I work alongside the events management staff of Fingal County Council and had to calm down some of my colleagues frazzled nerves yesterday. They were (of all things) worried about the weather for today's parade - the one thing they cannot control! So I assured them that by the sheer force of my will I would ensure that no rain fell in Swords between 10am and I.30pm! I was right! Mammy is always right.....
I had volunteered the Story Queen to tootle up and down Main Street talking to lots and lots of boys and girls ably assisted by my wonderful little pal Rachel Barker, who took the role of Princess Semolina. We had a basket full of St Patrick's Day lollipops which we distributed regally to all. Molly, my badly home-shorn bichon freise accompanied me with a lovely spray of bright green hair colour on the back. She was sumptuous and proud and a huge hit with the spectators. The Story Queen told the children that when she woke up that morning Molly had all this green spray on her and Ihe Queen got a frightful shock!
But Princess Semolina immediately knew what was wrong - 'Mama' she cried 'We must travel to Ireland - the green is a sign telling us to go!'' Well. I was terribly tired, I am 437 years old after all but Semolina was right and we hopped onto the next Space Shuttle (which is the second planet after the North Pole). We popped into Santa on the way and asked him to have a word with the clouds so that they might keep the rain away, Mrs Clause has just about recovered from the exhaustion she felt after Christmas and they are going to take a nice relaxing holiday next month.
So Princess Semolina, Molly and I chatted to beautifully decorated children up and down Swords Main Street, everyone there had made so much effort on their appearance. Everyone was happy and smiling and waving and clapping. I even got one or two little girls out to dance with me! A very nice Garda Siochana linked me for a few steps of little jig and I had my picture taken as I handed out lollipops to the wonderful Civil Defence people - who were petrified I might make them dance too!
The Parade proper started the with the Lord Mayor waving regally from an open top vintage car (my regal wave is of course the correct one - he was just imitating me) - there were football clubs, athletics clubs, dancing schools, all manner of wonderful floats and entertainment. Colleagues Caroline Bradley (who shaved her head last week and raised 1400 euro for cancer research) and Christine Mullen were exhibiting their wonderful photographs on the railings of County Hall - the staff of Fingal County Council are bursting with creativity and dedication to their community. I felt very very proud to say I worked for the Council today. And you will rarely hear me say that!
No staff member who partook today was paid overtime for their work. Some will be given time in lieu at some later date, others at higher levels regard it as part of their roles. We do take our jobs seriously citizens, we make mistakes but for the most part your public service is just that - there to serve you. And I'm your Queen!
It's St Patrick's Day - a day to dream and philosophize and we Irish do that so well! Maith Sinn.
Showing posts with label st patrick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label st patrick. Show all posts
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
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
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
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