiveness every year since 2000. Challenges The Spire of Dublin symbolises the modernisation and growing prosperity of Ireland. Property market The return of the boom in 2004 was claimed to be primarily the result of the large construction sector 's catching up with the demand caused by the first boom. The construction sector represented nearly 12 % of GDP and a large proportion of employment among young, unskilled men. A number of sources, including The Economist, warned of excessive Irish property values. 2004 saw the construction of 80,000 new homes, compared to the UK 's 160,000 -- a nation that has 15 times Ireland 's population. House prices doubled between 2000 and 2006 ; tax incentives were a key driver of this price rise, and the Fianna Fáil - Progressive Democrats government subsequently received substantial criticism for these policies. In January 2009, UCD economist Morgan Kelly predicted that house prices would fall by 80 % from peak to trough in real terms. Loss of competitiveness Rising wages, inflation, and excessive public spending led to a loss of competitiveness in the Irish economy. Irish wages were substantially above the EU average, particularly in the Dublin region, though many poorer Eastern European states had joined the EU since 2004, substantially lowering the average EU wage below its 1995 level. Low - paid sectors, such as retail and hospitality, remained below the EU - 15 average, however. The pressures primarily affect unskilled, semi-skilled, and manufacturing jobs. Outsourcing of professional jobs also increased, with Poland in 2008 gaining several hundred former Irish jobs from the accountancy divisions of Philips and Dell. Promotion of indigenous industry One of the major challenges facing Ireland is the successful promotion of indigenous industry. Although Ireland boasted a few large international companies, such as AIB, CRH, Élan, Kerry Group, Ryanair, and Smurfit Kappa Group, there are few companies with over one billion euros in annual revenue. The government has charged Enterprise Ireland with the task of boosting Ireland 's indigenous industry and launched a website in 2003 with the objective of streamlining and marketing the process of starting a business in Ireland. Reliance on foreign energy sources Ireland relies on imported fossil fuels for over 80 % of its energy. Ireland for many years in the middle twentieth century limited its dependence on external energy sources by developing its peat bogs, building various hydroelectric projects, including a dam at Ardnacrusha on the River Shannon in 1928, developing offshore gas fields, and diversifying into coal in the 1970s. As gas, peat, and hydroelectric power have been almost fully exploited in Ireland, there is a continuously increasing need for imported fossil fuels at a time of increasing concerns about security of supply and global warming. One solution is to develop alternative energy sources, including wind power and, to a lesser extent, wave power. Wind, however, is not a panacea as it needs to have conventional plants to augment it. An offshore wind farm is currently under construction off the east coast near Arklow, and many remote locations in the west show potential for wind farm development. A report by Sustainable Energy Ireland indicated that if wind power were properly developed, Ireland could one day be exporting excess wind power if the natural difficulties of integrating wind power into the national grid are solved. Wind power by November 2009 already accounted for 15.4 % of total installed generating capacity in the state. By 2020, the Irish government forecasts that 40 % of the country 's energy needs will come from renewable sources, well above the EU average. Distribution of wealth Ireland 's new wealth is unevenly distributed. The United Nations reported in 2004 that Ireland was second only to the US in inequality among Western nations. There is some opposition to the theory that Ireland 's wealth has been unusually unevenly distributed, among them economist and journalist David McWilliams. He cites Eurostat figures which indicate that Ireland is just above average in terms equality by one type of measurement. However, while it is better off by this measurement than generally less developed or more free market countries like Britain, the Mediterranean, and the new accession states, Ireland is still more unequal than France, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries. Moreover, Ireland 's inequality persists by other measurements. According to an ESRI report published in December 2006, Ireland 's child poverty level ranks 22nd out of the 26 richest countries, and it is the 2nd most unequal country in Europe. Banking scandals The New York Times in 2005 described Ireland as the `` Wild West of European finance '', a perception that helped prompt the creation of the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. Despite its mandate for stricter oversight, the agency never imposed major sanctions on any Irish institution, even though Ireland had experienced several major banking scandals in overcharging of their customers. Industry representatives disputed the idea that Ireland may be home to unchecked financial frauds. In December 2008, irregularities in directors loans that had been kept off one bank 's balance sheet for eight years forced the resignation of the financial regulator. Economic commentator David McWilliams has described the collapse of Anglo Irish Bank as Ireland 's Enron. Death of the Tiger In an economic analysis, the Economic and Social Research Institute ( ESRI ) on 24 June 2008 forecasted the possibility the Irish economy would experience marginal negative growth in 2008. This would be the first time since 1983. Outlining possible prospects for the economy for 2008, the ESRI said output of goods and services might fall that year -- which would have been the Irish definition of a mild recession. It also predicted a recovery in 2009 and 2010. In September 2008, Ireland became the first eurozone country to officially enter recession. The recession was confirmed by figures from the Central Statistics Office showing the bursting of the property bubble and a collapse in consumer spending that terminated the boom that was the Celtic Tiger. The figures show the gross domestic product ( GDP ), which measures the value of all the goods and services produced in the State, fell 0.8 % in the second three months of 2008 compared with the same quarter of 2007. That was the second successive quarter of negative economic growth, which is the definition of a recession. The Celtic Tiger was declared dead by October 2008 In a November 2008 interview in Hot Press, in a grim assessment of where Ireland stood, then Taoiseach Brian Cowen said many people still did not realise how badly shaken the public finances were. By 30 January 2009, Ireland 's government debt had become the riskiest in the euro zone, surpassing Greece 's sovereign bonds, according to credit - default swap prices. In February 2009, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said that Ireland 's economy appeared on course to contract by 6.5 % in 2009. Aftermath Former Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald blamed Ireland 's dire economic state in 2009 on a series of `` calamitous '' government policy errors. Between the years of 2000 and 2003 the then Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy boosted public spending by 48 % while cutting income tax. A second problem occurred when government policies allowed, or even encouraged, a housing bubble to develop, `` on an immense scale ''. However, he wrote nothing of the impact of the European Central Bank 's low interest rates which funded the property bubble and further exacerbated the overheating economy Nobel laureate Paul Krugman had a bleak prediction, `` As far as responding to the recession goes, Ireland appears to be really, truly without options, other than to hope for an export - led recovery, if and when the rest of the world bounces back. '' The International Monetary Fund in mid-April 2009 forecast a very poor outlook for Ireland. It projected that the Irish economy would contract by 8 per cent in 2009 and by 3 per cent in 2010 -- and that might be on the optimistic side. Unemployment in Ireland was forecasted to rise almost 17 percent in 2010, the Economic and Social Research Institute ( ESRI ) stated in a report published on 28 April 2009, however the unemployment rate in 2010 steadied at 14 %. In 2012, the unemployment rate was at 14.8 percent, and in order to escape economic downfall, Ireland requested € 67.5 billion ( $85.7 billion ) from the International Monetary Fund and members of the euro area. Taking the money meant accepting austerity : The government has cut expenditure by 15 percent over three years, consumer spending has dropped for six straight quarters, and young Irish by the thousands have emigrated to Australia and elsewhere. On 19 November 2010, The Irish Government had begun talks on a multibillion - dollar economic assistance package with experts from the International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) and the European Union. In mid-2011 the ratings agency Moody 's proceeded to downgrade Ireland 's government bond ratings to junk. See also Post-2008 Irish economic downturn Post-2008 Irish banking crisis Four Asian Tigers Tiger Cub Economies Gulf Tiger Ghost estate Baltic Tiger Tatra Tiger PIGS ( economics ) Economy of the Republic of Ireland References Jump up ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/02/world/europe/suddenly-rich-poor-old-ireland-seems-bewildered.html?_r=0 Jump up ^ http://www.irishtimes.com/news/bruton-attributes-economic-boom-to-o-malley-1.202465 Jump up ^ http://www.economist.com/node/3261071 Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2009. Jump up ^ ( 2 ) Jump up ^ `` Ireland Information Guide, Irish, Counties, Facts, Statistics, Tourism, Culture, How ''. Irelandinformationguide.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011. Jump up ^ Reinventing Ireland : Culture, Society and the Global Economy ( 2002 ) Peadar Kirby, Luke Gibbons, Michael Cronin, p. 17. ISBN 0 7453 1825 8. Jump up ^ `` tearma.ie - Dictionary of Irish Terms - Foclóir Téarmaíochta ''. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ Irish Parliamentary Debates - Deputy McGinley : `` go speisialta ó tháinig an tíogar Ceilteach chun cinn '' Jump up ^ Speech by the President of Ireland Archived 13 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. `` is measa a bhain leis an Tíogar Ceilteach '' Jump up ^ Galway County Council Archived 17 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. - `` ó na 1990í i leith an Tíogar Ceilteach '' Jump up ^ `` The Celtic Tiger : Ireland 's Economic Miracle Explained ''. Dublic Wate to Energy. Retrieved 8 August 2009. Jump up ^ `` The Sunday Business Post ''. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cowen must be Mister Fix - It, not a master of disaster ''. Independent.ie. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` No time for whingers ''. Irish Times. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ So Who Got Us Into This Mess ? Archived 10 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ White, Rossa ( 2 October 2010 ). `` Fruits of boom largely wasted, says Davy report ''. The Irish Times. The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 February 2010. ^ Jump up to : `` IMF Staff Country Report No. 02 / 170 '' ( PDF ). International Monetary Fund. Jump up ^ Irish Economy : Sustainable growth dependent on foreign firms since 1990 -- website article, 22 December 2012 Jump up ^ `` Low - tax policies created the Tiger ( Ireland 's Economy ) ''. Irish Independent. 24 October 2004. Retrieved 2 November 2006. Jump up ^ `` Budget 1997 ''. Revenue Commissioners. Archived from the original on 17 May 2007. Retrieved 19 May 2007. Jump up ^ `` Budget 2007 ''. Revenue Commissioners. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 19 May 2007. Jump up ^ name = `` EU support for Irish Regions '' `` The Irish Regions Office '' Retrieved 28 March 2013 Archived 18 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine. ^ Jump up to : Sean Dorgan `` How Ireland Became the Celtic Tiger '' Archived 3 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine. The Heritage Foundation : 23 June 2006. Retrieved 6 November 2006. Jump up ^ Benjamin Powell ( 2003 ). Markets Created a Pot of Gold in Ireland Archived 6 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine... Cato Institute. Accessed 4 November 2006. ^ Jump up to : `` The luck of the Irish ''. The Economist, 14 October 2004. Retrieved 6 November 2006. ^ Jump up to : `` Home - Enterprise Ireland ''. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ Flanigan, James ( 17 January 2008 ). `` Entrepreneurship Takes Off in Ireland ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 1 April 2010. Jump up ^ `` I.F.S.C ''. I.F.S.C. ie. 21 June 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2013. ^ Jump up to : Web site of Science Foundation Ireland Archived 12 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Proinnsias Breathnach. DUBLIN CALLING : GLOBALISATION OF A METROPOLIS ON THE EUROPEAN PERIPHERY. Department of Geography, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. Accessed 4 November 2006. Jump up ^ Dermot McAleese. Miracle of the Celtic Tiger : Learning from Ireland 's Success Archived 23 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine... Accessed 4 November 2006. Jump up ^ `` Household Budget Survey 2004 - 05 '' ( PDF ). Central Statistics Office. July 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` ' The distributive impact of budgetary policy : A medium term view ' ''. ESRI Dublin. 2002. Retrieved 28 March 2013. Jump up ^ Central Statistics Office : Quarterly National Household Survey for Q4 2007 Jump up ^ Business 2000 -- Case Studies for the Classroom. Business Case Studies, Economics Case Studies, LCVP Case Studies Jump up ^ name = `` REGIONAL PROGRAMMES WITHIN THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2000 - 2006 '' `` The Irish Regions Office '' Retrieved 28 March 2013 Archived 9 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Population and Migration Estimates April 2003 '' ( PDF ). Central Statistics Office. 10 December 2003. Retrieved 28 March 2013. Jump up ^ `` Population and Migration Estimates April 2005 '' ( PDF ). Central Statistics Office. 14 September 2005. Retrieved 28 March 2013. Jump up ^ `` Attitudes towards immigrants and immigration '' ( PDF ). Immigration and immigrants. Jump up ^ Paul Keenan. Book review of Peader Kirby 's The Celtic Tiger In Distress. Accessed 4 November 2006. ^ Jump up to : Creaton, Siobhan ( 24 February 2011 ). `` FF - PD policy to blame for economic ills, claims report ''. Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 13 March 2011. Jump up ^ `` The Economist Intelligence Unit 's quality - of - life index '' ( PDF ). The Economist. Jump up ^ Irish Economy : Home Truths on Irish Exports as Ireland faces a changed global economy in the decade ahead, Finfacts Team, 4 May 2009 Jump up ^ Ajai Chopra and Martin Fetherston ( November 2004 ). `` Ireland : 2004 Article IV Consultation -- Staff Report ; Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion ; and Statement by the Executive Director for Ireland ( IMF Country Report No. 04 / 348 ) '' ( PDF ). International Monetary Fund Publication Services. Retrieved 27 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` IMF Working Paper 02 / 160 '' ( PDF ). International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 27 March 2013. Jump up ^ Hennigan, Michael. `` Irish Economy 2006 and Future of the Celtic Tiger : Putting a brass knocker on a barn door ! ''. Finfacts. Jump up ^ `` ANNUAL GROWTH SURVEY ANNEX 2 MACRO-ECONOMIC REPORT '' ( PDF ). European Commission. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2013. ^ Jump up to : Angelique Chrisafis. `` Celtic Tiger roars again -- but not for the poor ''. The Guardian, 7 October 2004. Accessed 6 November 2006. Jump up ^ `` Financial Statistics Summary Chart Pack '' ( PDF ). Central Bank of Ireland. 12 March 2013. Jump up ^ Web site of Industrial Development Authority Archived 16 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Press release. `` Minister O'Donoghue welcomes good domestic tourism performance. '' Archived 23 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. 27 February 2004. Retrieved 6 November 2006. Jump up ^ Google Ireland Ltd. `` Tánaiste opens Google Offices in Dublin. '' Archived 2 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. 6 October 2004. Retrieved 6 November 2006. Jump up ^ Abbott Ireland ( Pharma ). `` Abbott -- new facility in Longford and expansion in Sligo. '' Archived 2 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. 26 April 2005. Retrieved 6 November 2006. Jump up ^ `` Bell Labs to Establish Major Research and Development Centre in Ireland ''. Archived from the original on 6 March 2006. Retrieved 6 November 2006. Jump up ^ `` Tánaiste Welcomes Ireland 's Action Plan To Promote Investment In R&D To 2010. '' Archived 2 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 6 November 2006. Jump up ^ Bushe, Andrew ( 17 October 2004 ). `` Savers boost SSIA funds for € 14bn spree ''. The Times. London. Retrieved 2 November 2006. Jump up ^ `` Lenihan has got figures ' all wrong ' ''. Independent.ie. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ The global housing boom. The Economist : 16 June 2005. Accessed 4 November 2006. Jump up ^ Charlie McCreevy TD Minister for Finance. `` Tax Reliefs for Owner - Occupied and Rented Residential Accommodation '' ( PDF ). Department of the Environment and Local Government / An Roinn Comhshaoil agus Rialtais Aitiuil. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 4 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` Warning that house prices may fall by 80 % ''. Irish Times. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ John Purcell, Comptroller and Auditor General ( 8 December 2005 ). `` Development of Human Resource Management System for the Health Service ( PPARS ) '' ( PDF ). Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General. Jump up ^ Daniel Kanda,. `` IMF Working Paper 08 / 02 Spillovers to Ireland '' ( PDF ). International Monetary Fund. Jump up ^ `` Supporting SMEs Online Tool ''. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ Forfás ( 2006 ). `` A Baseline Assessment of Ireland 's Oil Dependence -- key policy considerations. '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 24 May 2006. ( 9.88 KB ) Retrieved 8 November 2006. ^ Jump up to : ESB ( 2006 ) `` ESB Comments on GreenPaper Towards a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 18 March 2009. ( 237 KB ) Retrieved 5 January 2009. Jump up ^ seai.ie Renewable Energy in Ireland Jump up ^ `` Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland ''. Retrieved 23 January 2010. Jump up ^ `` Friedman the free thinker - David McWilliams ''. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ village.ie - Editorial : The promises of greed Archived 2 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ For Insurance Regulators, Trails Lead to Dublin Jump up ^ `` More trouble for new chief as AIB tops overcharging league ''. Independent.ie. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ For Insurance Regulators, Trails Lead to Dublin Jump up ^ `` Neary was John Cleese to Fawlty Towers of Irish regulation ''. Independent.ie. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` If FitzPatrick lived in New York, he 'd have been arrested ''. Independent.ie. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` The Sunday Business Post ''. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` We blew the boom ''. Independent.ie. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ ESRI warns of recession, job losses and renewed emigration Jump up ^ `` Recession Ireland 2008 : It may be like a Feast and a Famine as Celtic Tiger declared dead but all is not lost ''. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Management of economy is ' vital ' ''. RTÉ News. 10 July 2008. Jump up ^ `` Page not Found - Irish Examiner ''. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Gilmore says Govt has no strategy to get out of recession ''. Irish Times. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ Irish Economy : State bank guarantee tolls the death knell of the Celtic Tiger ; Fairytale ends debunking the myths and exposing the reality of foundations built on quicksand Jump up ^ `` Cowen : Public needs to wake up to current financial crisis ''. Herald.ie. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Ireland 's Gov 't debt now rated riskiest in Europe ''. Irish Times. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ Irish prices fall as deflation gains momentum Jump up ^ `` FitzGerald says crisis started with McCreevy ''. Independent.ie. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Look to Boston, not to Berlin ''. Independent.ie. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ Paul Krugman - The New York Times Jump up ^ Krugman, Paul ( 20 April 2009 ). `` Erin Go Broke ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 1 April 2010. Jump up ^ `` So, how much damage has the New York Times really done to Ireland ? ''. Independent.ie. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` The Sunday Business Post ''. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ IMF warns Ireland will pay highest price to secure banks Jump up ^ `` Unemployment to hit 17 % - ESRI ''. Irish Times. Retrieved 18 March 2015. Jump up ^ ( 3 ) date = March 2013 http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/QUALITY_OF_LIFE.pdf Post-2008 Irish economic downturn and banking crisis Background Celtic Tiger Property bubble Anglo Irish Bank Response Bank guarantee Budgets 2009 ( I ) 2009 ( II ) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Economic Adjustment Programme Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland People Brian Cowen Brian Lenihan Ireland topics Republic of Ireland topics Northern Ireland topics History Timeline Prehistory Protohistory Early history Gaelic Ireland / Lordship of Ireland 800 -- 1169 1169 -- 1536 Kingdom of Ireland 1536 -- 1691 1691 -- 1801 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801 -- 1923 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland since 1922 Irish Free State ( 1922 -- 1937 ) Ireland ( since 1922 ) Events Battles of Tara / Glenmama / Clontarf Norman invasion Bruce campaign Black Death Tudor conquest Desmond Rebellions Spanish Armada Tyrone 's Rebellion Flight of the Earls Plantation of Ulster 1641 Rebellion / Confederate War Cromwellian conquest / Settlement of 1652 Williamite War Penal Laws First Great Famine 1798 Rebellion Act of Union ( 1800 ) 1803 Rebellion Tithe War Second Great Famine Land War Fenian Rising Dublin Lock - out Home Rule crisis Easter Rising War of Independence Anglo - Irish Treaty Civil War The Emergency IRA Northern Campaign IRA Border Campaign The Troubles Peace process Economy of the Republic of Ireland Celtic Tiger Post-2008 Irish economic downturn Post-2008 Irish banking crisis Other topics List of conflicts in Ireland List of Irish tribes List of High Kings Gaelic clothing and fashion List of World Heritage Sites in the Republic of Ireland Geography Natural Climate Coastline Extreme points Fauna Islands Loughs Mountains Rivers list List of national parks of the Republic of Ireland / in Northern Ireland Human Architecture Notable buildings Tallest buildings and structures Cities Counties Demographics of the Republic of Ireland / of Northern Ireland Ports Provinces ROI -- UK border Towns Tourist attractions Transport Politics Ideologies Nationalism Republicanism Ulster loyalism Unionism Republic of Ireland Constitution Economy Education Foreign relations Government local Oireachtas parliament Dáil Éireann ( lower house ) Seanad Éireann ( upper house ) President Northern Ireland Assembly D'Hondt method Economy Education Government local Peace process Culture Cuisine Food List of dishes Barmbrack Boxty Champ Coddle Colcannon Drisheen Goody Skirts and kidneys Soda bread Stew Ulster fry Drinks Coffee Cream Guinness Mist Poitín Whiskey Dance Jig Sean - nós Set dancing Stepdance Festivals Imbolc Saint Patrick 's Day Bealtaine The Twelfth Lúnasa Rose of Tralee Samhain / Halloween Wren Day Languages Hiberno - English Irish Shelta Ulster Scots Literature Annals Fiction Gaeilge Poetry Theatre Triads Music Ballads Céilí Folk music session Instruments Rock music Traditional singing Mythology Cycles Fenian Mythological Ulster Aos Sí Echtrai Immrama Tuatha Dé Danann Legendary creatures People Anglo - Irish Gaels Gaelic Ireland Hiberno - Normans Irish diaspora List of Irish people Travellers Ulster Scots Sport Association football Camogie Gaelic football Gaelic handball Hurling Martial arts Road bowling Rounders Rugby union Symbols Brighid 's Cross Cláirseach County coats of arms Flags N. Ireland flags issue Irish Wolfhound National coat of arms Red Hand Shamrock Other Calendar Homelessness Names Place names in Ireland / outside Ireland Prostitution ( Republic ) / in Northern Ireland Public holidays in the Republic of Ireland / in Northern Ireland Public houses Ireland portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Celtic_Tiger&oldid=813333957 '' Categories : Tiger economies Economy of the Republic of Ireland History of the Republic of Ireland 1995 in the Republic of Ireland 1996 in the Republic of Ireland 1997 in the Republic of Ireland 1998 in the Republic of Ireland 1999 in the Republic of Ireland 2000 in the Republic of Ireland 2001 in the Republic of Ireland 2002 in the Republic of Ireland 2003 in the Republic of Ireland 2004 in the Republic of Ireland 2005 in the Republic of Ireland 2006 in the Republic of Ireland 2007 in the Republic of Ireland 1990s economic history 1990s in Irish politics 2000s economic history 2000s in Irish politics Economic booms Economic history of Ireland Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from June 2016 Articles with dead external links from July 2017 Articles with permanently dead external links Webarchive template wayback links Articles with dead external links from September 2010 Articles with dead external links from May 2014 Use Irish English from February 2017 All Wikipedia articles written in Irish English Use dmy dates from October 2017 Articles containing Irish - language text Articles with specifically marked weasel - worded phrases from June 2014 Wikipedia articles needing clarification from May 2014 Articles with specifically marked weasel - worded phrases from July 2013 All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from July 2013 All articles with specifically marked weasel - worded phrases Wikipedia articles needing clarification from July 2013 Articles with unsourced statements from February 2009 All articles with vague or ambiguous time Vague or ambiguous time from July 2013 Articles with unsourced statements from January 2009 Wikipedia articles in need of updating from August 2013 All Wikipedia articles in need of updating Talk Contents About Wikipedia Languages Български Dansk Deutsch Español Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Galego 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Suomi Svenska Türkçe 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 3 December 2017, at 03 : 53. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when did the celtic tiger start and end
Answer: mid-1990s to the late-2000s