Even though I have an Italian last name, most of my grandparents were Irish. In one sense, 'nationality' is just another set of labels we give ourselves. It is human nature, though, to organize into social networks of all kinds, and a national identity is just a larger form of a tribal identity.
Mostly, though, national pride gives us all a reason to have parades and get drunk. This page has some pretty good quotes by past Irishmen-
"St. Patrick’s Day Words of Wisdom"
Although I'm not sure all of the "Manifesto" is true, some of the points reminded me of the ongoing speculation about the nature of the island's civilization before Roman invasion.
"The problem with some people
is that when they aren't drunk, they're sober"
- William Yeats
is that when they aren't drunk, they're sober"
- William Yeats
On a seperate Irish train of thought, I also came across an out-there webpage via Renegade Futurist that speculates about the secrets of ancient Celtic & Druid cultures hidden by allegories such as St. Patrick. The basic premise is that Ireland was in contact with other lands in the East. It's called the Manifesto of the BLACK THORN LEAGUE, whatever that is supposed to be.
"In another interpretation of St. Patrick's anti-reptilism, the "snakes" he banished were in fact "druids", i.e. Celtic pagans.
The snake may have been an emblem of the Old Faith, as it is for many forms of paganism, including African (Damballah) & Indian (the Nagas) -- & even for the Ophite Christianity of Egypt (Christ himself depicted as a crucified snake)."
"In another interpretation of St. Patrick's anti-reptilism, the "snakes" he banished were in fact "druids", i.e. Celtic pagans.
The snake may have been an emblem of the Old Faith, as it is for many forms of paganism, including African (Damballah) & Indian (the Nagas) -- & even for the Ophite Christianity of Egypt (Christ himself depicted as a crucified snake)."
Although I'm not sure all of the "Manifesto" is true, some of the points reminded me of the ongoing speculation about the nature of the island's civilization before Roman invasion.
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