Ireland is my kind of country. Literally. My dad’s dad’s line traces 11 generations to the family crossing to America in 1634. And his grandmother through his mother was born on the Emerald Isle. So I’m here enjoying a vacation and a pint of Guinness while doing some ancestry research at Trinity College in Dublin. Now is a good time to be here. The weather is great, everybody is excited that England made the soccer finals, and the Irish guy who won the U.S. Open last weekend in California’s Pebble Beach just made a triumphant return yesterday and is all over the news. And they love Americans. Yesterday my driver from the airport made a big deal of congratulating me on America’s World Cup victory over Algeria. I diplomatically accepted the congrats on behalf of all Americans but I’m glad he didn’t ask me the name of the striker that scored the winning goal. I love the Irish because they are such rebels, and I identify with that characteristic. A story in the Irish Times today discusses a planned visit of the 84 year old Queen of England later this year, which would be the first visit ever of a British monarch to the Irish Republic since something called “the partition.” Sounds nice enough, but a parliamentarian from the Sinn Fein party, associated loosely in past with the IRA, said that “the commander in chief of British forces” should not be allowed on Irish soil till “all British troops are withdrawn from Northern Ireland”. Boy, that’s thumbing your nose! The rebellious nature of the Irish is evident in everyday life. As we were driving from the airport, the England/Slovenia soccer match suddenly popped up on the Mecedes-Benz GPS system in the driver’s view. I said to the driver, “that can’t be legal!”, and he admitted a friend “jerry-rigged” the car’s satellite system so he could watch the World Cup while working! Even the Labor party here is a little rebellious – pushing back from environmentalist’s demands to ban stag hunting with packs of dogs. I’m staying at Bono’s hotel, The Clarence, and noting the strong pub/cafe presence in the city center and abundance of music. The city center is like New Orlean’s Bourbon Street, only I think it is maybe even more authentic here. I will try hard to not get into a bar fight.
June 24th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Jim:
That winning American soccer goal againat Algeria was kicked
by none other than Landon DONOVAN.
Please note that name, “Donovan”… doubtless he is another
American whose ancestors first came from the Auld Sod.
June 24th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Jim:
Sinn Fein is not just “associated loosely” with the terrorist IRA – they are the IRA’s political wing.
Sinn Fein/IRA is an enemy of freedom and liberty. They are a terror outifit that has wrought nothing but death and devastation on the British people for forty years.
Sinn Fein – which is an openly socialist anti-US political party – and the “rebel” movement with which it is associated may be intriguing for North American visitors, but be careful.
Sinn Fein/IRA is a terror orgainisation. Period.
June 24th, 2010 at 12:00 am
We are going to Ireland for a family reunion next summer.
Please don’t drink all the beer Jim!
June 24th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Ted, thanks for the clarification. You are right. But if you want to meet at Hennesey’s in Dana Point and duke it out anyway, just email me.
And Dayna, I’m being careful to be sure your trip is a good one!
June 24th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Jim
Are you going to visit the original Tara — made famous by the plantation name in Gone With The Wind, owned by the Irish O’Hara family?
I’m 1/4 Irish on my mother’s mother’s side. The family name is Mooney.
June 24th, 2010 at 12:00 am
That’s interesting Carl. I remember the name “Mr. Mooney” from The Lucy Show, a role played by comic actor Gale Gordon. This was a later Lucille Ball TV series without Desi in it, though produced by Desilu, and she used the name “McGillicutty”. Now I get it was all about both of them being Irish!
The train station I used today to train from Dublin to Howth on the Dublin Bay is named “Tara Station”. It is located nearest my hotel near the “Temple Bar” district. I had not made any connection at all to “Gone With The Wind” but now I get it again! Thanks! Though I won’t have time to research the Irish Tara.