A 26-year-old Galway man who wants to work in social media and marketing has invested €2,000 in an integrated ‘Jobless Paddy’ campaign involving a billboard, Facebook and Twitter.

Connemara native Féilim Mac An Iomaire launched the campaign this morning with a billboard on Merrion Road in Dublin that will stay there for two weeks.

The billboard depicts Mac An Iomaire looking out to sea to a skyline that is a mix of Manhattan, London and Sydney.

In just one day he has attracted more than 600 Facebook fans, almost 100 Twitter followers and has been invited on various radio shows.

On his Facebook profile page, Mac An Iomaire said: “Having tried and failed for months and exhausted all traditional job hunting avenues, I have decided to have one last throw of the dice to remain in Ireland before I am forced to look elsewhere for work and to develop myself professionally.

The dignity of work

“I have experienced the constant rejection and frustration that comes with being unemployed. I feel restricted at only having a cover letter and a two-page document to express my capabilities and I am longing to once again experience the dignity that comes from work.

“I do not adhere to the almost universal consensus that any young unemployed person must leave the country to have any hope of prospering. Experience overseas has led me to a greater appreciation of our country, culture and way of life. I would like to stay and be part of this country’s recovery,” Mac An Iomaire said.

The NUI graduate had returned from a year working in Australia last year and has applied for more than 100 jobs with little success.

Mac An Iomaire says that if he hasn’t found a job by the end of June he will be forced to emigrate.