ST Paddy’s day
With valentines over and with emotions still running high, what else is there for the Irish person to do but turn to the drink? St Patrick’s Day coming up means only one thing to the average Irish person, drink.
I heard somewhere that Saint Patrick himself wasn’t actually Irish at all, but English. Now if that isn’t a dark irony I don’t know what is. The English however don’t seem to have taken the whole thing in like the Irish did, he is ours and you can’t have him type attitude from us inhibits anyone else claiming him. Being donned the patron saint of Ireland is also a humorous thing. St Patrick would more closely be associated with failing livers, the patron saint of sclerosis. I was reading an article printed in an English magazine the other day and the pull quote was “binge drinking in the U.K is atrocious”, some politician said so anyway. Now when they listed the average amount of alcohol consumed I had to laugh, what they called binge drinking, we called a breakfast tipple.
So out with the shamrocks and tri coloured ribbon badges, floats at 2 o’clock in the parade and the football neatly following. Last paddy’s day was great because I spent it sober and in Manchester. It’s odd that the best parades happen in foreign countries. I asked some foreign national friends of mine recently what was the one thing, which sprung to mind when they thought of Ireland;
“Rain, drink, drinking in the rain, and drinking the rain away” that was one response, but he was as foreign as they get, coming from Tipperary. I asked another English friend of mine what he thought was the most common thing in Ireland, he said “Mary Harney, common as hell”. I totally disagree with him of course; I think she is a classy bird myself.
But to be honest Ireland is only famous for the Guinness and the craic. That seems to be the international selling tag for the green isle. Now I think it’s funny how Guinness and the craic come in the same sentence, because anytime I have seen Guinness drank in the vast quantities on paddy’s day there is no real craic, just fighting and grown men getting sick into a super mac’s bag. So as I move on into my spiel about this great day I think about all the people of the country mobilizing to their local, or in the case of us travellers, to the pub that would serve us. But thinking about it logically, when people are at a point of drunkenness that even Shane McGowan’s voice sounds credible, they are just about the same amount if hassle to the bar man. Having worked in a bar myself I can tell you that some of the settled community act worse than any traveller. Then again thinking of it like a logical person should, the publicans should be damn lucky anyone turns out to spend a cent in this economic climate.
I remember from when I was a child and going to the town to see the parade. Thinking back it was a typically Irish effort, tractors disguised as monster trucks. And the winners of the parade were the same each year because they funded it. The only decent thing about the parade was when they threw out the free lollipops to the crowds.
So if Saint Patrick isn’t ruining your liver then don’t worry, diabetes from sweets is very much a possibility. And as for his efforts at driving the snakes out of the country, it was all a lie, there’s still a few slithering around Leinster house, come on paddy, get with the programme.
beanz
gas man martin ... well done !! ha ha ha
ReplyDeletethank you very muchly rachel. i do aim to please, well at least thats what the writing in the dust on the boot of my car says..
ReplyDeleteLove it. I have no Irish in me whatsoever but have some great Irish friends, and they welcome me to every Irish association "do" they have - and its massive fun simply because everyones there to enjoy it, and that fills the atmosphere. My gorjie fathers line were small village people who adored accordians and banjos,the same way that the Rom loved the same instruments (not to mention the fiddle!). So In some way the Irish tunes are harking back to an otherwise forgotten past. With Hip Hop as the alternative its no bad thing!!.
ReplyDeleteThe highlight of the nite is always the dancing girls and boys who do their very own rendition of Riverdance and give a great run for the money. I have massive respect for the Irish for knowing how to be proud of their country and put on a good party. St Georges day falls very flat by comparison. Even with the best intentions we cant live forever, so pickle my liver and bring the party ON. :)
hey ann, thanks for swinging by. The irish are known for there partying alright, and hasnt the government shown us all how to party non stop, and now leaving us with a nice big emerald isle style hangover. having spent a little time in manchester, i can honestly say that while the festival spirit might not be as wild as the irish ones, they still know how to party. i was welcomed and received well by 99% of the mancunians so i can safely say i am with much love in my heart for the place.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a well known fact that St. Patricks day usually falls in lent? Well I have this theory to account for the boozing. Bear with me, I'm an old woman and this takes a bit of explaining. When I was a child we all had to give up that which we loved the most for the 40 days of Lent. In my case, sweets, cake, comics - you get the idea. Well, the adults had to give up things too. The really brave ones gave up smoking (which is why children also gave up being in the same room as their parents if they could help it) But then there were the others who gave up drinking…..so, in the midst of all this abstenance comes St. Patricks Day - a day when you could forget your 'give ups' and stuff your face with chocolate, read all the comics you could find - or, in the case of grown ups… well, you can see where this is leading - had to get 39 days of drinking done in one day. So, my theory goes, that even if folks no longer give up anything for Lent - (if they can even remember what Lent is for) -they still carry on the tradition of fitting in the 39 days into one glorious piss-up. Of course this side of the pond everything gets dyed green - do they do that in Ireland? Can't imagine a self-respecting Irish man drinking green Guinness……but its 30 years since I was in Ireland - I guess things could have changed???
ReplyDeleteoh it is a well known fact alright lol.i had a great giggle at your post i must say. Some people over do dye the guiness green and demand a shamrock on top, but they usually carry sterlin ;) . i was in manchester two years ago for paddy's day, and it was great craic. The beer was cheaper over there and the Irish centre played Irish music the whole night long, then i headed off to the city for some clubbing till 6am. unfortunately the clubs finish here at 2.30am. dublin has a great st patricks day parade and pub entertainment programme, but i think the one i need to go to is in new york.its weird how the best paddy's day events happen in other countries lol..
ReplyDeleteBeanz
haha thats good martin
ReplyDelete