Statistics recently issued have shown that the Celtic Tiger economic boom has had different effects in different parts of Ireland. Two glaring examples are the city of Dublin and the county of Donegal.

In the case of the former, it has been ranked as the thirteenth dearest city in the world for tourists to visit. Janey Mac, not only is it the dearest place for visitors, for residents it is the dearest place in the country to die in. A survey has discovered that the cost charged by undertakers for a medium range funeral is two thousand euros dearer than in the provinces, 5,000 versus 3,000.

Those who harbour the time honoured wish of emigrants "bás in Éirinn" ("death in Ireland") should take note, and shun the capital in favour of less costly interment in a quieter country setting.

Meanwhile, the Combat Poverty Agency, part of the technical committee that advises the government on poverty matters, has issued a report which states that Donegal has a poverty rate which is 60% higher than the national average and three times higher than inner-city Dublin.

The Central Statistics Office describes Donegal as the poorest county in Ireland in terms of disposable income.

Some 72,896 (53%) of the total population of 137,383 persons in Donegal are dependent on primary welfare payments, unemployment is rampant at 15.6%, twice the national average, and 23% of persons on the unemployment rolls are below the age of 24.

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