I spent a couple of months living in a suburb of London, Uxbridge, while doing dissertation research. During that time I had two conversations that went beyond "would you please pass the salt?" Then I took a week to go tool around Ireland. Within a half-hour after departing the dock at Holyhead, half the people on board the ferry had introduced me to the other half, and all had offered me drinks from suspicious-looking brown parcels. It was a boatload of Irishmen headed home.
I rented a car in Dublin and followed my nose across Ireland with the eventual goal of Cong, in County Mayo, where much of "The Quite Man" was filmed. I stopped for lunch and a pint in a village called Dysart (I had a classmate with that surname). The regulars were a bit standoffish to begin with, but soon started chatting. When I admitted that I had some Irish ancestry, they wanted to know "well, who were your people then?" The skit exaggerated, but there's a grain of truth to it.
My niece married an Irish immigrant, on his first St Paddy's day he asked what the hell was the deal with corned beef and cabbage. He'd never heard of it. I forget which was which, but my brother in law bought some Irish whiskey but he'd bought the wrong kind. Apparently it was Prod whiskey and so, not drinkable. I thought he was joking, but he was serious. He refused to drink it. I think the Prod whiskey was Jamison's, but it might have been Bushmill's.
There's an Irish "reaction channel" that I've been watching for years. This year's St. Paddy's day ep was them doing various Irish whiskys and it was a lot of brands I've never heard of before. They seemed to be especially fond of "Redbreast" and "Teeling."
I visited occupied Londonderry, summer of '72. Quiet time of it, only 3 buildings bombed in the fortnight I was thereabouts. Took a road trip to boat ride from Larne across to Stranraer, then down into Northern England for a night or 2, then back to Londonderry, train to Belfast, flight to Jolly Old, train to Dover, hovercraft to Calais, then train back to Frankfurt.
A wee point of contention, offered from somebody who got sent to Viet Nam. If the Russians had come thru the Fulda Gap while you were over there, you'd have earned that thanks, and then some. They also serve, who stand on the wall and wait. That means you. Thanks for standing on that wall.
There’s a Pub in Galway with the name of my ancestors spelled correctly. Dad and brother have been there, alas I have yet to make it.
Yep, fuck SNL. The early years were the only good years. Even if they brought back Mr Bill and the killer bees I wouldn’t watch. Having a cheeburger Pepsi and chip for dinner
In autumn of '93 I sat beside a gal in a very crowded Matt Malloy's Pub in Westport. The conversation went the typical way as... "So who are your relatives?" The more details I disclosed the closer it got to the startling reality that I was sitting next to my cousin Maura who had seen a photo of me 10 years earlier when I visited Dublin. I'd seen only a photo of her when she was a teenager. She was in Westport only because a football game earlier that day. Both of us had never been to Matt Malloy's so this must have been the wee people stirring some magic.
I spent a couple of months living in a suburb of London, Uxbridge, while doing dissertation research. During that time I had two conversations that went beyond "would you please pass the salt?" Then I took a week to go tool around Ireland. Within a half-hour after departing the dock at Holyhead, half the people on board the ferry had introduced me to the other half, and all had offered me drinks from suspicious-looking brown parcels. It was a boatload of Irishmen headed home.
ReplyDeleteI rented a car in Dublin and followed my nose across Ireland with the eventual goal of Cong, in County Mayo, where much of "The Quite Man" was filmed. I stopped for lunch and a pint in a village called Dysart (I had a classmate with that surname). The regulars were a bit standoffish to begin with, but soon started chatting. When I admitted that I had some Irish ancestry, they wanted to know "well, who were your people then?" The skit exaggerated, but there's a grain of truth to it.
Now let SNL do African-Americans ...
ReplyDeletefuck snl
ReplyDeleteI've feel the same way but I caught a few shorts on YouTube that cracked me up. They have went a full 180. I haven't watched show but in decades
DeleteMy niece married an Irish immigrant, on his first St Paddy's day he asked what the hell was the deal with corned beef and cabbage. He'd never heard of it.
ReplyDeleteI forget which was which, but my brother in law bought some Irish whiskey but he'd bought the wrong kind. Apparently it was Prod whiskey and so, not drinkable. I thought he was joking, but he was serious. He refused to drink it.
I think the Prod whiskey was Jamison's, but it might have been Bushmill's.
According to Mike VanDerbough,PBUH, the Northern Irish drink the Jamisons. The real Irish drink Bushmills. The yank Irish drink bourbon!
DeleteHappy St Pat's a day late!
Tom762
There's an Irish "reaction channel" that I've been watching for years. This year's St. Paddy's day ep was them doing various Irish whiskys and it was a lot of brands I've never heard of before. They seemed to be especially fond of "Redbreast" and "Teeling."
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVVLhScRqXU
I visited occupied Londonderry, summer of '72. Quiet time of it, only 3 buildings bombed in the fortnight I was thereabouts. Took a road trip to boat ride from Larne across to Stranraer, then down into Northern England for a night or 2, then back to Londonderry, train to Belfast, flight to Jolly Old, train to Dover, hovercraft to Calais, then train back to Frankfurt.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm the one gets thanked for my service!
A wee point of contention, offered from somebody who got sent to Viet Nam. If the Russians had come thru the Fulda Gap while you were over there, you'd have earned that thanks, and then some. They also serve, who stand on the wall and wait. That means you. Thanks for standing on that wall.
DeleteA most excellent and truthful comment. Well said Sir!
DeleteThere’s a Pub in Galway with the name of my ancestors spelled correctly. Dad and brother have been there, alas I have yet to make it.
ReplyDeleteYep, fuck SNL. The early years were the only good years. Even if they brought back Mr Bill and the killer bees I wouldn’t watch. Having a cheeburger Pepsi and chip for dinner
In autumn of '93 I sat beside a gal in a very crowded Matt Malloy's Pub in Westport. The conversation went the typical way as... "So who are your relatives?" The more details I disclosed the closer it got to the startling reality that I was sitting next to my cousin Maura who had seen a photo of me 10 years earlier when I visited Dublin. I'd seen only a photo of her when she was a teenager. She was in Westport only because a football game earlier that day. Both of us had never been to Matt Malloy's so this must have been the wee people stirring some magic.
ReplyDelete