Breadmaster is right; St Patrick's day, as celebrated these days, is largely an American invention. Americans would do well to realise that on this side of the pond we merely like the Irish, but don't worship them.
Just to shove my oar in for a moment... British food and drink outlets seem to go loopy every St Patrick's Day, and I must concur with Rosie and Breadmaster's opinion that it's the US influence that fuels this. On the other side of the coin, I went into my local Tesco outlet (and it's the major one for the area) at the end of February to see what I could get to celebrate St David's Day (what with having Welsh ancestry). I was laughed at by staff. When I suggested that, surely, the massive efforts poured into their St Patrick's Day marketing might indicate a degree of 'racial bias' (I stopped short of institutional racism!), I was told "Well, you can buy a daffodil or a leek." I would have replied, but the manager had lost interest and walked away.
Well, there is always plenty of stuff available in Wales to celebrate it, but then Welsh cakes, although nice, aren't as exciting as Guiness, for most people. I think although it's definitely commercial - no-one really minds an excuse to drink and eat, just like at Christmas and Easter.
Right. My ambition now is to plan the mass-marketing off the back of St. David's Day. St. George's Day needs no help, in Clinton's at least, and I suspect is fuelled quite nicely by the football industry.
Guinness USA certainly capitalises on St Patrick's Day over here -- they've shown quite a few ads on TV here equating St Patrick's to Christmas, with everyone getting cases and kegs of Guinness and Harp....
[Nik] If St George had been asked what his birthday was, would he reply, "Nik's birthday"? (NB Nik's email address removed by request -- rab)
[ZK] I'd help you with the American marketing of St David's Day, but most Americans wouldn't know a Welshman if he came up and shoved a leek up their collective arses. ;) See also Church, Charlotte, meeting George W. Bush
[HB] Nowt Welsh at all, I'm sorry to say. Although I have tried and dislike laver bread, I would have bought any (or all) of the other items that you mentioned. I would also like to mention that difficulty my Irish father-in-law suffers in trying to find me a St David's Day card, on the back of my always sending him a St Patrick's Day card. Sceptics, note - he managed it once, so such cards do exist!
[ZK] You need to get in touch with this fine body of people. Who will no doubt explain that it was, of course, the Welsh who discovered America in the first place, a fact disputed by Native Americans who unaccountably reckon that they got there first!
[BM] I think you need to write to these people and explain to them the error of their ways. I've lived in Ireland and the U.S., and while I agree that abominations like green beer are a U.S. invention, it's simply not true that Patrick's Day is not celebrated in Ireland.
(Dr Q) Isn't it true that there are probably a greater proportion of Welsh descent in Pennsylvania than in any other American state, though that proportion wouldn't be very large. Well, obviously, from what you say. It seems to me these Saint's days are used as yet another means of relieving people of their money, like Mother's Day (formerly Mothering Sunday) and Father's Day. I've got no kids, but I have two nieces, so what about Uncle's Day, or Eldest Son's Day. Come on! Oh, it's all bollocks, isn't it? :-)
[Rosie] I agree that much of it is commercial tripe. I was all for supporting Mothering Sunday and Father's Day in their original forms, but when "Grandparents Day" turned up in the shops, I lost all hope for my country. There's a line in Hocus Pocus - "Everyone knows Hallowe'en was invented by the candy companies!" which has, to a very great extent, influenced my more cynical side.
My Dad, being a bit of a writer, would have had fun with a name like that. Get a Greek letter and a Welsh surname - mix 'n' match, alliteratively. In his memory I offer Catherine Pi Parry, Catherine Beta Bowen, Catherine Gamma Griffiths, Catherine Epsilon Evans and Catherine Delta Davies. Nos da i chi gyd (Night, night, all).
[Rosie] I could not agree with you more (the Mum and Dad days, not the Welsh) commercialism has taken over the world! Over the years I have attempted to instill into my children that Fathers' Day is purely that (well, I can't comment on Mothers' Day - not my field!) and, finally, they have come to their senses. I have also attempted to impress upon them that a birthday is simply a date on the calendar. As you know, and I am now broadcasting it to the world, I turned sixty years of age a week or so ago BUT my son (I have two children, one of each gender) made me so happy when he popped in to say "Happy Birthday" and brought with him just a greeting card. My daughter on the other hand brought a bottle of rather nice port .... I am now re-thinking my stern attitude. ;-)
[CdM] Of course it is celebrated in Ireland, but I understand that the notion of celebrating it originated in America. [Projoy] Well, you get the idea!
I have noticed that the St Patrick's Day cards my mum receives seem to have changed from a religious theme, to more of a "Happy Green Irish Day!" with fluffy animals - and these are the ones from Ireland! I do get my mum things on Mother's Day (even though she says not to worry about it) but she does like getting presents. This year I've decided to go for something useful - she wants a new mobile phone, so I'll get her that, rather than chocolates or flowers. And I think I'll make or download a card, unless I see one I really like. She's doesn't mind that - she's very sensible, really.
[snorgle] Religion? What's that? Irish Day (as they are changing the name to next year) celebrates the birth of the first Leprechaun, Christmas celebrates the birth of Santa Claus, and Easter celebrates the birth of a rabbit from a large chocolate-coloured egg. Everybody knows there's nothing religious about any of these holidays! Or so my friends at Clinton's tell me.
I think we should randomly celebrate any holiday so we get extra days off. After all, it's the 21st century, aren't we supposed to be living on the moon, working 3 hours a week and having our every need met by robots?
[snorgle] Well, I was disappointed in 1999 that we weren't all flying around in Eagle Transporters, and that the moon wasn't blown out of Earth's orbit by an explosion of nuclear waste on its surface...
[Rosie] You're probably right -- many Welsh, including some of my mother's ancestors, came to both Western & Eastern Pennsylvania for the coal mining jobs from 1850-1920; some, like the Quakers, settled in the Delaware Valley much earlier (1640s-1700s). You can find a ton of Welsh town names in suburban Philadelphia -- Bryn Mawr, Berwyn, Radnor, even North Wales (maybe one could instigate a name-change to Trellistown? :) Unlike Britain, though, the mining is still going strong. East-Central Pennsylvania has the largest deposit of anthracite coal in the world, and I'll bet a-dollar-to-a-daffodil that no less than half of its miners are of at-least-part Welsh descent.
(Dr Q) Thanks. But I bet there isn't a suburb called Llanerchymedd. :-) (snorgle)Technological advances certainly make life easier in many ways but their effect in the long run is that they simply enable more work to be done, with no increase in leisure. We work longer hours now (at least in Britain) than say 40 yrs ago.
The area in and around Ipswich (West of Brisbane) was settled by Welsh people (and Germans, and Scots, and people from north-east England) in the 1800s; there's a suburb called Ebbw Vale that springs to mind straight away. It was a fairly large coalmining area too. Should be able to remember some of the other places around there, but can't right now.
[DrQ] Hm. Isn't it a bit rude to go slapping peoples' email addresses on public web pages without asking first, or any attempt at obfuscation? [rab] Can you sort that our for me, please?
It took me longer than a few minutes to sort out, for various technical reasons, especially at a time when I'm really snowed under with work and can't really spare more than the odd minute or two to post to these sites. So add me to the annoyed list, and also bear in mind that I do occasionally charge for my time at lawyer's rates.
[rab & Nik] Thanks for quickly eradicating my proof of idiocy. I'll go away for a bit in the hopes that things can cool off. Again, I apologise to both of you, and to the rest of you who had to witness that.
Hi, folks. I missed the fireworks, but DrQu+xum has offered to resign from our Lock Cup championship game at the Lockisseum (he is the reigning champion) as a sign of remorse for whatever it is that just happened here. Personally, I would like our game to continue, but I'd like to know how people are feeling here. Thanks!
[Dr's Q and Lock] Oh, I doubt there's any need for that. An apology was all the compensation necessary, and it was paid in full. I wouldn't try and stop people coming here, even though MC5 does run on my equipment. The community doesn't need an evil overlord. [Dr Lock] Do you find it seems to land on weekends far less than your friends as well? Still, Friday's about as ideal as it gets.