The island of Ireland, where the stabbing of three children outside a Dublin primary school last week led to rioting, is beautiful, often troubled and historically a great exporter of people.
Definitions vary but the Irish diaspora numbers between an official estimate of three million, born in Ireland but residing overseas, and an astonishing 100 million, the higher figure covering everyone of known Irish ancestry scattered around the world. Ireland's population, even taking account of Northern Ireland, part of the UK, stands at just seven million.
Irish people driven abroad, for reasons ranging from famine – the devastating “Great Hunger” of the mid-19th century – to a desire for better lives, have not always been warmly welcomed. No Irish Need Apply, one of countless songs of emigration, provokes animated debate on the true extent of the title’s discriminatory use in job adverts in the US, but accurately reflects a handed-down perception embedded in the national consciousness.
The Irish, therefore, would surely be the last people on Earth to treat newcomers with suspicion or resentment. But let us consider what triggered the burning, looting and attacks on police and firefighters seen in Dublin a few hours after a man lunged at the children, leaving one five-year-old fighting for her life and a carer who intervened seriously hurt. Fuelled in part by social media, where the attacker was quickly described as an Algerian immigrant (in fact, some reports suggest he has been in Ireland for many years and has Irish nationality), hundreds of rioters trashed the heart of their city in a display – it is said – of anti-immigration sentiment.
“Ireland is Full” and “Irish for the Irish”, banners read. Targets of mob rage included a hotel where migrants are housed. For Drew Harris, head of Ireland’s police force, the disorder was the work of a "lunatic, hooligan faction driven by a far-right ideology". The Taoiseach (prime minister), Leo Varadkar, accused rioters of bringing "shame on Dublin, shame on Ireland and shame on their families and themselves".
Those responsible for these evil but unrelated acts are no more representative of their ethnic origins or communities than Irish nationals convicted of crime in other countries or, indeed, Ireland
By unfortunate coincidence, these events closely followed the results of the Netherlands general election showing the party with the most seats to be the one led by Geert Wilders, whose loathing of Muslims reaches depths that make France’s Marine Le Pen seem, comparatively, a cheerleader for inclusive society. His Freedom Party is way short of an overall parliamentary majority but the thirst for power common to all political groupings may yet see him installed as prime minister after the coming weeks, maybe months of coalition talks.
The juxtaposition of grim developments in two seemingly calm, liberal EU states has not gone unnoticed, leaving the pro-Europe, anti-racist left and centre wringing their hands in despair while the right and far right make no secret of their “told you so” self-satisfaction.
Enter the fray one Conor McGregor, 35, a martial arts and boxing champion with a fistful of titles and an even longer list of clashes with authority that have landed him repeatedly before the courts. Mr McGregor is something of a folk hero among those who blame immigration for all Ireland’s ills.
At first, he seemed almost ambivalent about the fury sparked by the stabbing. Having already reacted to other events by saying Ireland was “at war”, he won the dubious support of Paul Golding, leader of Britain’s far-right Britain First movement.
The Irish fighting man soon moderated his tone. “I do not condone last night’s riots,” he tweeted to his 10.3 million followers. “I do not condone any attacks on our first responders in their line of duty. I do not condone looting and the damaging of shops.
“Last night’s scenes achieved nothing towards fixing the issues we face. I do understand frustrations however …
“There will be change in Ireland, mark my words. The change needed. In the past month, innocent children stabbed leaving school. Ashling Murphy murdered. Two Sligo men decapitated. This is NOT Ireland’s future! If they do not act soon with their plan of action to ensure Ireland’s safety, I will.”
The incidents he cited were presented as if interlinked. Ms Murphy, 23, a gifted musician and teacher, was murdered in a random attack beside a canal outside the town of Tullamore in 2022. Her killer, Jozef Puska, 33, a Slovak Romani migrant, was sentenced to life imprisonment this month by a judge who regretted he could not impose a “whole life” tariff. In October, Yousef Palani, 23, born in Iraq but living in Ireland since he was six, was jailed for life for murdering two men in the western city of Sligo after using a dating app to target homosexual men, also in 2022.
One interpretation is that the Dublin rioters haven’t the intelligence to realise those responsible for these evil but unrelated acts are no more representative of their ethnic origins or communities than Irish nationals convicted of crime in other countries or, indeed, Ireland. Those with an anti-foreigner outlook must be bitterly disappointed that a Brazilian food delivery worker and a French student, as well as the school carer, played crucial roles in disarming and stopping the knife-wielding assailant.
Mr McGregor wanted it both ways. He called the knifeman a “mentally deranged non-national” and retweeted a video showing a black “migrant” looter. On the other hand, he saluted the children’s Brazilian defender, Caio Benicio, acknowledging his contribution to society and offering an indefinite invitation to eat free at his Dublin pub.
While hatred and hypocrisy clearly lay chiefly behind the disturbances, disenchantment with authority is also commonplace in Ireland.
A week before the Dublin stabbing, a wedding anniversary took me to a hotel very close to where it took place and trouble later began. During this short visit, it was hard to miss the wide disparity between the haves and the have-nots. In a smart department store, two young and expensively dressed women were pondering the purchase at least one Chanel handbag costing thousands. Outside, beggars – by no means all foreigners – sat in shop doorways, sometimes only a few apart, pleading for money. There is much poverty in poorer quarters, a far cry from the boom era of the Celtic Tiger, and gangs are said to be increasingly mobile.
The issues confronting Ireland mirror those faced in Britain and continental Europe, including of course the Netherlands. Seeking firm but humane control of borders is not, in itself, a far-right attitude. But the complacency and apparent impotence of mainstream politicians has encouraged some to turn for solutions to populist demagogues. Men like Mr McGregor and Mr Wilders come to be seen as promising options however questionable their characters.
There is some reassurance, however. The far right remains weaker in Ireland than in the US, Britain and certain EU countries. Sean, an Irish member of a foreign language conversation group I attend in London, emphasised the point some of his compatriots cannot see. “I’m no fan of McGregor,” he told me. “To be honest, the Irish are not in a great position to complain about immigration given how we’ve imposed ourselves around the world.” And crowdfunding for those affected by the school attack, and the have-a-go passers-by whose interventions prevented an even more tragic outcome, have raised hundreds of thousands of euros.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
How to get exposure to gold
Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.
A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.
Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.
Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.
London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long
However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
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