Brand Ireland

[Pauli]

Outside of planning along scenic routes what else do you suggest when our starting point is so meagre? Not having a go, just interested.

We need a total reform of licencing laws for a start in order to allow cafes sell alcohol other than wine. Europeans can never get their head around this bizarre restriction when it is commonplace all over Europe. I suppose it is a hangover (no pun intended) of having our licencing laws fundamentally unchanged from the time the British introduced them. Hardly surprising then that we have similar binge drinking problems.
The long term effect of this is to introduce subsequent generations to the association of drinking with eating at the same time.

A greater integration of public transport would help. Ireland is a very difficult place to get around on public transport as it is. Having a disconnect between the modes of transport does not help address this problem.

I'll get back to you with more.

[McDave]

Anyways, my questions are two. One, when did we stop being a nation and start being a 'brand'? And two, why was this fellow, and all advertising/marketing mediocrities with their fake accents and their contempt for human dignity, not weeded out and drowned at childhood?

[Unless we invented it as well as the concept of cartoon violence,] Branding nations probably started in the US. The first time I remember it gaining prominence in this part of the world was when Blair came out with this 'Cool Britannia' thing (a moniker far worse than the 'C****c T***r'!). There was all this revolting talk back then about rebranding Britain. I seem to remember a similar discussion in the best political circles (i.e. not the BNP) about rebranding England and making people proud about the St George flag, like the Scots are about their flag. Every so often you get some Bord Failte nitwit going on about rebranding Ireland and improving the tourism 'product'. So branding is now part of our national armoury of knee-jerk responses and cliches (along with "in the national interest" and "going forward").

Fake accents: aaaargh!!!! It never ends. The fake D4 accent is the worst "cultural" legacy of the C****c T***r! And it's a sad statement of our vision and self-worth that that particular Ken & Barbie generation couldn't project something positive and indigenous into Noughties Ireland other than self-regarding consumerist self-gratification. Bring back woolly jumpers!!!!!!

[hiker]

Several world landmarks are to be turned green this St. Patrick's Day, in celebration of the conversion of Ireland to Christianity and the explanation of the Mystery of the Holy Trinity to the people (joking, of course, really in celebration of an opportunity for a piss-up and a chance to patronize a nation they believe to be loveable drunk thickos or misty-eyed poet types). The Sydney Opera House, the Empire State, the London Eye etc. will be lit green by Tourism Ireland types, eager to collude in the demeaning of our people by playing up every hackneyed stereotype of Ireland to persuade someone to come here and spend money to help get us out of the sh1tstorm we created for ourselves by gambling like lunatics on the value of bricks (Is Tourism Ireland what used to be called 'Bord Fáilte'?). Anyway, one of said Tourism Ireland types referred to this as being great for the 'Ireland brand'.

RTÉ News: Landmarks turn green for St Patrick's Day


Now, just to be clear, of course I have no issue with the promotion of Ireland as a holiday destination, nor do I dismiss the unique opportunity we are given every March to do so. That much is common sense, even if does involve us lying to foreigners about our 'cultural diversity' (What does that mean anyway? That some people support Man United and some support Celtic? Or that some people prefer Tescos and others prefer Lidl?). Though I first nearly vomited at the idea of Ronan Keating and Jedward representing us as tourism 'ambassadors', I subsequently realised how completely apt it is in our materialist, vacuous boybandocracy, where we have spent the last 15 years holding true talent, originality, and humility in contempt, instead lauding the ostentatious self-promotion of wannabe mediocrities and spivs and various haircuts-about-town. Anyways, my questions are two. One, when did we stop being a nation and start being a 'brand'? And two, why was this fellow, and all advertising/marketing mediocrities with their fake accents and their contempt for human dignity, not weeded out and drowned at childhood?

Rant over. Am I being overly precious and do I need to get the stick out of my backside? Or is my (I don't know what the equivalent word to 'genocidal' is in relation to a career-type rather than a race) hatred at least a little bit justified?

As an aside, I thought this was funny. It would have meant something very different when I was a kid....

Have to agree with a lot of this. I often find my fellow countrymens "paddywhackery" on March 17 to be a little bit cringeworthy.
Having said that, I suppose each of us expresses ourselves in our own way and who am I to judge....

[st333ve]

St.Patricks day green lights etc.

Brand Ireland?

Brand tacky Plastic Paddy.

[fionnmccool]

We need a total reform of licencing laws for a start in order to allow cafes sell alcohol other than wine. Europeans can never get their head around this bizarre restriction when it is commonplace all over Europe. I suppose it is a hangover (no pun intended) of having our licencing laws fundamentally unchanged from the time the British introduced them.

McDowell wanted such introduced.

Irish Examiner - 2005/05/23: Fresh blow to McDowell’s café bars campaign

Pressure from FF donating publicans stopped this sensible idea.

http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer...y432715774.asp

[Pauli]

McDowell wanted such introduced.

Irish Examiner - 2005/05/23: Fresh blow to McDowell’s café bars campaign

Pressure from FF donating publicans stopped this sensible idea.

Irish Examiner - 2005/05/31: Vintners oppose McDowell’s cafe bar plans

I remember the backwoodsmen of the Soldiers of Destiny taking a firm stand against common sense on this issue.

[Mitsui2]

I remember the backwoodsmen of the Soldiers of Destiny taking a firm stand against common sense on this issue.

As on so many others.