Unpaid Intern Erin's Guide to St. Patrick's Day in Northern Ireland

Throughout the United States, chain restaurants and mall-based “traditional Irish pubs” are gearing up for the masses of frat boys preparing to celebrate the fact that they are one-eighth Irish.  Along the Eastern seaboard, innocent rivers are dyed green in preparation for a day of debauchery all in honour of a proselytising saint from the fifth century.   Perhaps it is a tacit American guilt towards relaxing that forces us to arbitrarily choose a holiday from another culture to provide an excuse to throw parades, binge-drink, and wear buttons asking people to kiss us.  Whatever the reason, Americans love St. Patrick’s Day and the kitschy free promotional accessories like the ubiquitous green floppy hats that come with it.  American readers might be wondering how the Irish celebrate St. Patrick's Day; those in Northern Ireland might be wondering the same thing.

A celebration of Irishness, if indeed that is what St. Patrick’s Day represents, is bound to be a contentious issue in Northern Ireland.  Apparently, that’s nothing several local festivals and a large inflatable monkfish can’t solve.  Both Queens University and Armagh and Down District Councils sponsor a St. Patrick’s Day festival, with Queens’ festival running from March 14th-18th and Armagh and Down Districts' version running from March 9th-20th.  Belfast City Council chimes in with their offer to the mix, promising a “carnival atmosphere for all the family.” Along with the expected variety of traditional music, dancing, and children’s events is an oddly incoherent line of programming including a dodgeball tournament, a “Back to School” themed film series, and a parade featuring a giant monkfish wending its way throughout Belfast City Centre.

Notable in their absence in the cut-throat world of St. Patrick's Day event-planning are Féile and Culturlann, two groups that normally lead the way in celebrating all things Irish here in Belfast.  While Culturlann appears to be sponsoring an Irish-language drama series several days after the blessed day and Féile have a section of their web-page dedicated to St. Patrick’s Day and Belfast City Council’s refusal to fund their proposals for events, neither organisation appears to offer any programming for the day.

What is an excuse for shameless marketing in the United States is a tightrope walk of tedium resulting largely in tepid programming and political posturing in Northern Ireland.  While Féile correctly points out on their website that St. Patrick’s Day is an untapped tourist opportunity for Northern Ireland, a drunken horde of Midwestern tourists will need more than a monkfish to celebrate their minuscule Irish heritage in the inebriated and accessorised manner in which they have grown accustomed to over the years.   

(Photo:  WKD Poster, Falls Road Off-license, Erin Parish)

Comments

[Phil]

Great post, Erin.

Do they celebrate "Cinco De Mayo" in Ireland/N. Ireland?

I'm going to get messed up for that one, too.

[Senan]

Erin, are you not an American? Were you not raised in the grand ol’ US of A? I’m an Irish-American, and I do not careen around, adorning a green chapeau, a faux red beard, and a pint of green beer on St. Patrick’s Day. At present, I’m perusing Irish History, and I’m learning Irish, which is a long and hard road, I might add. Just because some people in America act like blubbering thickos, doesn’t mean that we all behave in that manner. I am a true gentleman, for I label no one, regardless of race, gender, or cultural difference.

Sure, America has it’s problems, but so does the rest of the world. I’ve been to Northern Ireland, and I minded myself, treated everybody with the utmost respect, and I thorough enjoyed my time there; in fact, I’ll be back this summer.

America gets the majority of its bad reputation from expatriates. See, it’s easy to mock America, while not facing the inevitable backlash that would ensue, if you were to bash America on home turf. You, Mr. Loe, and every other expatriate that thinks that he or she is better than every other American, just because you don’t live here, will sadly never see the good in things, because you’ve got tunnel vision.
Tis true that America is a screwed up mess, but so is Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, (If you want to badger someone about pollution, start with China, because they expel more pollution into the air that we breathe than any other country in the world.), and the rest of this enamoured rock that we call home. The entire cosmos is coming unhinged, before our very eyes, so eh?

Everyone that is reading this, if you want to change the world for the better (I admire that), quit your bickering, stand up, and do something about it. So, go out and join a club, political party, gang, or whatever you ponder will change the world in a positive manner.

Always remember that we are not all changelings, just because the President parades around the world as a blockhead. I may be moving abroad this fall, myself, but I will never represent myself, as you folks do. I don’t appreciate being labelled as just an America, but I won’t deny it, if enquired. So, the next time you want to talk trash about us brainsick Americans, gaze at the figure in the mirror.

Erin, please don’t take this personal. I don’t hate or dislike you. I’m sure you are a brilliant and wondrous lady, but for all that is merciful, will you and Mr. Loe quit berating Americans!

Tiocfaidh ár lá

Ní féidir ach le Dia breithiúnas a dhéanamh orm

[Phil]

I think you missed the point, Senan.

As an American myself, who lives in reasonable proximity to Savannah, Georgia, I can attest that Erin refers to the 98% of drunken buffoons who are puking in the Savannah River, as they do elsewhere across the country in honor of this "holiday". Kind of like buying a Hallmark Card on "Valentine's Day".

I don't think it's meant as a testimony to the American people in general, just to made-up holidays that give corporations the excuse to make money and people to act ridiculous.

[fústar]

Just when you though WKD ads couldn't possibly get any more annoying...

[Erin]

Thanks for commenting Senan. I've been complaining about no one paying attention to my post and then you weigh in so at least I feel like I'm being read.

My birthday happens to fall the day after St. Patrick's day so I always go out then and I have been to that Savannah celebration many a time. I often have to search for friends who have been carted off to jail for urinating in the green Savannah river. I've seen far more debauchery than cultural celebration on St. Patrick's day, which was my point. What I was commenting on is the way in which culturally or religiously significant events get taken over by marketing and merchandising. I'll spare you my tirade against Valentine's Day.

I'm not slating my country, I'm thinking and commenting critically about ways in which we behave. I do believe there is a difference.

Good luck with the study of the Irish language (maybe you can translate that last bit of your comment for me) and I hope you keep reading my posts.

[Robert Sands]

Erin, though I may not have responded to your post about the goings on in Belfast I have read them!
but
and there is always a but.....
I have to agree with Senan. Now I did know that what you were going for was a comment on the mechandising of a holiday. Like you, don't EVEN get me started on Valentines Day but you have and do come off as being anti-American. I like Senan am an American of Irish ancestery and not 1/8th but for me 100% and only second generation. I find your remarks to be offensive. Not just this one but your general attitude shown by your post regarding Ormeau Baths Gallery which contained a bust on a childrens program that you said, "suffered from the simplistic, American driven portrayals".
Childrens programs are simplistic! It gets a point across and normal intelligent parents can then take it from there. I know this. I've raised kids.
What does that have to do with American attitudes towards the rest of the world? To answer that question...nothing! It's a childrens program!!!
Again, I want to think you are not some ex-patriot American who just wants to bust on America to show how liberal/intellectual you are but I for one have been left to believe that maybe you are just anti-American. I don't want to but there it is.
Tabhair póg dom, táim Éireannach.
Pionta Guinness, le do thoil.

[Whisky Nose]

I'm British of Irish ancestry (for whatever that is worth) and visit N Ireland often and occasionally Eire. I have to agree with Erin that St Patrick's day and all these other peculiar celebratory days that are embraced my marketing teams around the globe have a prime objective of unearthing another heavily soiled pound (or dollar / euro) from our pockets.

Look at the advert at the top of this post. Whilst youngsters are encouraged to go out and buy as much as they can possibly afford of the WKD poison, some grotesque marketing chief and his team are rubbing their soft organic hands together and getting ready to count measure the statistics / count the earnings. So while they / their client gets richer, their customers eventually lose their teeth and end up in hospital with liver disease being looked after by the state.

I can imagine that in the U.S. St P's day is as grim a picture as it is in Belfast, Dublin or London.

[Jett Loe]

Hi Senan - thanks for taking the time to visit LTA and comment in such detail. I don't think the blog is Anti-American - critiquing a thing is not being 'anti' a thing - and if you've haven't already I suggest you listen to the Podcast - don't think you'll find it anti-anything - it's more of a 'pro-everybody' kind of show.

I think that the comment that "America gets the majority of its bad reputation from expatriates" is flat out wrong - the U.S. gets it's bad reputation from:

1) the natural resentment anybody would have to the most wealthy, influential, culturally powerful county on Earth, and

2) the U.S. foreign policy of empire which maintains military bases that straddle the globe and which is currently engaged in the destruction of a country which did not attack it.

Anyhew, all that being said, thanks for commenting and all the best in learning Irish - don't forget to visit our friend Conn, down south, with the Irish-language podcasts: An Líonra Sóisialta and An tImeall.

[esmq]

Sorry Senan and Robert Sands, but I don't think it is reasonable to equate criticism of aspects of American culture with anti-Americanism. That's the same step in logic that has deterred citizens from looking critically at US foreign policy for far too long, and consequently helped put us in the "screwed up mess" we're in. And as for where "the majority of its bad reputation" comes from, I'm fairly certain that US foreign and economic policy has far more to do with that than some ex-pats expressing critical thought with a sense of humor.

[angel lopez]

second that emotion, esme………the fact that these readers can take offense at a clever, fun post, an american poking a bit of fun (and also inviting a bit of challenging thought) re some of her country’s cultural practices, is really astonishing! And, explains at lot about what is wrong with our country.
Offensive is not LTA….
offensive is the kind of mentality that attacks others for free speech and thought…
offensive is the hair-trigger supercilious readiness to read “insult to America” at the most innocent of comments
offensive is participating (in even the smallest way, e.g., comment to a post) in any efforts to discourage questioning or commenting on cultural, societal, or governmental practices…
offensive is millions of decent, caring Americans, taught from the gasping of the first breath not to question authority, who voted in a government whose policies have resulted in the maiming and killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent people.
I am sure you are good and decent people yourselves, and I have no idea if you voted for W or not, but the point is……..if you want to get upset about something, don’t get upset about a thoughtful, clever post from a person that you don’t even know, who may have given more to the cause of uplifting fellow Americans (or even Irish!) than you can imagine. If you want to get upset, let’s get upset together, Americans side by side, about the condition our country is in, and work together to change it. Peace, brothers.

[mrx]

look, its paddys day, you hook up with mates and go on a pub crawl... its that simple

[Keith]

Erin

A year ago (on 18th March..your birthday) I emailed Jett and Wayne as I was waiting for the new podcast to arrive...and it hadn't Habitually it used to arrive every weekend. It was an anxious day as I was getting legally tied to the "other half" in a civil partnershp. As we are anti social creatures we went for the minimum in ceremonial matters...2 witnesses and the registrar..more than enough for us. And now I read it is also your birthday. I will now look on the anniversary with fondness... knownig that the intern is also celebrating...but for a different reason..And how are we celebrating the first year anniversary you ask? We've rented an apartment in Belfast city centre for the week and indulging ourselves at the film festival! Amidst all the criticism for your posts I want you to know I appreciate knowing whats coming ahead before we land at George Best airport for our Easter hols...god bless ya!

[Erin]

Thanks for the support Keith and happy anniversary. The film festival looks really good this year, we were planning on giving it daily coverage so you can check out our picks of the festival on the site. Hope you have a great time in Belfast and check out the press photography exhibit at the Ormeau Baths while you're here.