Here in Ireland the big Patrick’s day news is that’s your vice president will meet our Taoiseach (where apparently he will invite Trump to Ireland, what for I don’t know) but Pence won’t be photographed with him. Because Varadkar is gay.
That shit ain’t normal. It’s fucking awful.
Not super clear on the meaning of booting out the Druids. Did St. Patty organize a genocide, or just deport them, and if so, to where?
Also, obligs…
“Where’d all the druids go?”
“I dunno mate; they left.”
Unlike snakes, druids were widespread after Paddy. Famine and emigration really finished the old gods off.
In Ireland the wearing of Blue is associated with Fascism.
It’s long standing tradition. The Taoiseach heads to Washington every St Patricks Day. Presents the US president with a sprig of shamrock. And they enjoy a holiday meal together. It’s anywhere from a hollow political gesture to a recuring diplomatic summit depending on who’s involved.
IIRC there was lots of pressure on Kenny and Higgins to cancel it last year. So a fair bit of the noise this year is probably because your new Taoiseach also doesn’t seemed to have considered how it looks either. Kenny gave a little speech on immigration in NY during his trip last year.
But the whole thing was just sort of sad. Give a weak speech about what us immigration policy has meant, and could potentially do to the Irish. When you first arrive, before you meet Trump.
Then go through the motions quietly with a vaguely embarrassed look on your face for the rest of the thing.
I’d expect the same this year.
By US standards having a grandmother who once stood next to a Scotsman is enough reason to call yourself Irish.
I was talking about the meeting with Pence not having cameras at it. In Ireland it is rumoured to be because Pence won’t be photographed with a gay politician. That shit ain’t normal. Pence needn’t have worried, Varadkar is too spineless to make life awkward for a homophobe.
So they are meeting… in the closet?
Hadn’t heard that bit.
But same sort of thing. Its not that these meetings aren’t Normal. Its Trump and his idiots that aren’t normal.
They should be refusing the meetings right out. Its really the only sensible reaction.
this is definitely more of a US thing. I’ve lived in both Ireland and England and its not so much of a big deal, many people just go for a drink and thats about it
All I know about St Cuthbert is the story about the otters warming his feet after him having been in the sea.
I don’t want to know anymore - it would spoil the image I have in my mind.
I live in perhaps the most “Irish” city in America (see if you can guess which one), and I never wear green on St. Patrick’s day (if I even remember the day.)
It ain’t my culture and I see no point in pretending it is even for a day.
I love green, I love drinking, I love my Irish friends, but I’m pretty tired of people claiming to be Irish because they have one Irish Grandparent, yet know nothing about their supposed homeland except the words “Jameson” and “Guinness.”
I prefer the way we celebrate it here in Munich, Germany: they hold a parade on the Sunday before the real deal, with a big open air party at the Odeonsplatz. Partly because Munich has such a large expat community (Irish as well as Americans) and partly because Munich loves a party (though you wouldn’t know it). As it stands, it is now the largest Irish pride parade on the continent. And the Irish pubs can then celebrate twice.
However much I joked up thread. I will go ahead and defend that. 1 grandparent is enough to get you Irish Citizenship. And though there’s more to it than that. In terms most recent arrivals. I have one Irish Granparent.
I have more family over there than I do over here. And I grew up in a community, and a family. Where the bulk of people around me were either originally from Ireland or recently derived from the same. 1st or 2nd generation.
The issue there. If there is one is that everyone claims to be Irish. As an ethnic identity. I once met some one who loudly and continuously identified as Irish. Purely because she had red hair. There are people in the US who can not point to Ireland on a map. And yet are Irish as can be. Because some one’s step father had a 'Mc" in their name 8 generations back. And because so many Irish spread so far around the world. For so long. Just about Everyone in the United States has some sort of Irish ancestry. And here’s the good part. However distant. Or assimilated. Or disconnected. That little bit is enough for them to not just claim Irishness. But to claim to be more Irish than you.
For better or worse we’re Americas favorite ethnic group. And everyone wants in. So they can dress in green plastic and vomit on the neighbors dog and call it heritage.
Weird, it is part of my culture (shoutout to County Cork!) and I still always forget to wear anything green.
I usually don’t go out ‘partying’ either because I have to work the next day. This year, who knows?
Considering that the ‘one drop rule’ still exists, I’m gonna claim every bit of my heritage that I know about;
I genuinely wish that knowledge included more than just my Irish and German ancestors, along with a smattering of info about my Native American ancestors, but that’s one of the many downsides to being biracial in the US - lots of the ‘puzzle pieces’ are missing.
Pretty much.
