A Nation of Boozers Once Again?

[johnfás]

The Sunday Business Post reports today an interview with Brian Cowen on US Channel Fox Business in which he was asked if he had a message for Americans preparing for St Patrick's Day. What did our esteemed Taoiseach suggest? Enjoy the day with your families? Wishing everyone a great day? Of course not...

As I always say, take it easy early in the day. It’s a long day.

Brian Cowen couldn't possibly be trying to put forward an image of the centrality of booze to our "national" day could he? Of course not.

Is this what we're planning to sell Ireland as, a nation of boozers once again?

[milipod]

The Sunday Business Post reports today an interview with Brian Cowen on US Channel Fox Business in which he was asked if he had a message for Americans preparing for St Patrick's Day. What did our esteemed Taoiseach suggest? Enjoy the day with your families? Wishing everyone a great day? Of course not...



Brian Cowen couldn't possibly be trying to put forward an image of the centrality of booze to our "national" day could he? Of course not.

Is this what we're planning to sell Ireland as, a nation of boozers once again?

He sould having the same adivce to bankers

[toughbutfair]

A lot of tourists come here for the nightlife (i..e pub scene). No harm in showing us as a fun place, we're not canadians.

[Amach na Casca]

Good advice from the Taoiseach for St Pissup day.

[martino]

That's sound advice Brian is giving there and people should listen to him. I trust he didn't forget to mention how eating lots of potatoes mashed with milk, chopped onions and a little seasoning will help sustain the reveller throughout the day, soaking up the alcohol and allowing for a more sustained, pleasurable all-round knees up. Mark his words-the man has form.

[Fr. Hank Tree]

Fair play to him. Always nice to see a bit of authenticity and personality in a PR obsessed world.

[expatPat]

It is appalling that Ireland is seen as a nation of drunks, especially when the country needs investment from abroad. It is time to move on and sober up, get down to hard work.

I hope Brian Cowen lodges a formal complaint with the mayor of San Francisco over the Saint Patrick's Day parade stereotypes:

Irish luck brings blue skies to S.F. parade

"Smith, a construction worker from the Sunnyside neighborhood, looped circles through the parade ranks on a custom-made motorized bar stool as other participants called to him and snapped pictures from their cell phone cameras."

"I can get up to 30 (mph) on this," Smith smiled. Then he pulled a flask from the pocket of his green vest, took a nip of cognac and winked. "I am on a barstool after all."

[hammer]

Stag weekends directly from USA into Temple Bar.

He sure knows how to drum up business.

............and dont forget to have a good feed during the day

[toughbutfair]

saying it is okay to go to a bar and drink a bit too much st patricks day isn't exactly saying we are a nation of alcoholics. Get a grip.

March 17th falls on a Wednesday, who here thinks more booze won't be drank on this wednesday than an average wednesday, or even an average bank holiday. You mightn't like it but pubs are full on "paddies day" .

All over the world people use Ireland as an excuse to go to the pub. Nothing wrong with getting people around the worlld to think of this tiny little country.

[martino]

A cartoon some friends did a while back on their website, it's called 'Paddy's Day, from bifsniff.com