Sir, – It is fantastic to see thousands of people line the streets of Ireland to enjoy all things Irish for St Patrick’s Day.
It really is great to see so many proud to be involved in a celebration of Ireland.
It would be wonderful if this support for all things Irish was present all year round.
Irish arts, music, theatre, literature and film would much appreciate it.
– Yours, etc,
GAVIN BRENNAN
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – There was a time when the wearing of a spray of shamrock on St Patrick’s Day was positively de rigueur.
Alas, in these modern times, the once venerated trefoil is now conspicuous by its absence on our national saint’s day.
Practically nobody bothers to sport a sprig of seamróg on Lá Fhéile Pádraig.
God be with those halcyon days when our now impecunious citizens were all reverential and living in clover.
– Yours, etc,
PAUL DELANEY,
Dalkey.
Sir, – This morning, being Irish, I dressed my Irish daughters in green. I put ribbons in their hair. I painted the Tricolour on their faces.
We went to kindergarten. While there, I was asked why they were decked out.
I was puzzled. People know we are Irish.
“Because it’s St Patrick’s Day?” I responded.
“Ah yes, St Patrick’s Day, the day to go to the Irish pub,” came the reply. “How do you celebrate it in Ireland?”
“Well, it’s our national holiday, so with parades and music”, I answered, simply.
Various buildings in Vienna are “greened” for St Patrick’s Day and the Irish pubs do a roaring trade.
Is it time for Ireland to reflect on the commoditisation of our national holiday and whether we might like to reclaim the meaning of it for ourselves?
– Yours, etc,
LAURA EGAR
Vienna,
Austria.
A chara, – How cheering it is that on St Patrick’s Day, one can enjoy the surprisingly unusual sight of seeing the Tricolour flown at most schools, businesses, and government buildings in the Republic.
Instead of the usual practice of taking the flag down the following day and leaving the flagpoles (mostly) empty for the rest of the year, perhaps this centenary of the Easter Rising could be the first year where the flag is proudly and prominently flown year-round.
As so many small European countries know, a hard-won national flag is a symbol of pride, its colours a focus of unity, and its flying a celebration of sovereignty.
We’ve earned the right to a little bit of patriotism.
– Is mise le meas,
RORY CROTTY,
Douglas,
Corcaigh.