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| Spraoi, Waterford City, St.Patrick's Day |
Certainly
in my past life, at Waterford Castle, this day would be seen by champions of
the mashie niblick as a date when you could look forward to better golfing
weather and the promise of lots of course work, with much hollow tining, to make
the greens as smooth and velvety as the proverbial baize on a billiard table. This
by all accounts is the Holy Grail for many a good and bad golfer, as you “drive
for show and putt for dough”, when chasing that infuriating wee white ball
around the 18-holes of a golf course. It is the greens that spoil a scorecard
and never the actual golfer. Like the modern day formula one driver, all
golfers have a myriad of readymade excuses that tell the story of a bad round
of golf.
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| Luke Wadding |
When I
first arrived in Waterford City I was not sure what to expect from my first
parade in March 2001. But I was pleasantly surprised and I believe that I have
attended nearly every parade since that date, missing 2014 to march in New York
with the 69th Infantry Division. I even used to get invited to sit
in the posh seats, but hey-ho times have changed and I now happily stand with
the madding crowds waving my tricolour and rather proudly wearing a sprig of
Shamrock.
Surprise,
Surprise, no not a reference to that hideous programme, I did plant last year’s
Shamrock in a pot and despite having not a scintilla of green in my fingers the
sprig has miraculously survived for twelve months and we will be wearing our own
home-grown Shamrock this year at the parade.
My interest
in all things relating to St. Patrick’s Day grew when I would later discover, probably
around 2002 or 2003, a small statue of a certain Mr Luke Wadding, an Irish
Franciscan Friar, outside a rather derelict old religious building in
Greyfriars. On closer inspection of the statue we can read that Luke was quite
literally responsible for putting St. Patrick’s Day on the religious calendar,
after apparently lobbying Pope Charles I, and therefore it is he who is responsible
for the celebrations we see around the world on 17th March.
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| A green Sphinx! |
Such is the
global phenomenon that is St. Patrick’s Day all manner of “wonders of the
world” are now turning green every 17th March – Edinburgh Castle,
the Leaning Tower of Pisa, One World Trade Centre, Christ the Redeemer, the
Colosseum, the Sphinx and even Nelson’s Column have all succumbed to the charm
of the Irish and been bathed in a green hue to honour St. Patrick’s Day.
I do
however wonder if yet again Waterford is missing a trick and an opportunity
here!
As we all
should know the Irish Tricolour was flown for the first time on 33 The Mall by
Thomas Francis Meagher, a Waterford born native, and we can also lay claim to “inventing”
St. Patrick’s Day, albeit as a religious day and not the parade day we
celebrate now, but invent this day a Waterford born native did.
So, two “things”
that speak of the essence of Irishness, recognised and identified around the world
as being integral to one’s Irish roots have a direct connection to Waterford
City. Yet we are still better known for glass and crystal and not these two
iconic images that tens of millions of people hold dear to their hearts on 17th
March every year.
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| Edinburgh's magnificent Castle |
Surely, we
have an unbelievable opportunity to put Waterford at the very heart of all these
celebrations of Irishness and it is a prospect not to be missed.
As I have
said many times before we just need to be a wee bit more imaginative and
creative in how we promote this ancient City that has shaped modern day
Ireland.
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