As a Northumbrian (by inheritance, conception, and residence - if not birth!) who yet has a better claim to pretend to be Irish than most of the show-biz people who make such a big thing of it...
Perhaps it is timely to remember this great single by Dexy's Midnight Runners * - as a response to this B.awful anti-Saints Day of shameless ignorance, embarrassing condescension, exploitive materialism, desperate hedonism, and cultural nihilism.
Other than that, it's just good fun!
I'll only ask you once more
You only want to believe
This man is looking for someone to hold him down
He doesn't quite ever understand the meaning
Chorus:
I never heard about Oscar Wilde
I don't talk about Brendan Behan
I don't think about Sean O'Casey
I don't care about George Bernard Shaw
He doesn't care about Samuel Beckett
He won't talk about Eugene O'Neill
Edna O'Brien and Laurence Sterne
Shut it! You don't understand it
Shut it! That's not the way I planned it
Shut it! Shut your mouth 'til you know the truth
[Repeat, with extra names]
Sean Kavanaugh and Sean McCann
Benedict Keilly, Jimmy Hiney
Frank O'Connor and Catherine Rhine
* Leaving aside authorial intent - my general impression of this song when it came out was a push back against stereotypical and derogatory Oirishness. Thus I don't think much of the choices for the list of authors in the lyrics! - I think a much better could be assembled, even while maintaining the rhythm.
https://www.discogs.com/release/1185203-Dexys-Midnight-Runners-Dance-Stance
As an actual Irishman, I am afraid I share your sentiments re the hideous global sick fest that this date has become. It does nothing but reinforce the idea that the Irish are “loveable” alcoholic morons. I feel embarrassed by it all.
ReplyDelete@Karl - I am glad to hear it! Indeed, I would worry if otherwise, since the only excuse for approving the sick fest would seem to be a desperate craving for attention at any price and *of any kind*.
ReplyDelete