Only St. Patrick's day was 100% fun. Lent was abolished for the day. There was music and there was ice cream with shamrocks in it. The priests and nuns were happy and the nuns would dance little jigs.

What a load of twaddle. Sorry, mg, if you come out with this sort of unresearched nonsense it is little wonder that some people decide that your 'Irishness' is little more that a sham (rock?) I was brought up in the Russian Orthodox faith and EVERY sunday in lent was a break from the fasting, abstainance etc. Every Sunday was a feast day. There are plenty of feast days that equal or better St Paddys - Including Epiphany, All Souls, Eid, Hannukah and dozens that I have never heard of.

I understand fully your complaint about being called names - after all, the American Irish in New York and Chicago have refered to me as a Bastard Brit many a time. But if you want to be taken seriously then at least give us sensible reasons to do so.

Cheers

DeG