They are discussing Paddy's Day and all things Irish on CBC at the moment.
So they are interviewing Irish pub managers of course.
The interviewer just asked a guy 'what's the difference between SPD in Ireland and in Canada?'
'Oh, SPD is a holy day of obligation in Ireland. You usen't not be able to get a drink on SPD.'
I would have pointed out that it doesn't snow in Ireland on SPD, whereas in Canada it usually signals that big March storm that marks the end of the winter. We are looking at 35 cm this weekend, hooray not.
I wonder how many listeners know what a holy day of obligation means?
Really though, I am scratching my head at the enthusiasm with which Canadians approach SPD.
I mean, we don't celebrate Ukranian Day, despite the large Ukranian population in Alberta.
And Ukranians like to drink just as much as the next Irish man.
And Ukranians would probably know what a Holy Day of Obligation is.
'Tis strange.
But not to be sniffed at.
2 comments:
Queenie, I'm with you on the head-scratching about why lots of Canadians (and Americans) who aren't Irish (and some who don't even like to drink) get enthusiastic about SPD and the wearing of the green and all. I mentioned it to someone who is Finnish this SPD when I saw she was wearing green. She said we do it because we'll get pinched if we don't. I don't know if it's true or not, that Irish people pinch you if you don't get enthusiastic about their holy day of obligation, but, something like that could explain what 'Day of Obligation' means.
I always assumed that it was because the Irish and the Scots were here at least a century before the Ukrainians, and the Scots are dour drinkers.
Could be the leprechauns, too. I mean, there's just no way to make Baba Yaga and her chicken-footed house cute and marketable. It sort of makes me giggle to think of five-year olds colouring Baba Yaga's Hut, complete with skulls on the fence and the keyhole of sharp teeth, in school.
Cheers
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