95% of Irish history ends in the words: "And then he was betrayed by..." This covers everybody from Finn mac Cool to the Men of '98 to Michael Collins.
3% of Irish history ends in the words: "And then success went to his head and turned his brains to shite..." This covers everyone from Conn of the Hundred Battles to the Kennedies and Michael Flatley.
And 2% of Irish history ends with the words "And then he made something of himself, but he had to leave Ireland to do it." This covers everyone from St. Brendan to the Duke of Wellington to George Bernard Shaw and John Ford and, well, ALL of our ancestors...
I'll drink to that. Happy St. Patrick's Day, Richard!
ReplyDeleteSo true, so damn true.
ReplyDeleteEvery Saint Paddy Wagon's Day I look in the mirror and ask myself 'Orange you glad you're not Irish?'
Linked to at: Saint Patrick's Day 2011
Sadly but justly true, begorrah!
ReplyDeleteThe same polarisation contrast among the Scots, between the success of those who left and the degradation of those who stayed, is probably even much worse. Worsererer... and would you just pass that half bottle o' the good stuff, now...