Irish for the day ...

I saw this badge when I was looking for a good picture to illustrate this post on St Patrick's Day. It just summed up how I felt today. I don't mean that in a negative way.

Being a Catholic in England, it's very difficult not to be aware of St Patrick's Day. I usually feel slightly envious of all the Irish Catholics on this day. They have this great attitude to the Feast of their Patron Saint. Celebrate with Mass and have a party! What more could you ask for really.

Being English, I think we miss out on this. We don't have the same attitude to St George and not being 'exiles in a foreign land' means we don't have the same nostalgia for the land we left behind.

I was listening to all the lovely old Irish folk tunes today and I can't think of any English songs that evoke the same feelings of nostalgia. Yes, they are sentimental but that is their attraction. Mixed in with these old ballads we often hear the lively Irish jigs. Again, who can keep still when they hear the old fiddler playing these tunes?

What do we have to celebrate England in terms of music? It may be just me but all that comes to mind are fairly militaristic tunes - Land of Hope and Glory, Rule Britannia, Jerusalem etc.

Whilst all being good 'stirring' songs, they are just not in the same category as the Irish songs like Danny Boy, The Spinning Wheel, When Irish Eyes are Smiling etc.

Anyway, as my Irish friends are colleagues are very happy to include me in their celebrations I was happy to be 'Irish for the day' today and joined in all the celebrations with gusto.