Entangled geographies of "Irish" finance

This paper dissects the financial crisis through an analysis of financial development in Ireland. Although a single system, Irish finance is split in two. Illustrative of national financial developments, this paper details how public officials aimed to create a financial center in Cork. Exemplifying transnational developments, the role of Dublin’s financial center is detailed, focusing on the risky activities of German banks. The analysis of "Irish" finance reveals the convergence of European finance along Anglo-American lines and highlights the problems underlying Europe’s debt crisis. Literatures on comparative institutionalism and global/world cities are recombined to come to terms with "actually existing" finance.