For those of you who like cop procedurals with an Irish flavor, Tara French’s “Broken Harbor” is about the Guards investigating a murdered family in one of these half-finished developments. But as the story progresses and more is learned about the family, the story is more than just about the murder but how Ireland bought into its own “Celtic Tiger” mythos and how things collapsed hard (much harder than in the US) in the recession.
Suburban developments like this are eerie whether abandoned or not.
There were plenty of similar empty developments in the US after the housing bubble burst here. I live in the Seattle area and saw plenty of them. One was actually right behind my old house.
Northshore Townhomes: A Case Study in Bubble Mania Development
Just going to shamelessly plug a public art installation I did last month in Ireland which deals with this topic, please check it out. It is called Ghost Estate Model Village.
http://stevemaher.net/Ghost-Estate-Model-Village
Bit late to this party. I remember sharing jokes a couple of years ago with extern examiners and photography lecturers about how you couldn’t go to a graduation exhibition without a ghost estate project.
It’s a bit played out.
Not your installation which is a wittier response, but photography. I enjoyed some documents from people living in half empty unserviced estates also.
A modern Blasket Island…
Wasn’t that housing tract in A Wrinkle In Time?
I grew up in Ireland, but left before the Celtic tiger. One of my best memories of childhood was visiting my friend, who lived on a farm in the outskirts of our town. When I came back for a visit after a few years, it had become one of those soulless and half-empty estates. Still, my old street is now part of a heritage trail, so there’s that.
What fine crack houses those would make!
Reminds me quite a lot of many suburban neighborhoods around Phoenix, AZ – particularly right after the recession.
Yeah, as I mentioned, Arizona and particularly the suburbs around Phoenix had many, many abandoned (often half-finished) developments – probably more than any other place in the US.
http://www.crackshackormansion.com/
Oldie for us Vancouverites.
Good, so I’m not the only one creeped out by dozens of identical, soulless houses.
The product of useless gobshites.
Celtic Tiger turds…
First thing I thought of, and I think the best of her work so far. I mean, I loved “In the Woods” but I felt like the mysteries just sort of petered out halfway through.
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