Friday 11 May 2012

Traveller horse / sulky / racing in Limerick or Cork



 The heading on the video is not mine, by the way -  nor am I sure if it's in Cork or Limerick, as sources differ.  


I had to think before posting this one, for fear of being seen as jumping on the anti-Traveller bandwagon, so to speak.

If you want to test the self-espoused liberal credentials of an Irish person, just say the word "Traveller".    Watch their tolerance and understanding disappear in a volley of expletives through a foam-ringed mouth.



Not that there isn't anything to criticise in Traveller culture - there is.  But there are a lot more things that annoy me to a far greater extent.   If you read the blog at all, you'll know what they are.


I posted the video above as there is such a big fuss about it, on the airwaves and in the papers,  at the moment.   I think it is funny.


Funny in the "where else would you get it" sense, and funny in the sense that - apart from the pathetic Keystone Cops bit at the start with the Garda patrol car weaving ineffectually - our brave boys and girls in blue are keeping a very low profile indeed.


It seems they are adapting Falstaff's philosophy:


"The better part of valour is discretion, in the which better part I have sav'd my life."


And to think that I know someone who is having sleepless nights for going 5 km over the speed limit on the Dublin quays in the vicinity of a sneaky Garda speed camera van.


That's more their style.


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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope those horses where taken away from them in the end. This is cruelty to animals >:-(

Dakota said...

Four legs good two legs bad. This country has really produced them. What a contribution. Why does no one EXPLAIN to Irish cultural hegemony that STUPIDIY and BADNESS are not favourable traits? It is not CLEVER OR INGENIOUS to be THICK and CASUALLY HEINOUS. When it comes to "Animals" on this Island GM, which is which?

The 5 Km, GM, is just another example of why this grand country is where it is.

The Gombeen Man said...

Yes, it is cruelty, no doubt. Although it appears the riders are not being cruel to the horses, it would seem that dealing with the weaving and oncoming traffic is another matter for them.

Harald75 said...

Hi GM,

this stupid race took place on the Main Road from Cork to Mallow, according to the Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0510/breaking16.html

The Gombeen Man said...

Thanks for that, Harald.

Dakota said...

GM call as it is, there is serious issues with regards to animal cruelty in Ireland. A growing phenomenon in other nations but an established fact in Irish culture. Another tragedy. Another fact. Another reality wished away.

The Gombeen Man said...

You are absolutely correct Dakota. I only meant that they weren't lashing out at the horses.

Animal cruelty is a huge issue in Ireland. We've had it before on the blog in the form of maltreated horses and badger baiting.

We also have an obscenely high number of animal experiments, more of which anon.

It is yet another thing to be ashamed of.