Irish patriotism. Best not to think about it.

Bloody hell. What a reaction that last post on the pipe band  provoked? I haven't had so much fun in... well, a few days anyway.

With that in mind, it's time for another rather trivial post, which little Irelanders are invited to take offence at as much as they like.  

You see, any criticism of things "Irish" - as ordained by the ruling class that took power in 1922 -  is met with some rather extreme and bizarre reactions by sections of the Irish population.

You can't question things in Ireland.  It's unpatriotic. 

Even if you noticed your little Seanie walking back bandy-legged from his altar boy stint at St Marys in 1980, complaining of an inexplicably sore bottom, while the local priest was reputed to be "fond of the boys", you would not say anything.   You would not even think about it, for thinking would be unpatriotic.  

The corruption and stroke-pulling engaged in by much of our political class was also ignored.  Indeed, it was admired.  Ask anyone who voted for Dev, Haughey, Lawlor, Ahern and many others too numerous to mention in a blog post confined to about half-an-hour's gestation.    It was because these patriot politicians had an inherent contempt for due process  - a legacy of disdain for past British rule.  That's what it was. 

Likewise, we were supposed to feel a surge of patriotic pride when Irish builders and developers were buying up London landmarks - on tick, of course.   Revenge for Cromwell and The Famine and all that .  The 800 years and all the rest.  Jasus, it's great to see an Irishman sticking one up to the Brits!

Now we are paying off their loans, in some form or another, while crooked builders and solicitors have fled the country.    We have swapped absentee landlords for another variety of shyster.   

But they are Irish shysters, so it's OK.  

Doesn't it bring a patriotic lump to your pants?

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