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That's outside the big cities and major towns like London, Birmingham, Bradford, Leicester, Luton, Oldham, Slough, etc. I very much doubt you saw them "everywhere" in Shepherds Bush. Next time you're in England pay a visit to your namesake Aston (Birmingham) and then talk. Until then, one has to wonder why you left England in the first place? Those who took flight (whether out of the country or out of the major cities) are in no position to comment on how things are now for those they left behind if they're going to base their view on distant memories or a desire to virtue signal. Do your homework and acknowledge what it's become.
[Post edited 16 Mar 16:52]
The Aston comes from the fact I used to live there, I did indeed visit there. You sound very scared, I hope you can overcome it
Best not to think about these things too much and just enjoy the party.
The new Irish President has been referring to him as Patrick rather than Saint Patrick and I am now worried he is going the get the Mountbatten Windsor treatment.
If he does make an annual appearance could he focus lees on snakes and holy well installation and more on the cost of a pint of Guinness these days?
Best not to think about these things too much and just enjoy the party.
The new Irish President has been referring to him as Patrick rather than Saint Patrick and I am now worried he is going the get the Mountbatten Windsor treatment.
If he does make an annual appearance could he focus lees on snakes and holy well installation and more on the cost of a pint of Guinness these days?
Was St. Patrick a rude, entitled, arrogant, non-sweating, alleged nonce, and friend of paedos too?
The Aston comes from the fact I used to live there, I did indeed visit there. You sound very scared, I hope you can overcome it
[Post edited 17 Mar 1:07]
If you visited Aston then you know full well that there aren't St. George's flags everywhere you go in the country, contrary to what you claimed in your earlier post.
The only folk who are scared are those afraid to broach the issue, those attempting to cancel others who do want a conversation, and those who simply ran away like rats from a river.
Anyway, Happy St. Patrick's Day to the Irish contingent.
I'm half Irish and half English so have thought about this a lot over the years. St Patrick's Day is a celebration of a nationhood and identity that was denied for 800 years as Ireland was subjugated, exploited, starved and even denied its native language. In light of that dark history (and the legacy of emigration) it's easy to see why it's a celebration all over the world. St George's Day doesn't really have a strong enough identity. George is the patron Saint of England, but also Georgia, Portugal, Ethiopia, Palestine, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Greece. Oh and Catalonia too. England is not a nation, it's part of the United Kingdom so what exactly are we supposed to celebrate on that day? In the town I live in, we usually get a few drunk fat blokes in England shirts marching down the street with flags singing the Dambusters theme or 'No Surrender to the IRA'. Most people ignore them and don't wish to be associated with behaviour that is anti something rather than FOR something positive and inclusive. I wish they would call it Shakespeare's Birthday rather than St George's Day. It's the same day (23 April), Shakespeare was undeniably English and transformed our language from what was then considered low doggerel into the highest form of poetic expression. We could all get behind a holiday in his name and use it to celebrate whatever Englishness means to ourselves in a non-political and unifying way.
Pedant alert - but St George is not the patron saint of Serbia, Bulgaria or Bosnia and Hercegovina (nor the Republic of Srpksa). He is highly venerated in those countries though; in Serbia he has two separate 'days' - one in May and one in November. I'd also disagree with your view that England is not a nation, but that's not pertinent to the discussion regarding the celebration of St. George's Day, or lack thereof.
If you visited Aston then you know full well that there aren't St. George's flags everywhere you go in the country, contrary to what you claimed in your earlier post.
The only folk who are scared are those afraid to broach the issue, those attempting to cancel others who do want a conversation, and those who simply ran away like rats from a river.
Anyway, Happy St. Patrick's Day to the Irish contingent.
I'm sorry to break it to you, but I did see some in Aston, no contrary for me. Less of the rat too, be a decent human. It costs nothing.
When St Patrick went from Liverpool to Ireland there wasn't a direct ferry, so he stopped off here in the iom on the way, introducing Christianity and banishing snakes and magicians. We have St Patrick's isle, where he landed (coincidence, eh?), a St Patrick's chair etc. But we didn't make him our patron Saint, although, theoretically, we had first dibs. I think it was because we're not that bothered about Guinness, tbh.
Danny Boy is a lovely song, best heard I think in composer Percy Grainger's adaptation Irish Tune From County Derry with lovely harmonic elision. The man who wrote the words, Fred Weatherly is surprisingly, English. His most famous song - Roses of Picardy, very popular with troops in WWI. Anyhow, happy St Pat's. It's a bit quiet in Hammersmith but it's early yet.
When St Patrick went from Liverpool to Ireland there wasn't a direct ferry, so he stopped off here in the iom on the way, introducing Christianity and banishing snakes and magicians. We have St Patrick's isle, where he landed (coincidence, eh?), a St Patrick's chair etc. But we didn't make him our patron Saint, although, theoretically, we had first dibs. I think it was because we're not that bothered about Guinness, tbh.
Not that bothered about Guinness ? Mother's Milk ?
I'm half Irish and half English so have thought about this a lot over the years. St Patrick's Day is a celebration of a nationhood and identity that was denied for 800 years as Ireland was subjugated, exploited, starved and even denied its native language. In light of that dark history (and the legacy of emigration) it's easy to see why it's a celebration all over the world. St George's Day doesn't really have a strong enough identity. George is the patron Saint of England, but also Georgia, Portugal, Ethiopia, Palestine, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Greece. Oh and Catalonia too. England is not a nation, it's part of the United Kingdom so what exactly are we supposed to celebrate on that day? In the town I live in, we usually get a few drunk fat blokes in England shirts marching down the street with flags singing the Dambusters theme or 'No Surrender to the IRA'. Most people ignore them and don't wish to be associated with behaviour that is anti something rather than FOR something positive and inclusive. I wish they would call it Shakespeare's Birthday rather than St George's Day. It's the same day (23 April), Shakespeare was undeniably English and transformed our language from what was then considered low doggerel into the highest form of poetic expression. We could all get behind a holiday in his name and use it to celebrate whatever Englishness means to ourselves in a non-political and unifying way.
This whining about it being celebrated more than St George's day was a big thing on Facebook etc a few years ago. Thankfully its died down since then.
Nobody is stopping the English from celebrating it.
You don't live in the UK, so have no idea about how the English are made to feel ashamed about showing any patriotism these days. Especially the Metropolitan lefty enclaves. Easy being Irish(or a plastic one), Scottish or Welsh.
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