Friday, July 21, 2006
How Catholics might celebrate Guy Fawkes…
Been spending too much time reading that Guido guy recently. But this looks like an interesting diversion.
Mick Fealty @ 07:05 AM
He says that the Northern Irish celebrate Guy Fawkes Day. I don’t think any of them do, do they?
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 08:30 AMHe also suggests making a model of some buildings which didn’t exist in 1605.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 08:54 AM...and the british parliament buildings aren’t even made of gingerbread!
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 09:06 AM...and if you put fireworks in your gingerbread you just end up wrecking your oven!
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 09:11 AMIf Protestants burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes, shouldn’t Catholics burn an effigy of Charles II, which is essentially what Fawkes was trying to do?
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 09:17 AM...the sins of the grandfather?
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 09:30 AM“If Protestants burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes, shouldn’t Catholics burn an effigy of Charles II, which is essentially what Fawkes was trying to do?”
I think you mean James I
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 09:58 AMI was once staying with cousins in Saff Landon (South London) when they were building a bonfire in November. They asked me do people in Northern Ireland celebrate Guy Fawkes night, I replied “We would have done if he succeeded.”
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 10:00 AM‘I think you mean James I’
My bad!!!, but you know what I mean. :)
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 10:04 AMWhy would anyone in NI celebrate Guy Fawkes. It’s an English ‘celebration’. Instead here in NI we celebrate a good pagan festival, get drunk and dance naked around the only all-inclusive bonfire. Which goes to prove religion is the root cause of all evil!!
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 10:12 AMWhat about Catholics who are glad Fawkes failed, or Protestants who are ashamed of what Protestants did then? Or those who think both religions were as bad as each other in those days? How should they celebrate/commemorate the 5th November?
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 10:17 AM‘religion is the root cause of all evil!!’
Amen
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 10:19 AMHas the modern version of Hallowe’en not taken over in England as the major ‘festival’ at that time of year?
Does Scotland have Bonfire Night?
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 10:32 AMWhen asked by cujimmy the 1st why he tried to do it, Fawkes replied ““To blow the Scottish beggars back to their native mountains!”
He’ll do for me. An English hero.Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 10:39 AMpith: “Has the modern version of Hallowe’en not taken over in England as the major ‘festival’ at that time of year?”
The whole period from 31st Oct to 5th Nov is a big festivity (largely for children) with the halloween trick or treating and dressing up kicking things off, then making the guys for the bonfires (including penny for the guy) and fireworks getting increasingly common until the big dispays and bonfires at whatever weekend is closest to 5th November. It’s great.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 10:49 AMNov 5th is celebrated on army camps in Northern Ireland.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 10:55 AMDK,
Thanks. I find it interesting that the old Irish-Scottish festival crossed the Atlantic and came all the way back to England with turnips changed into pumpkins. Interesting again to learn that it now blends in with the Guy Fawkes night celebrations. Just out of curiosity, were there bonfires at that time of year in England before the attempt to blow up King and Parliament?
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 11:01 AMHi Pith,
Halloween is not a recent phenomenon and the 2 always blended into one another. Nice that the English get a bit of Irish/Scottish culture - it’s usually the other way round!
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 11:22 AMI was in Hackney, east London last year on November 5th and they did what he is suggesting (only not in gingerbread). It was a Tower Hamlets Council sponsored event in Victoria Park. They built a massive wooden replica of the Houses of Parliament and blew it to bits with fireworks and then burned the remainder to the ground.
The crowds cheered as it went up.The event had a flyer that said “...finish off what Guy Fawkes started!”
Great stuff!
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 11:49 AM‘If Protestants burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes’
Is it only English Protestants who celebrate Guy Fawkes Day, and burn his effigy? Or do other folks in England join in and not think too much about what it all means/symbolizes?
Hasn’t this celebration become one of those ones where the original reason has been lost/forgotten, and it’s really all about a fun night for the kids?
And while we are on the subject, I’m surprised that Kathy C hasn’t been on here to complain about how burning effigies of Guy Fawkes is yet more proof of the Queen-led conspiracy by the English to rid themselves of all Catholics.
And another point. Why IS it OK for the English to burn effigies of Catholics but not OK for loyalists in NI to do so as part of their celebrations? We get many people (including English people) complaining about the supposed inherent sectarianism of NI loyalists for engaging in such activity, yet here are the English doing exactly the same thing.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 01:30 PMWhy are we talking about this anyway? Its the 28th of July - lets save this kind of thing for when the nights get long and we’ve nothing better to do - like around the start of November or so.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 01:38 PM‘Hasn’t this celebration become one of those ones where the original reason has been lost/forgotten, and it’s really all about a fun night for the kids?’
I’m with you above, but you’ve lost the plot below…
‘And another point. Why IS it OK for the English to burn effigies of Catholics but not OK for loyalists in NI to do so as part of their celebrations?’Can you really not see the difference between the burning of an effigy of Micky Bo and Guy Fawkes?!!? I’m lost for, er, begins with w, mmmm…
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 01:39 PMHarpo.
*shakes head*
What chance do people have with you about?
“Does Scotland have Bonfire Night?”
Aye, it gies near aw the dugs a nervous breakdoon bit.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 01:39 PM‘They asked me do people in Northern Ireland celebrate Guy Fawkes night, I replied “We would have done if he succeeded.” ‘
Jimmy:
I’m surprised that republicans in NI don’t celebrate him, even though his plot failed. Most of those who are celebrated by IRs failed in whatever they were doing. Tone, Emmett, the 1916 rebels, right up to the latest generations of losers like skinny Bobby Sands etc. He would fit right in.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 01:39 PM‘Why are we talking about this anyway?’
Circles:
That’s because the UK is a free country, and people can talk about whatever they want.
Civil and religious liberty for all!
If you don’t like the subject feel free not to contribute to it.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2006 @ 01:41 PM
