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16 March 2008

Happy St Patrick’s Eve

Filed under: culture,ireland — Will @ 16:04

We have two items from the interwebs to call to your attention, this day before the international celebration of Irishness.

First, we address the fake Irish idiom, “Top o’the Mornin”. As Seamus so perceptively commented, it is never said in Ireland without irony, at least in our experience.

The interweb’s smartest community, MetaFilter, offers the following American-style retort for those who are so ignorant as to further this offensive, Lucky-Charms stereotype: “And the rest of the day to yourself.” The genuine Irish usage of “yourself” makes it a real winner.

Second, we honour the best celebrations of St Patrick’s Day. By consensus of the Irish media and historical precedent, those take place in the USA. So we have a few links for your pleasure:

Finally, a St Paddy’s Day research project for our most enterprising readers: What is Gorey’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade? There is some controversy over its schedule. Another article, albeit in a regional paper, implies that it is the most prestigious parade in Ireland. Also, the following notice appeared in the Irish Independent on Wednesday, 5 March 2008:

IF YOU find you have a gap in your schedule this St. Patrick’s Day, due to Gorey’s parade being held on Sunday, March 16, then you might be inclined to join in the festivities in Arklow. Arklow’s St. Patrick’s Day parade will take place on Monday, March 17, and will kick off at 3 p.m.

The organising committee has said that participants in the Gorey parade are also welcome to take part in the Arklow parade.

My google-fu failed me on this one. I know that the Dublin parade is on Monday; we’ll be there!

10 March 2008

A key element of US culture: Fantasy Baseball

Filed under: entertainment,sports — Will @ 21:50

It’s time for fantasy baseball! My transatlantic relationship with American culture will change profoundly in the next week. Commenter Extraordinaire Dave runs the league, and my draft is Saturday.

I dubbed my team “The Dublin Felons” this year. [Previously “Irish Felons”, in error. — Ed.] Before you get the wrong idea: The name is a tribute to The Irish Felon, a newspaper that helped build the foundation for the Land War of the late 19th Century. Here’s an excerpt from the first issue (24 June 1848):

The transportation of a man, as a felon, for uttering sentiments held and professed by at least five-sixths of his countrymen, seemed to me so violent and so insulting a national wrong, that submission to it must be taken to signify incurable slavishness. The English Government, the proclaimed enemy of our nationality, had deliberately selected John Mitchel to wreck their vengeance upon him, as representative of the Irish nation. By indicting him for a ‘felony’ they virtually indicted five-sixths of the Irish people for ‘felony’. By sentencing him to fourteen years transportation to a penal settlement, they pronounced five-sixths of the Irish people guilty of a crime worthy of such punishment; and they declared that every individual of the six million of Irish Repealers who escapes a similar doom, escapes it not through right and law, but through the mercy or at the discretion of the English minister.
The audacity of our tyrants must be acknowledged. They occupy our country with military force, in our despite, making barracks of our very marts and colleges, as if to defy and challenge any manly pride that might linger among our youth. They pervert our police force into an organisation of street bullies, as if to drive all peace-loving industrious citizens into the ranks of disaffection. — John Martin

I expect each good son (or daughter) of Ireland to throw his (or her) match against The Irish Felons. Otherwise, may the curse of Molly Malone and her seven rotten children chase you so far beyond the seventh hill of damnation that the Lord himself won’t be able to see you with a telescope.

In addition, I plan to use my six-hour advantage every morning to great effect. So maybe I’ll even finish as well as 8th of 12 teams. I’m sure you have a thousand questions, so I’ll answer them in the comments.

7 March 2008

Happy Daffodil Day

Filed under: culture,dublin,ireland,sports — Will @ 19:31

Happy Daffodil Day! In Ireland, March Seventh is Daffodil Day in Ireland. It’s a day designated by the Irish Cancer Society to donate funds to support cancer research and services to those who are affected by cancer. Several Anglophone cancer societies use the daffodil as an official symbol, including the American Cancer Society. (In Chicago, Daffodil Days begin on St Patrick’s Day.)

As in the US, the Irish Cancer Society employs Jarvisian skill in PR, bring the government, the media and practically all mainstream institutions on board.
Daffodils
The daffodil is also the national flower of Wales. In a neat coincidence, the national rugby team of Wales visits Croke Park in Dublin tomorrow. At this point in the Six Nations Tournament, Ireland is one of three national teams tied for second place behind Wales. So, on the day before one of the biggest matches of the year for Irish rugby, thousands of Irish fans are wearing a symbol of the opposing team. Nice!

Finally, on a personal note, I’ve wondered for weeks whether any daffodils are poking their heads above ground in the Midwest. I’ve seen them around Dublin for weeks. The photo above was taken on February 18th. Do you see daffodils where you are? Let me know in the comments.

6 March 2008

Sneak Preview: Lisbon

Filed under: travel — Will @ 16:08

If you’d like a preview of the photos from Lisbon, we started uploading them to Flickr today. Here’s the link:

Collection of Lisbon Photos

We’ll add descriptions over the next few days. There will be another post on this blog when the photos are ready for viewing.

1 March 2008

Hurry! Mothers’ Day is tomorrow!

Filed under: culture,ireland — Will @ 18:55

Here in Ireland (and the UK), Mothers’ Day is tomorrow. Flowers and candy are on sale everywhere, as you’d expect.

The Irish-English story of Mothers’ Day is a nice example of the entanglement of the Anglophone countries. Mothers Day is technically named Mothering Sunday, and it falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent. (So this year, it’s abnormally early. I’m sure that many Irish sons were caught unawares!)

The tradition originates in Laetare Sunday on the Catholic liturgical calendar. The story is that, centuries ago, servants and apprentices were allowed to return to their mother-church and their family on Laetare Sunday. motherssign.png So, that Sunday became associated with children returning to their extended families and thus, their mothers.

Mothering Sunday was nearly forgotten by the 1930s, but American servicemen stationed in England during the Second World War helped revive the tradition, and the focus of the day was firmly fixed on mothers alone. Mothering Sunday is prominent once again. From the appearance of the stores on Grafton Street, the tradition is now indistinguishable from Mother’s Day in the US — it’s a standard hallmark-holiday.

By the way, the story of Mother’s Day in the United States is much more exciting. It’s a historiographic grudge-match! In one corner, flourishing in 1872, is the feminist and anti-war suffragette, Julia Ward Howe. In the other corner, flourishing in 1908, is the Victorian sentimentalist, Anna Jarvis. In the grand tradition of pugilistic commentary, I offer my analysis in verse:

Howe’s left-side rhetorical hook
is second to none,
but the appeal of Jarvis to mainstream authority
will get the job done.

Good stuff, especially for doctoral candidates. This donnybrook should continue for decades to come.

21 February 2008

Lisbon, anyone?

Filed under: travel — Will @ 21:54

In the near future, we’ll visit Lisbon. What do you think of when you hear the words “Lisbon” or “Portugal”? Any hot tips?
praca_marques_de_pombal_lisboa.png
(Thanks to Lee Kindness for releasing this photo on a free license.)

19 February 2008

American Politics in Dublin

Filed under: culture,dublin,expat,ireland — Will @ 18:14

I have political interactions with Dubliners more than twice a day (when I’m out and about). Here’s two from today.

First, in the hardware store: The two workers there know me and they know that I’m American. One asks, “How about yer man McCain. Do ya think he’ll win?” Discussion ensues, bringing in another customer (Irish). All seem to hope that Obama wins the primaries and the election.

Second, not really an interaction, but a poster I saw all over town:
canamericanchange.jpg

18 February 2008

Bugle P.I. — Legal Trouble

Filed under: private eye — Will @ 21:00

Editor's note: If you'd like to see all and only the posts relating to the private investigation story, then scroll down to click on "private eye" under the Categories heading. (Or click here.)

Chicago: Tuesday, 22 January, 03:05

Eddie met me at the international terminal in a car that still had about three inches of snow on the roof. I tossed him the boxes of duty-free cigarettes I bought in Dublin as he apologized for being half-asleep. Eddie goes to bed early these days, same as me. He asked me to roll down my window as he lit up a bent cigarette before we pulled away from the curb. Then he drove to our favorite diner in Rosemont without saying another word. I let him concentrate on the snowy roads, although I was pretty wired after dozing on the four glasses of Powers from the lounge in Dublin. (more…)

Monday P.I. — boiled down

Filed under: private eye — Will @ 16:15

Dublin: Monday, 21 January, 22:30

I was in the Dublin airport, waiting for my flight to Chicago, when I got my next chance to stop and think. On the phone about eight hours before, Eddie explained his situation, and he bought me a ticket on Aer Lingus as we talked. After grabbing my luggage, I stopped by my doll’s office to brief her on my trip and on the situation in Dublin. Before catching a taxi to see my girl, I did manage to snap some photos of those “lasers” being tested.

I sat in the business class lounge at the airport, watching the ice melt in my glass of Powers whiskey. I started a list of the developments of the past twelve hours. First thing in the morning, I found that I’d aroused the ire of someone associated with Fitzwilliam Square, or whomever it was doing construction on the site. The second item was a hell of a coincidence: Eddie Washington had aroused the ire of someone doing construction in Chicago. Third, I was leaving my other half to handle the first item alone. (more…)

15 February 2008

SAINT Valentine’s Day

Filed under: culture,dublin — Will @ 19:22

img_0541_2.jpgAnita and I celebrated St. Valentine’s Day img_0537.jpgby putting a tablecloth on the dining table and shutting off the television during dinner. Little did we know that we were blessed by the close proximity of the relics of the Saint Valentine. The Dublin Community Blog has the story.

I went to the church, just minutes from our place, to see for myself. There were no yellow crocuses at the quite dense location (although there was lovely tolling bell). So I took a photo of some crocuses on my way home through St. Stephen’s Green.

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