Happy St George's Day and it's also the anniversary of William Shakespeare's death, who memorably wrote this about England:
''This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war, This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall Or as a moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands,--
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.''
Took a group of suited and booted footy lads (Millwall,Chelsea & Tranmere) from Borough Market to The Den today for a St Georges Day celebration lunch. Felt dirty driving into that cesspit but have to take my hat of to them for holding such an event Couldn't see CAFC doing the same at the Valley
Heard a radio presenter apologising for wishing everyone a happy st George's Day this morning.
Why does St George's Day feel like a dirty word?
It doesn't and it isn't. Celebrate the day any way you know how. Go on the lash, paint the fence, cut the grass, do the weekly shop but be proud of your Englishness
Agreed, it isn't a dirty word and I don't know why people who like to celebrate it wish it to be seen this way. One of the reasons we don't celebrate it in the same way as the Irish do St Patrick's day is we are not Catholics and the concept of saints doesn't mean so much to us.
The chip on the shoulders brigade look for anything to have a dig nowadays.
We prefer to show the flag and our love of our country when it matters, like when we are in a football tournament. You don't have to celebrate a saints day to be patriotic. In fact I would imagine religion should be a bigger driver. Surely, if people want to go to the pub to celebrate St George's day they can although as you said, us English don't really need much of an excuse anyway.
I do wonder why it isn't pushed more commercially with pubs desperate for cash
I have 2 regular pubs in Plumstead. One of which went full on. With a DJ, sausage and mash meal for all and flags all over. It was busy. The other just a couple of flags up. I went to the quieter one last night. It was busy as well. Horses for courses.
I have it on high authority that the dad of @BR7_addick got free beer on St George's Day some while back by telling the new barmaid that it was tradition to top up the pints up of patrons once they had 1/3 of a pint left.
The reason pubs don't go mad for st George's day is because the appetite for it isn't there if I'm being honest. St Patrick's day people acr the twat, go out drink Guinness wear moronic merchandise and pretend they like the pogues. All too easy for pubs because Guinness have already done the marketing for them.
I seriously think if there was a beer that everyone would identify as an exclusively English beer pubs would get involved a bit more but sadly most landlords and landladys don't have a clue even what date st George's day is because they wont have had a box of merchandise and other free shit turn up in preparation like they will with Guinness
When I used to DJ a pub had me booked every year to play only music by English artists and they'd do sausage and mash, pie and mash and get an ale in called dragon slayer to sell cheap or something equally kitsch and it would be packed
Leave it up to the people and you will be disappointed, keep celebrating the day as you see fit
The reason pubs don't go mad for st George's day is because the appetite for it isn't there if I'm being honest. St Patrick's day people acr the twat, go out drink Guinness wear moronic merchandise and pretend they like the pogues. All too easy for pubs because Guinness have already done the marketing for them.
I seriously think if there was a beer that everyone would identify as an exclusively English beer pubs would get involved a bit more but sadly most landlords and landladys don't have a clue even what date st George's day is because they wont have had a box of merchandise and other free shit turn up in preparation like they will with Guinness
When I used to DJ a pub had me booked every year to play only music by English artists and they'd do sausage and mash, pie and mash and get an ale in called dragon slayer to sell cheap or something equally kitsch and it would be packed
Leave it up to the people and you will be disappointed, keep celebrating the day as you see fit
The reason pubs don't go mad for st George's day is because the appetite for it isn't there if I'm being honest. St Patrick's day people acr the twat, go out drink Guinness wear moronic merchandise and pretend they like the pogues. All too easy for pubs because Guinness have already done the marketing for them.
I seriously think if there was a beer that everyone would identify as an exclusively English beer pubs would get involved a bit more but sadly most landlords and landladys don't have a clue even what date st George's day is because they wont have had a box of merchandise and other free shit turn up in preparation like they will with Guinness
When I used to DJ a pub had me booked every year to play only music by English artists and they'd do sausage and mash, pie and mash and get an ale in called dragon slayer to sell cheap or something equally kitsch and it would be packed
Leave it up to the people and you will be disappointed, keep celebrating the day as you see fit
Yes, what would probably help would be to associate the day with something people liked doing. St Patrick's day is about getting pissed and putting on stupid hats and pubs promote it to sell beer. We just have never had that tradition associated with St George's day. I don't think you have to celebrate it to be proud to be English in the same way as you don't have to stand up all game away if you are a Charlton fan, but some seem to think it is a requirement!
Yes, what would probably help would be to associate the day with something people liked doing. St Patrick's day is about getting pissed and putting on stupid hats and pubs promote it to sell beer. We just have never had that tradition associated with St George's day. I don't think you have to celebrate it to be proud to be English in the same way as you don't have to stand up all game away if you are a Charlton fan, but some seem to think it is a requirement!
I have it on high authority that the dad of @BR7_addick got free beer on St George's Day some while back by telling the new barmaid that it was tradition to top up the pints up of patrons once they had 1/3 of a pint left.
That sort of length to avoid a round only comes with experience.
there's a lot of incorrect perception around all this stuff.
Basically I think we are governed by days of the week in which these things fall.
St Paddy's Day in England isn't anywhere near as big as some people make it. Its Guinness driven and if it falls on a Thursday - Sunday it will attract interest. On a Monday or Tuesday it will be a damp squib. Its not English people celebrating Ireland, its people with Irish heritage celebrating their heritage and other people jumping on as an excuse to have a beer.
St Georges Day hasn't got a brewery publicising driver and not a huge outcry from the majority of people for a need to overly celebrate it. Not because they are not proud to be English but just because there isn't the drive there to largely engage with what is a pub event. You'll always have the diehards, and if it falls Thursday - Sunday then you'll then get a step up in people wanting to get out and use it as an excuse. But its not really enough to encourage people to use up precious annual leave for.
The chip on shoulder attitude that too frequently gets included (some people find this racist, if it were St Paddy's Day blah blah) winds me up no end though. If you want to do something to celebrate being English, great. Just do it. Stop worrying about other people or comparing.
The fact we live in such a great country is probably emphasised by the fact we (collectively) don't see the need to have to make a big song and dance about it.
Comments
''This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,--
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.''
First day working for me in 9 years and very much missed the usual drink up with good friends. Hope all those celebrating had a special day.
Pic from a great day in 2016
St. Crispins Day, is that correct Henry?
Felt dirty driving into that cesspit but have to take my hat of to them for holding such an event Couldn't see CAFC doing the same at the Valley
St Patrick's Day however......
The chip on the shoulders brigade look for anything to have a dig nowadays.
I think that there aren't enough English who are bothered by St George's Day to make it newsworthy.
And St Patrick's is just a celebration of Guinness these days. So they market it so that newsrooms will show it.
Still didn't completely kick us out of their end.
Asked one of my son's if they mentioned it at school yesterday and unsurprisingly they didn't.
Strange.
The other just a couple of flags up.
I went to the quieter one last night. It was busy as well.
Horses for courses.
I seriously think if there was a beer that everyone would identify as an exclusively English beer pubs would get involved a bit more but sadly most landlords and landladys don't have a clue even what date st George's day is because they wont have had a box of merchandise and other free shit turn up in preparation like they will with Guinness
When I used to DJ a pub had me booked every year to play only music by English artists and they'd do sausage and mash, pie and mash and get an ale in called dragon slayer to sell cheap or something equally kitsch and it would be packed
Leave it up to the people and you will be disappointed, keep celebrating the day as you see fit
there's a lot of incorrect perception around all this stuff.
Basically I think we are governed by days of the week in which these things fall.
St Paddy's Day in England isn't anywhere near as big as some people make it. Its Guinness driven and if it falls on a Thursday - Sunday it will attract interest. On a Monday or Tuesday it will be a damp squib. Its not English people celebrating Ireland, its people with Irish heritage celebrating their heritage and other people jumping on as an excuse to have a beer.
St Georges Day hasn't got a brewery publicising driver and not a huge outcry from the majority of people for a need to overly celebrate it. Not because they are not proud to be English but just because there isn't the drive there to largely engage with what is a pub event. You'll always have the diehards, and if it falls Thursday - Sunday then you'll then get a step up in people wanting to get out and use it as an excuse. But its not really enough to encourage people to use up precious annual leave for.
The chip on shoulder attitude that too frequently gets included (some people find this racist, if it were St Paddy's Day blah blah) winds me up no end though. If you want to do something to celebrate being English, great. Just do it. Stop worrying about other people or comparing.
The fact we live in such a great country is probably emphasised by the fact we (collectively) don't see the need to have to make a big song and dance about it.