FIANNA FAIL has sent out an urgent SOS to the people of Ireland and to Bord Failte in particular: Save Our Shamrock.
The party has thrown its weight behind efforts to ensure that the national tourist board does not drop the shamrock as part of its marketing of Ireland abroad. "The shamrock image has served us very well," said Mr David Andrews TD, Fianna Fail spokesman on tourism and trade. "St Patrick got the snakes out of Ireland and it looks like Bord Failte are now going to get the shamrock out of Ireland."
Bord Failte has indicated that it plans to change the design of its advertising this year as part of a £30 million effort to publicise Ireland abroad. Fears that this could involve dropping the shamrock arose after a Bord Failte survey indicated that it had a low recognition factor in some countries.
Mr Andrews called for a public debate on the "risk factors involved" before any change took place and said he would be organising a "Save The Shamrock" campaign when the Dail re opened.
The Progressive Democrats' spokesman on Trade and Tourism, Mr Bobby Molloy, also rallied to the call. Mr Molloy said it was strange that Bord Failte should consider dropping the shamrock at a time when Aer Lingus was spending millions of pounds on adapting the shamrock which forms part of its corporate image.
In Bord Failte's HQ, where these plans to destabilise our culture and dispense with part of our national heritage were allegedly being drawn up, there was some bewilderment at the news that political parties were drawing up battle lines over the humble oxalis acetosella.
"We never said we were going to drop it," wailed a spokesman plaintively. "We carried out research in 17 countries last year and in some countries the shamrock isn't known at all and is not identified with Ireland." No decision had been taken as yet on the new design, he said, although it is expected to be unveiled in mid November.
The spokesman then rallied in potentially Andrews worrying fashion. "When we talk about dropping the shamrock and everything like that, it's not quite as big as the media made out," he said, in the soothing tones of a Sellafield fisherman trying to convince someone that the glowing fish is safe to eat.
"I've seen hundreds of advertisements in my time here and the shamrock is not the sort of thing that leaps out at you in any of them."
It seems unlikely that a shamrock free Ireland will prove particularly popular in the US at least. "To be honest, I find it hard to understand," said Mr John Petersen, manager of the Irish Eyes bar in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, which boasts a green neon shamrock behind the bar. "I really don't see it catching on."