Then there is the fact that christianity wiped out the old Brehon Laws in Ireland which were much more progressive than the Christian laws. The Brehon laws were especially much more progressive for women.
Then there is the particular case of celebrating what is known as St Patrick's day here in the US. This is even worse. Irish America institutions and culture is dominated by the Irish American business people and politicians and the Catholic church. One result of this is that the tradition of struggle and radicalism that is central to Irish history is eradicated. Revolution socialist James Connolly, Revolutionary socialist Michael Davitt, socialism in general, these are purged from the celebration of being Irish in the US.
It is not easy to see why. The people who run the Irish American organizations, are driven by the urge to claw their way up into the US capitalist class and elite. This ambition would not be helped by them talking about Connolly, Davitt, Socialism. So the Irish "history" they serve up on St. Patricks day is one that is acceptable to the US American capitalist class, that is pro-capitalist.
This means they have to fill the vacuum. How do they do this? By the nonsense of dying rivers green and wearing ridiculous green hats. And of course behind this is the Catholic church pushing its organization pretending it never exploited the working people of Ireland for centuries.
So I stay at home on the 17th of March. Read something from Connolly, read something from Yeats, read something from Joyce, this I find is the way to celebrate an Irish day.
Sean.
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