Lá le Pádraig

On this national day I wonder about us, the Irish people. Who are we? What are we about?

Disillusioned as I am with the boys club that passes for our political system, and the way we’ve become so focused on being an economy that we’ve lost sight of ourselves as society, today I’ll look for the positives.

There’s the weather - bear with me on this. It does piss rain a lot, but there is no one who appreciates a sunny day quite like an Irish person. Of course if the sunny spell lasts to long, we’re all wistful for rain again but hey, changeable weather suits us- it keeps conversations going and has us planning for all eventualities.

And there’s…….

Well, there goes that burst of enthusiasm…..

I’m stumped…..

There used to be so many things: the sense of community, the love of family and the Irish mammy, the craic in the local pub, the humour in the face of adversity…..

But sure now we park the about- to-be-repossessed four by four next to the almost paid for extension and nod curtly at neighbours whose names we don’t even know while we busily unpack the kids without the help of grandparents who live two counties away while we look forward to spending the evening working out how to pay the exorbitant mortgage with job cuts looming on the horizon.

Happy St Patricks Day my arse…….