Irish by the grace of god...

Can someone please tell me why on earth everyone becomes Irish for one day of the year? Being an Englishman my national holiday should be St. Georges Day. I didn’t even know there was a St George’s Day until I was about 15 years old. I definitely knew there was a St. Patricks Day long before that.

Now I know that a lot of countries celebrate their national days. In Australia there are BBQ’s galore, parties in back gardens and a day off from work. In South Africa they celebrate their national day as well. Obviously America have to have some kind of national day. As soon as one country in the world does it then the Yanks have to get involved, ramp up the stakes and put on show that no other country in the world can compete with, or gives a toss about. For some unbeknown reason England does bugger all when it comes to St Georges Day. A few pubs put out England flags and some people dress up in their England regalia on the only day that they won’t look as knobby in it as they usually do. People still go to work, the furthest that most go is ordering a pint of Carling (piss water) in a Weatherspoon, happy St Georges Day.

That is very much not the case when it comes to St Patricks Day. People plan what pub they are going to, who they are going there with, if they need to get their early?! All these are big questions. If it falls on a Tuesday, who cares, we are still all off to get ourselves pished right up. Well is it St. Patricks Day after all. Every pub will be advertising about it. Obviously the Irish pubs will be big on the whole St. Patricks Day thing but that is to be expected. What I don’t quite get is the Bull’s Knackers run by ‘Big Keith’ is so excited about it. Yes I know it could be a nice earner but the closest thing that the pub has to being remotely Irish is a Guinness tap.

I like St. Patricks Day. I have drunk myself into a stupor on more than one St Patricks Day. Do I know why I did it? Hell no. Do I care? Hell no, it was St Patricks Day after all, it would have been rude not to. I do just find it fascinating as to why people choose this day, all over the world whether you have any association with it or not, to celebrate. It’s not as if you hear people say, ‘right guys, 3^rd night of Diwali tonight, must all go out and set off some fireworks and have a party.’ It is great fun though and long may it continue, let’s have more days I say, more more more. That is the thought for today, tune in tomorrow for something else. Laters.