Dreading my first Paddys Day
Feb 22nd 2007, 9:31 pm
#17
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: HMP Strangeways
Posts: 5,206
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
That's right. I am not looking forward to it. Perhaps if I were twenty years old and single it would be more attractive, but at my age (don't ask) and happily married, it just looks like a load of old bullsheeeeeit!!!!
Suddenly all of the stores have Blackpool-esque crap on the shelves pertaining to the 'oirish': Dish towels, T-Shirts, shamrock shaped coasters, Guinness hoodies etc. The missus keeps trying to buy me bits of Irish tat because me old 'grand-da' was a mick and we have a very Irish surname. I was born in England, I tell her, my mum was born in England, my dad was born in England, all my brothers and cousins and nephews were born in bleedin England - so why would I want to walk around wearing a shamrock on my shirt?!?!??
I have nothing against the Irish of course, and I do feel a certain healthy connection to that aspect of my cultural history. Now and again I even get a bit damp eyed (while supping Jamiesons) at the lilting tones of Shane McGowan singing Dirty Old Town while falling down drunk as the rest of the band play Four Green Fields. But the idea of 'paddying it up' leaves me cringing. If I did it back home I would be called a plastic paddy by all of my mates who have the same connection the the Emerald Isle as myself. Here I would be a what? A Pleather Paddy I suppose ha ha.
I have recently been shocked by the way St Valentines day has been hi-jacked by Hallmark (kids sending cards to their grandmothers and and vice versa) so I am far from keen on Paddy's day here.
Am I just being an old miserable B'stard or has anybody else got any tales of past paddys days to share to lend weight to my feelings on this?
Tiocfaidh ar la by the way lol
(Joking Dogbyte, don't be calling interpol)
Suddenly all of the stores have Blackpool-esque crap on the shelves pertaining to the 'oirish': Dish towels, T-Shirts, shamrock shaped coasters, Guinness hoodies etc. The missus keeps trying to buy me bits of Irish tat because me old 'grand-da' was a mick and we have a very Irish surname. I was born in England, I tell her, my mum was born in England, my dad was born in England, all my brothers and cousins and nephews were born in bleedin England - so why would I want to walk around wearing a shamrock on my shirt?!?!??
I have nothing against the Irish of course, and I do feel a certain healthy connection to that aspect of my cultural history. Now and again I even get a bit damp eyed (while supping Jamiesons) at the lilting tones of Shane McGowan singing Dirty Old Town while falling down drunk as the rest of the band play Four Green Fields. But the idea of 'paddying it up' leaves me cringing. If I did it back home I would be called a plastic paddy by all of my mates who have the same connection the the Emerald Isle as myself. Here I would be a what? A Pleather Paddy I suppose ha ha.
I have recently been shocked by the way St Valentines day has been hi-jacked by Hallmark (kids sending cards to their grandmothers and and vice versa) so I am far from keen on Paddy's day here.
Am I just being an old miserable B'stard or has anybody else got any tales of past paddys days to share to lend weight to my feelings on this?
Tiocfaidh ar la by the way lol
(Joking Dogbyte, don't be calling interpol)
Feb 22nd 2007, 9:36 pm
#18
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Beyond the Pale
Posts: 963
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
Paddy's Day in Ireland is the traditional time to stand in the rain watching Majorettes stick-twirling away trying to smile their dazzling white smiles while their poor legs turn blue from the cold.
Actually that's if you're lucky enough to be in Dublin. Otherwise (like last year!!
) you stand in a small country town and watch the local garages parade their wonderful farm machinery down the road. Yup, non-stop fun. And not a green river in sight 
Actually that's if you're lucky enough to be in Dublin. Otherwise (like last year!!
) you stand in a small country town and watch the local garages parade their wonderful farm machinery down the road. Yup, non-stop fun. And not a green river in sight
Feb 22nd 2007, 9:55 pm
#19
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Carolina's
Posts: 861
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
It gets right on my tits when people go all mental pretending that they are Irish on St. Paddy's day
People who are 3 generations removed Irish all of a sudden get pissed and aquire a fake Irish accent
My Grandfather was Italian, but I don't go around telling everyone Im bloody Italian, being only one-quarter !!
Feb 22nd 2007, 10:01 pm
#20
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,019
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
It gets right on my tits when people go all mental pretending that they are Irish on St. Paddy's day People who are 3 generations removed Irish all of a sudden get pissed and aquire a fake Irish accent
My Grandfather was Italian, but I don't go around telling everyone Im bloody Italian, being only one-quarter !!
Feb 22nd 2007, 10:04 pm
#21
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Beyond the Pale
Posts: 963
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
Got highly offended when I questioned it
Feb 22nd 2007, 10:41 pm
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Carolina's
Posts: 861
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
I still try not to give a really vague, here we go again look, when someone tells me how there family is British Irish etc..... and when you ask where from?
It's usually a story of how they traced back the family tree to Uk descent.
I suppose I should be pleased at there wanting to be little bit Euro, but it get's so old after years and years of it
Feb 22nd 2007, 10:41 pm
#23
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Surreal City, Michigan
Posts: 164
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
Regarding St Pats day and being Irish, I always smile when remembering an episode of The Simpsons. Mayor Quimby says: On St Patricks day everyone is Irish........apart from the Italians and the gays!!!
Posted by Silly Sod thinking I was using my account rather than Mrs SIlly Sods. This could happen a lot.
Feb 22nd 2007, 10:43 pm
#24
spuggy
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Yellow Springs, Ohio
Posts: 145
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
That happened the first month I was here. At a one of those neighbourhood cocktail parties this woman asked where I was from. She says she's Italian and I ask what part of Italy. She was born in this country, raised in this country and had NEVER been to Italy. I didn't get it and she could see I was confused and got very offended and walked off.
Feb 22nd 2007, 10:58 pm
#25
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,019
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
That is so true and actually a bit of a pet peeve of mine!
I still try not to give a really vague, here we go again look, when someone tells me how there family is British Irish etc..... and when you ask where from?
It's usually a story of how they traced back the family tree to Uk descent.
I suppose I should be pleased at there wanting to be little bit Euro, but it get's so old after years and years of it
I still try not to give a really vague, here we go again look, when someone tells me how there family is British Irish etc..... and when you ask where from?
It's usually a story of how they traced back the family tree to Uk descent.
I suppose I should be pleased at there wanting to be little bit Euro, but it get's so old after years and years of it
haha esp after america fought us and won and now they cling to us
..
Feb 23rd 2007, 1:13 am
#27
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Vermont
Posts: 3,264
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
It is quite weird. My parents were both Scottish, but I was born and raised in England, and if anyone asks I always say I'm English. This baffles my husband as he thinks I should say I'm Scottish
Feb 23rd 2007, 4:47 am
#28
medusas peligrosas
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Couch Potato Land
Posts: 373
Re: Not Dreading YOUR first Paddys Day
And both my parents are Ukrainian, and I was born in England. So I must be a (Y)Uki Brit
Feb 23rd 2007, 1:03 pm
#29
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Avon Lake, OH
Posts: 5,270
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
My grandfather had UK and Argentinian citizenship, I've never been there and I don't speak the language but I still have a lot of family there. When I meet one of the "I'm Irish/Italian/etc" people that have never been to the country in question I break out "I'm Hispanic" No one ever believes me, maybe because I'm a pasty white guy with blue eyes and an English accent, and then they get all offended when I question if they really are X because their great, great, great grandfather was born in X country. I especially like the people who claim to be Irish but don't know that Ireland and Northern Ireland are different countries.
Feb 23rd 2007, 1:09 pm
#30
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,388
Re: Dreading my first Paddys Day
Don't forget New York City. We have as high, if not higher, population of new Irish immigrants and old, as well, of Boston, and one of the largest St. Paddy's Day parades going. For the day everyone is Irish. I'm not Irish, although people do mistake me as Irish, but do enjoy the festivities to a large extent. However, that stops when the train home is filled with puking travelers who imbided too much.