St Patricks Day: Celebrating what it is to be Irish everywhere except NI (where we can’t agree what it means)

St Patricks Day is a celebration almost everywhere in the world, except, you guessed it, Northern Ireland. Each year we are entertained to our usual dour cold war over symbols and identities [at least we’re not burning down Orange Halls, like the Scots – Ed]. In Downpatrick Unionists are complaining that the festivities are being held on, erm, St Patricks Day, because it’s a Sunday. Well, I know yesterday was a bank holiday and it wouldn’t take much to agree …

Read more…