A Letter to St Patrick

Well Pa,


Here we are again. It hardly seems a year since we celebrated you last. But the sun comes up and goes down and the days pass no matter who is in charge - or not.

Remember you banished the snakes for us once - back in the day? I suppose you heard about the feckers getting back in? Wormed their way right up to the shoulders of the gatekeepers, dripped poison into gullible ears as golfclubs were swung and champagne quaffed. I suppose that’s snake nature. Bit disappointed in the gatekeepers though.
But ‘twasn’t only the gatekeepers were taken in, we all were - thought we deserved … stuff…. possessions – you know yourself. Built D’Arbey’s Castles - all over the blasted country. Of course the whole shebang – never anything but smoke and mirrors- came tumblin’ down and down we all slithered – right down to zero. Beyond zero actually - into the dark side – a scary place, I can tell you.

Mebbe you could pay us a visit soon Pa, do a sweep through the long grass with your upturned scepter, to check the snakes are well gone – or at least de-fanged to prevent the same sorry mess re-occurring. We’re awful sorry we lost the run of ourselves. Honest. We’ll try our best to learn from this debacle. I’m sure yourself and the other saints get pissed off with us feckin’ things up all the time. You’re really very forgiving, I suppose that’s what makes you all saints.

I think this time we might get it right. Y’heard about the horror in Japan? The earthquake and tsunami were horrendous – but Christ, the radiation contamination danger on top of that. They say nuclear power is the cheapest form of energy. But at what price one life? Or one sick child?

I have a dream Pa. An army of windmills marching off our west coast harnessing wind and waves, feeding all of Ireland’s energy needs. Mebbe we’d even have energy over for export! Wouldn’t that be a turn up for the books Pa– exporting electricity instead of our kids!. Ah Pa, won’t it be great, row upon row of beautiful steel giants majestically harnessing Nature’s power, like an army of Fir Bolg protecting our green and much loved shores.

Just as well the world has dreamers Pa, for where would we be without them?

Yours forever

Evelyn