Brand Ireland

[toxic avenger]

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'.

Tourism Ireland Chief Executive Niall Gibbons said: 'The agreement to allow us to 'green' such iconic buildings and attractions must be a first for any destination and clearly illustrates the goodwill that the Ireland brand generates across the world.
'We will use every opportunity to capitalise on Ireland's heightened profile to showcase the uniqueness of a holiday on the island, the diversity of our culture and heritage and the friendliness of our people.'

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....

In the run-up to St Patrick's Day, nine railway stations and city centres across the UK will be targeted in publicity stunts.

[Fraxinus_]

I completely agree with you. The nation has literally sold its sold, Brand Ireland is probably a more apt name than the Republic of Ireland, but people should be ashamed to use it. We aren't Irish people anymore, we're purses/wallets on legs and those in charge want us to continue to consume crap in between regular visits to the pub.

[Digout]

We should all wear black, like when we go to a funeral.

[Fraxinus_]

We should all wear black, like when we go to a funeral.

Was just thinking that. There should be some anti-brand Ireland expression on the 17th.

[consultant]

We should all wear black, like when we go to a funeral.

To meet our hard-working political representatives.

[Gimpanzee]

a w@nkathon would have more class than the contrived bullsh!t these fools come up with.

grrrr... Paddy's day boils my piss.

[mutley]

You know this type of thing wouldn't be so bad, if the Irish Government had a little less contempt for the people in said Countys who are of Irish decent and feel in some way Irish but are denied Visa's etc into the Country.

[reknaw]

Does anyone remember the hilarious "Expose yourself to Ireland" campaign?

[chadmikeymicheals]

i find it all very strange to be honest, and i think there is more to it than meets the eye.

is it a massive joke at our expense? is it a massive celebration of our defeat?
am i just crazy?

who the fuk knows lads,

[MsAnneThrope]

I smell junkets in the air. How many extra people will be required to go to make sure it's the right shade of green, in addition to the usual annual freeloaders?