I guess Phil is flying kites - and a fine and wonderful way to spend time it is.

I think I am probably in favour of celebrating something or other that can have old songs and tunes and some Morris Dancing in it. I am not sure what celebrating -ishness really means. The Irish, and quite a lot of the rest of us, celebrate St Patrick's Day with Irish music and drink. Dare I mention that Irish Culture is quite a bit more than this? The bit we celebrate isn't even a decent cross section of Ireland's musical heritage.

Without going into any detail, and I may regret this, some of the -ishness's that are celebrated carry a fair amount of 19C nonsense. Whilst we are dogged by "Merrie England" other bits of this Islands are similarly dogged with national costumes and practices that have almost no historical provenance.

Ok that's me starter for 10

Les
The Retirement Home, Chorlton