The Angry Hedgehog

Ok I can hear the groaning from the people down the back – Pipe down already. Yes this is our national holiday - A day when the island of Ireland, celebrate their Irish-ness and everything Irish. By everything of course I am referring to the colour and vibrancy of the national St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, to all the festivites which go with the St.Patrick’s Festival.  It also is an event for going out and enjoying the day, taking a break and relaxing as the first real Bank Holiday of the year kicks off.

Given the last couple of months of Banks failing, Recapitalisation, Job losses, Collapse of Share prices in once stable companies, and of course the dreaded ‘Yogurt’,  you would be forgiven for thinking that the World is ending and nothing is ever going to change. I accept that is a fair judgement if you are one of the thousands in Ireland who has lost their job in the last couple of months has to pay a fixed-rate mortgage for the next thirty to forty years with foreclosure imminently possible.  I do emphatise with you. I can’t possibly know how you are feeling nor what your experiences are, but I am sorry for your troubles.

So what is the true nature of Irishness that we strive to exhibit every March 17th.  For the last number of years I guess, we have pushed the “We’re big, we’re here, we’ve made it” agenda across the World. Right now I think we are rightfully pushing the “Ireland Inc. has changed and is open for business”.

I believe, this is the correct message to be sending out. This is our unrivalled oppourtunity to use this day to sell this little island’s potential. Don’t fuck it up.

Whilst I agree we should be sending some of our Ministers and Junior Ministers abroad right now to sell this message  (not all of them!), I do not think that it is totally necessary for some 48 county and city ouncillors to be going abroad.  There is three times more county/city councillors going abroad than Government ministers, roughly costing some €100,000 cumulative. (source: RTÉ’s Six one news). That is not acceptable given that some 22 of the 34 county and city councils increased their Annual Rates of Valuations for 2009 at a time when Irish business needs reductions across the board.

I always loved Paddy’s day because it does exude the spirit of Volunteerism across the island. Last year I was involved, granted in the last minute, with the Supervalue Tidy Towns float about the Environment. There are some pictures up on Facebook somewhere (hopefully buried!). I was struck then about the amount of time and dedication that goes into making a float work, co-ordinating people, making costumes, driving around, picking things up. It takes alot of time. You do it because you want to make it the best for the group you are working with.

St. Patricks Day - Dublin 2008

This, I believe is the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day. It is its ability to drive creativism and innovation to produce the best possible results be that on a grand or small scale.  I know it is not just limited to St. Patrick’s Day – the Irish Volunteering centre has noticed a huge increase in volunteers since last September.

This creativism and innovation will be the driving force behind getting us out of this dreaded mess. We have it. Let’s use it.

I will blog (when I find some time!) a little bit more during the week about the “Ideas Campaign”.  I note there has been some controversy surrounding the Terms and conditions and ownership of ideas.

To that I say, if you have a good idea, go to your County/City Enterprise Board, to the IDA, to your bank.

If it is a good idea, it is a good idea – it will eventually get off the ground. I support the campaign as you will see I have added the logo to the site. Chide me all you want – I am tired of the negativity of the last couple of months. It is time to think positive.

*Update*

There is still plenty of oppourtunities out there to get involved in the St.Patricks’ Day Parade in Dublin. Yesterday I volunteered with SUAS Educational Development to go and paint shamrocks on strangers next Tuesday. It’s not much but its all I can do for the moment. I am kinda looking forward to it – if you see a guy painting dodgy shamrocks, you will know who it is!