For starters I wouldnt put great store by GB, I recall him once on the Late Late or Kenny Live reading some poem of his own tearfully, and answering all questions with meaningful broody pauses before intense wisdom spilled forth
, arty to the point of ....... (I dunno, you wanna slap him - whats the word for that?).
As others have said The Gathering is fairly clearcut, you might think it insincere, but there's no scam. Re overcharging etc, the beauty of it is that there's no one event/weekend etc for people to jack up prices for. Its 2013 in its entirety as far as I can see.
As another yank said, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. David McW thinks Irelands immigrants should be like the Jewish bankrolling Israel. I understand people's disappointment with having to leave the country, but is the nation's fault as such?, FF and the bankers nailed us, the unions are still milking it, but whats the point in punishing the nation?
I agree that we should be doing more for the Irish abroad, I'd give them a vote, that would focus the mind of the Irish political system.