This aul old soldier chip on shoulder routine belongs in the same bin as the Healy Rae's.
You say ORK-BRU has not performed so well, yet then ask why "no exciting new city break destinations" have been launched. Well, there is a new city break destination for you, and quite a decent one as well, and it only sustains a twice weekly operation.
Now perhaps you can do the logic here and understand why EI are sticking to "bucket and spade routes" in a recession? May it perhaps be because they turn an actual profit? And besides, I'd not have considered London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol, Munich, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Munich or Lisbon as "bucket and spade".
But no, we gotta have what Dublin has because.... well, just because. 'snot fair otherwise. Our ego just cant take it.
EI is hands down Cork's largest operator, with a decent network of routes for what is a small regional airport, serving a small city of 250,000.
I'd challenge you to find a city anywhere else in Europe of that size that has similar. But shur why bother with that, coz the aul whinge is far more satisfying to the ego.