What is all this St Patrick's day nonsense? Until we see the same kind of fervour for England and St George, I'll have none of it! And another thought that struck me. Earlier this week, legislation to curb binge drinking was proposed, and yet... It's a load of feckin' hypocrisy! bah!

[pen]Boo! Hiss! Anyway, what's stopping you celebrating St. George(if he ever existed and visited England) and prancing about wearing English things, and dancing round a maypole, or something? I do that EVERY DAY! Ha!

[penelope] Too right! I will celebrate St Patrick's day the day I celebrate Thanksgiving. This is just another example of the horrible rape of our culture by vile Americanism. The notion of celebrating St Patrick's day is entirely American and therefore to be resisted.
[Zooological Keeper] Not that I wish to rebuff rudely your cheery greeting, naturally.

American? *wonders why it's a bank holiday in Ireland today*

Scary thing is that we've been invited to a St Patrick's Day party tonight.

No, not by locals.

Hmm, will there be much illegal drink? Or will you be sipping soda water?

Well, because my free Guinness hat looks like an Australian one I'm going to get very confused about my accent for the day. I agree it's all horribly commercialised but hey, it's a reason to celebrate - we don't get that many of those any more, unless you count the eejits who seem to think that Bonfire Night lasts 3 and a half months. [Snorgle] Oh that's you, is it? [Breadmaster] Thankyou. You couldn't deter me anyway, I'm in too good a mood. *does a little nationally unspecific jig*

[snorgle] The celebration is a big deal over in the americas although mostly among the Irish population, oddly enough :)

[snorgle] If you're a foreigner, and not Muslim, you can get a permit for a certain value per month. We will be sipping water, most likely; it's not the sort of "scene" one really wants to get into.

[flerdle] Drink orange juice, it's more interesting! :)

[flerdle]Or tomato juice. Put some Worcestershire sauce into it, and there you go! [ZK]I grew up in Canada and it's popular there too - especially amongst those who may possibly have had an Irish ancestor at some point, or knew someone who once drank a Guinness. The green beer and popcorn the loony lady across the street used to offer everyone, however, still gives me shivers.

[Breadmaster] Please cease from making your "vile Americanisation" comments. This is not the appropriate forum for them.

[snorgle] Lol. I suspect it really is just such a big deal over here because people want to drink a lot, and Guinness want them to. It's win-win apart from the poor sods who run the police stations and hospitals.