Survey: Celtic cubs pricey tastes

By Andrew Bushe

DUBLIN — They munch potato chips, spend most of their money on clothes and cell phones, regard their mothers as the tops, spend £48 on a good night out and go on regular foreign vacations.

The millennium attitudes of the Celtic Tiger cubs — those from 18-24 — and their free-spending lifestyle is analyzed in an MRBI survey carried out by six media firms.

Fianna Fail gets the support of 22 percent, with the next most popular party being Sinn Fein with 11 percent. Among young men, however, Sinn Fein is supported by 17 percent.

The poll has depressing news for the other main parties, with Labor trailing at 6 percent and Fine Gael at 5 percent.

The Irish mammy is "person of the moment" for 9 percent and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern comes in second with 6 percent.

Bono of U2 is third with 5 percent, followed by Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams with 4 percent. Fathers are trailing with just 2 percent.

Two-thirds vacationed in the last year, with 76 percent going abroad. Spain is tops for the sun, with a 15 percent rating. For "new adventures," the U.S. is the top, with 11 percent, with New York and Australia jointly getting a 3 percent rating.

Top of the "losers" list is Charlie Haughey with 15 percent followed by Ian Paisley with 6 and so-called black widow murderer Catherine Nevin with 3.

Fashion clothes cost an average of £50 a month, mobile phones £37 percent and £27 percent on cosmetics and toiletries. A lot of income also goes on entertainment, with £25 on CDs/tapes, £23 on computer games and £22 on videos. The Internet is surfed by 55 percent of the young.

The top three TV shows are "Friends" (71 percent), "Coronation Street" (54) and "The Simpsons" (49).

Young men have a average disposable income of £102 a week, compared with £64 for young women. The cost of a good night out varied from £55 in Dublin to £43 in Connacht/Ulster.

Beer is the top drink, with a 35 percent rating. Vodka is the most popular spirit, at 17 percent.