Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Today is St. Patrick's day - the day Irish and non-irish people all around the world celebrate something which most of us would struggle to explain. It can be described in many ways: an excuse for a session, a celebration of irish culture and heritage, a day off work, a huge american party, a time for irish exiles to get together, the day of the All-Ireland club finals, a great day out or completely overrated.

Of course, the day itself is named after and is supposed to be a celebration of the patron saint of Ireland but while many still go to mass, shamrock somehow stuck to the shirt/jacket/dress etc, few would be naive enough to think that this is motivation for the majority of revellers all over the world.

So if you ignore the afternoon boozing aspect of it (at home and abroad) and recognise the limited role which the church now plays in peoples lives (outside of that 45minutes on Sunday), then you are left with the idea that it is a day during which we express our pride in our heritage and in our 'culture', past and present. People around the world join us in order to show their appreciation for our culture and for what we have brought to their country (not so sure about that one!). But, it will never cease to amaze me that a country of Ireland's population could have such a ridiculous hold on one day every year. It is incomparable but I couldn't be bothered going into the why.

Yet, at least in Ireland, what is showcased in parades and on platforms is not the dominant irish culture of the day. Floats and marching bands might well show off some of our finer artistic talents such as machnas or the talents of a new ballinaglera hiphop group.Trad music and dance will be for the older folks and the tourists as well as a few appreciative young people in the Gaeltacht regions perhaps!

But, most of these events will not really showcase the culture in which we, the inhabitants of Erin's Isle, actually participate on a daily basis. Traditions have been replaced by individualistic preference for X or Y sport, for excessive drinking, for a certain tv series or film. And today I reckon that most people, especially those in the countryside, will still go to mass/the parade, go home for the dinner, watch the gaa, and head into town afterwards for a few pints (or complete steps two and three in the pub).

This, I suggest, will be the dominant expression of culture in our country today. It is not what is showcased to the world in parades but it is what happens in every village and town all over the country itself. It is also what we are most famous for.

And I think it is also a culture which many people are content with. It is not extremely impressive, expressive, passionate, dark or carnival like. It is calm, good humoured and easy going until around 9pm (if all those who have been out since mass could just go home at this time, then those who haven't might actually enjoy their evening).

I, of course will not participate. I did grab hold of the closest expression of this culture available to me here by getting up to go to mass in a missionary orphanage at 6am. The mass itself was all in Bangla and was grand. No chairs and local music made you think you were in a temple of some kind though the priest's accent made me sometimes think I was in Napoli or Bari. So, yes, the orphanage is ran by two Italian and one local priests. Of course, I got the special treatment which included a nice breakfast with REAL ITALIAN COFFEE!

I actually really enjoyed it as the priests clearly posessed the Italian sense of humour, talked predominantly in Italian at the table and eventually spoke about Ray Houghton's goal in USA World Cup 1994 and Henry's sinful act! They were very nice people who have been in the country for over 30 and 20years respectively.

There were a few uncomfortable moments such as the joke that a hindu guy who left his wife and kids to join a muslim woman (a victim of domestic violence) who he had been legally representing, wanted to become a catholic!!! I smiled to myself but thought it was best not to ask if this was not just the expression of true love father?
The other was when I was introduced to a kid whose parents respectively eloped leaving their three kids to fend for themselves. In anyone's book this is pretty shameful (if not unlawful) behaviour but, according to our local priest, this was because they had no faith in the good lord....I understood his viewpoint but bit my tongue.

Overall though I am happy I went...at least for the coffee. I'm also happy there was no, 'See you on Sunday?' or 'Come join us for evening prayer', instead I was just asked to drop by some time for some more coffee or maybe even a game of football.

So this has been my day so far...no shamrock in my ear, no parades on the streets and no messy drunks....and it's been kinda good. Still though, I'd certainly enjoy a quiet one, in McSwiggins or in Conways.

Michael,

ps bizarrely this is also a public holiday in Bangladesh to mark the birthday of the father of the nation...hip hip hurrah!