Wednesday 17 October 2007

Irish Souvenirs



My husband has just been to Ireland for his work. He went to a part of Belfast, and reports that the IRA are still up to various activities, but you don't hear about this in the press. This is from talking to people in pubs round there. Apparently the infrastructure is still there and an ex-member was running the factory he was working in and said 'Just leave your' (very expensive) 'tools there, and no-one will touch them' and no-one did. On several occasions this week he has phoned me up a bit worse for wear after being drinking in the pubs. He reports that the Irish are very sociable and he was approached by many people in the pubs as one of the 'English lads' and also that they are energetic and crazy dancers. While not exactly dancing Irish jigs apparently he has never seen anything like the country dancing. He has brought us back some presents. Eleanor has got a new Irish shamrock hanging jewel for her new phone and I have got a celtic necklace.

5 comments:

lebanesa said...

They look pretty, especially the celtic necklace. Must be lovely to have him back, bet the children are pleased.
Not surprising about the IRA really, people don't give up their gangs and illegal activities easily. They are used to power and having things their way in the local community. It's human nature - what else are they going to do to earn a living? Awful - just awful.
I feel sorry for the civilians who have to put up with extortion and threats and the rest.

Bobbie said...

I love these. Are they glass? I don't know why we have to have violence. It is completely un-understandable to me. I pray for world peace every day.

laurie said...

i hope that's all talk and no action with the IRA. there have been such amazing strides in the peace process there in the last couple of years--who ever thought that ian paisley and gerry adams would work together?

love the necklaces.

shep said...

Beverly / Eleanor
Well I'm at the other end of the country, and we all have our own specific types of dancing that we do. Myself, I do a bit of set dancing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_dance), which is a structured dance ... not that wild, but lots of swinging and moving about. It's easier to do it that to watch it. But dancing in a pub ... that can be pretty hairy at times alright.

Bev said...

Thanks for your comment Shep. Great to have an authentic Irish comment! You do seem to go in for dancing in a big way, which is virtuallu unheard of here in England, at least in the pubs I go in.