Legion Of Doom
In their analysis of Ireland's Olympic performance, the commentariat have taken a characteristically gloomy outlook.
The Whole Hog, 29 Aug 2008
The tents have been taken down, the lights extinguished, the farewells exchanged. The circus moves on from Beijing. Its next stop is the Democratic Party convention in Denver, Colorado. Barack Obama is their chosen one, though whether the rest of the United States agrees is another matter.
Colorado is Wild West. On the whole its leanings are Republican, being a frontiers-y place where folks like to hunt and shoot and fish and where the steaks are big and the mountains bigger. The signs at trail heads warn you of bears, coyotes, mountain lions and snakes. They let you know that out there you are responsible for your own welfare and offer a last piece of advice – ‘if attacked, fight back’.
No claims culture there.
What with its railroads and mines it’s no surprise to find a strong Irish connection. Last year when Lady Hog and I checked into the Hotel Delaware in Leadville the guy on reception cheerfully told us he was ‘full-blooded Irish, on both sides’.
Histories of the old mining towns tell of raucous Saturday nights that frequently ended in violence. And when attacked, they fought back!
Ah yes, the Fightin’ Irish. Maybe we’re just like that. Maybe history made us so, a collective grievance carefully nursed and nurtured over generations and easily triggered by drink and depression. But it was often harnessed into military service too, for example in the 1st Regiment Irish Brigade, better known as the ‘Fighting Sixty-ninth’, who went into battle wearing a green sprig in their hats and whose battle cry was ‘Fág an bealach’.
But as well as fight they also built. Among their exploits was the construction of Fort Corcoran – Federal officials estimated it would take a month to build; the Irish did it in a week.
There will be many Irish-Americans among the delegates to both Democratic and Republican conventions. It goes without saying that both Obama and McCain claim Irish blood. The ‘Irish vote’ is still canvassed and still matters.
And in our own courtship of foreign direct investment we have targeted firms with strong Irish roots. It works for us too. And it works because those firms get the same kind of commitment as that shown by the Fightin’ 69th, as they’ll tell you themselves.
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