St Patrick's Day
11 March 2003 20:35![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mandragoraI don't get it. My family is sufficiently Irish that it's Tradition to name one male per generation 'Patrick', somewhere down the line. But, um, St Patrick's Day? Why?
Don't get me wrong, it's fun and all. But I can't help feeling that it's a fake celebration. The Irish themselves don't go as overboard on St Patrick's Day as people do in some other countries - oh hell, I might as well name names, by 'some other countries' I mean the US. I was in New York on St Patrick's Day once and had tremendous fun putting on a fake Irish accent and claiming free drinks at bar after bar after bar... Hey, was it my fault that most New Yorkers couldn't tell that the accent was fake? Especially as the name is authentically Irish *g*.
I can understand why there's a big celebration in New York, seeing as there's a large Irish-descent community there, but from what I can gather there is much wearing of shamrocks and green throughout the US, by people who have zero connection to Ireland. Presumably they enjoy the green beer *snerk*.
And what has set off this curmudgeonly, bad-tempered, kill-joy, bitchy rant (besides the fact that I am definitely coming down with some horrible lurgy)? It's the St Patrick's Day challenges/stories I see issuing forth onto mailing lists in fandoms that have zero connection to Ireland, St Patrick, or Irishness in general. I wouldn't mind if I'd read a good St Patrick's Day story. Alas, these are sadly lacking to date.
Don't get me wrong, it's fun and all. But I can't help feeling that it's a fake celebration. The Irish themselves don't go as overboard on St Patrick's Day as people do in some other countries - oh hell, I might as well name names, by 'some other countries' I mean the US. I was in New York on St Patrick's Day once and had tremendous fun putting on a fake Irish accent and claiming free drinks at bar after bar after bar... Hey, was it my fault that most New Yorkers couldn't tell that the accent was fake? Especially as the name is authentically Irish *g*.
I can understand why there's a big celebration in New York, seeing as there's a large Irish-descent community there, but from what I can gather there is much wearing of shamrocks and green throughout the US, by people who have zero connection to Ireland. Presumably they enjoy the green beer *snerk*.
And what has set off this curmudgeonly, bad-tempered, kill-joy, bitchy rant (besides the fact that I am definitely coming down with some horrible lurgy)? It's the St Patrick's Day challenges/stories I see issuing forth onto mailing lists in fandoms that have zero connection to Ireland, St Patrick, or Irishness in general. I wouldn't mind if I'd read a good St Patrick's Day story. Alas, these are sadly lacking to date.
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ST. P's Day fic just for you *snerk*
Date: 11 March 2003 15:27 (UTC)Turnbull was on a stepladder, hanging a paper chain of emerald shamrocks over the doorway to Thatcher's office. The consulate foyer was filled with green balloons and streamers.
"Erin go bragh!" exclaimed Turnbull, waving to Fraser.
"Turnbull, what is the meaning of this?" asked Fraser.
Ray Kowalski entered the room. He was dressed in a bright green t-shirt that said, 'Kiss my Irish Ass'.
"We're celebrating St. Paddy's Day, B-buddy!" said Ray.
"But Ray, you are Polish."
"Not today," said Ray, "Today we are all Irish. I am Ray O'Kowalski and my friend on the ladder is Rennie O'Turnbull."
"It's true," said Turnbull from the ladder, "We are decorating for tonight's party. We are having traditional Irish food as well as green beer. Alas, it is green Budweiser as Guinness proved resistant to the dye. Fortunately, Diefenbaker's white coat was easier."
As if on cue, a green wolf padded through the room with a donut in his mouth.
Ray then added, "The best part about the party is that Vecchio has forgotten it's St. Patrick's Day and thus forgot to wear green."
"Oh?" asked Fraser.
"That means we get to pinch him!" said Turnbull, "It is the tradition here to pinch someone who is not clad in green today."
Ray grinned. "And that nice butt of his is begging for a pinch."
Fraser smiled and said, "well, perhaps that is a fine idea after all."
Re: ST. P's Day fic just for you *snerk*
Date: 11 March 2003 23:51 (UTC)Now see, if the St Paddy's fics had all been like this I wouldn't mind them a bit.
Thanks for the giggle, cheered me up no end. For I am sick. Definitely unwell. Now am off to court, drugged up to the eyeballs. Sigh.