Sir, May 6th, was designated a bank holiday or May day. The real European day off was actually May 8th when most of us in Ireland lucky enough to have jobs were obliged to go to work and to take a compulsory day off on May 6th.
Last year, May 1st fell on a Monday and so the Fete du Travail as it is termed in Francophone countries was on the same day throughout the European Union and further afield. It was understood that Ireland would have a May day holiday in subsequent years on May 1st and some diaries and calendars appeared with this information. But, lo and behold, our real masters in the UK had their May day on the first Monday so we had to follow suit as we normally do. We can't have permanent Dublin time conforming with mainland Europe because we must have London time. We can't allow Schengen country departants to enter our country without strict immigration formalities because the UK will not accept this. Yet we do control the entry of cows who dare to cross the UK/Irish border. Ach sin sceal eile.
Yet we protest if we are treated as British as we travel throughout the world. We constantly emphasise our differences even though the vast majority of our citizens only speak English and privately pray for the day when the whole world speaks English our language!
I have been all hot and bothered about the NBC promo shown in the US and on NBC Super in Europe over the past few days publicising a week long series of the Today programme live from the British Isles, this week, starting with Powerscourt, Dublin, Kinsale and then two areas in Scotland. Need I have bothered to try to correct NBC via phone call to the US and an e-mail submission?
Could we not have for once done something really more than European and selected Europe day, May 9th (fixed), as our special May day? Maybe we might accept the public holiday system as practised outside these two islands (British and Irish) where if the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday it is not replaced with another day off. But that would be too much to ask for, surely?
Is it time for me to hand in my passport and collect my real one from Merrion Road? - Yours, etc., Clontarf Road, Dublin 3.