Waiting for the Off

St. Patrick's Day today. Ireland's National Day of course and an occasion which has seen huge changes since I was a boy. Back then it was a fairly solemn religious day when we wore real shamrock on our coats and perhaps a small discreet piece of green ribbon. Nowadays the whole thing has become a huge bonanza for the Chinese and for the breweries. We drink ourselves silly and we spend, spend, spend on cheap green plastic junk from China (where else?).

Today we went to the nearby town of Gorey for lunch in a rather nice restaurant. The crowds were assembling for the passing of the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Needless to say it rained. It always does. These kids had a brilliant idea though. They scuttled in under the reviewing stand where they were dry while they waited looking for all the world like a bunch of sprinters awaiting the off.