Err...New York can’t be a mess if Ireland is a mess? At least, we don’t have a Gerry Adams representing “the people”...yet.
And I stick by my original comment: Ireland is (and always has been) A MESS!
Didn’t seem a mess to me and my wife when we spent three weeks there five years ago. In fact, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Take a trip there some time miss Marmelstein, you might enjoy it as well.