![]() It was Ireland versus Pakistan in the World Cup – a historic victory for the boys in green. I had something of a surreal experience on St Pat’s night 2007 when I found myself in an Irish pub in Finchley (an area apparently as British as a certain part of Ireland – but ironically certain parts of Finchley are probably more Irish than certain parts of Northern Ireland) watching a cricket match of all things. Come to think of it, Patrick is the only patron saint of our Hiberno-Britannic archipelago (to stave off controversy, I avoid the term “British Isles”) to have a bank holiday in his honour in the two respective jurisdictions. Poor George killed an evil dragon (something the Welsh weren’t best pleased with), yet Pat just kicked a few harmless snakes out and gets all the credit. Yes, rather ironically St Patrick’s day has almost become an unofficial holiday in England to the extent that it’s now almost a bigger event there than St George’s day – which has traditionally been a relatively low-key event in its land of patronage. ![]() In a convenient tie-in with the Six Nations rugby and the Cheltenham Festival to boot (now what clever marketing executive came up with that idea?) the cardboard shamrocks are hanging on the wall, the Guinness balloons are out and the silly leprechaun hats have rolled off the production line. It’s that time of year when the Easter eggs have been in the shops since about early January, the daffodils (some of which have been in bloom since early January – which may or may not be a consequence of climate change) set the place alight with yellow and pubs throughout England’s green (and yellow) pleasant land celebrate a famous British saint adopted by Ireland – and I don’t mean Jack Charlton.
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