Statues commemorating the Irish Famine outside of the financial hub in the Irish capital, the IFSC. The Irish Famine saw a million Irish die due to starvation and a million more emigrate. Over 100,000 Irish are expected to emigrate due to the financial crisis the country faces. 

A view of the Belmayne Development in North County Dublin, one of the thousands of ghost estates across Ireland. The Irish government estimates the figure of empty houses around Ireland at being close to 300,000.

Members of the People Before Profit Alliance, protesting against NAMA, the National Asset Management Association. NAMA is a state initiative and effectively a 'bad bank', controlling non-performing assets.

A sign with 'High rents are killing our jobs' features on Dublin's most sought after shopping real estate, Grafton Street.

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, left, and The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan (now deceased) speak to the media at government buildings on Nov 21, 2010, admitting they applied for an €85bn IMF-EU bailout.

The Irish Prime Minister and Finance Minister Brian Lenihan (now deceased) depicted on a wall in South Dublin as the Blues Brothers. The government unveiled a raft of austerity measures included tax cuts, a property tax and a reduction in minimum wage.

A sign saying 'Grand Theft NAMA', playing on the popular computer game 'Grand Theft Auto', on the side of a building in Dublin.

As part of an art installation with Absolut Fringe in Dublin, artist Fergal McCarthy brought 'Liffeytown' - 11 red and green houses to Dublin's Liffey river, commentating on the boom and crash of the Irish property market.

The signage is removed from the bank at the heart of the Irish financial meltdown. Anglo Irish Bank went into wind down mode in 2008 and closed its Dublin headquarters in 2011. 

An auction in Dublin at the end of 2011, where buyers cashed in on bargains. €52 million worth of property was sold, with 72% not requiring finance for the purchases.