Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 08:34:57 +0100
From: Hugh Rodwell <m-14970-AT-mailbox.swipnet.se>
Subject: M-TH: Irish in Melbourne


This is too good not to share with everybody!

Cheers,

Hugh

_______________________________

As a way of advertising the next Secret History Walking Tour of inner
Melbourne (26th March 7pm, starting at the Athenaeum 181 Collins st.
Melbourne), and making a concession to Irish Nationalism, let me relate
a story told on the last Secret History Walking Tour of inner Melbourne.

As you may or may not be aware the Irish were discriminated against a
great deal in Australia in the early parts of this century. During WWI
in particular, the protestant, empire-and-all-that ruling establishment
of Melbourne decided they would do their bit for the good old cause
(along with attempting the introduction of conscription) by banning the
St. Patricks day march in 1916.

Under pressure from the very large Irish community in Melbourne, the
establishment backed down and said that the march could go ahead as long
as there was a Union Jack at the head of the march, and that the march
itself was led by englishmen.

After a bit of a think, representatives of the irish community set off
to a city park to find a drunk with an english accent. Upon finding a
suitable candidate they struck up a bargain promising a slap up meal and
plenty of drink, if he would turn up very drunk on St. Patricks day and
march at the head of the St. Patricks day parade.

And so he did.... 100,000 people celebrated St. Pats day by marching
through Melbourne. About 100 metres out front of the march was a lone
drunk bearing a toy Union Jack (the sort that is small enough to go in
your back pocket) which he proceeded to set on fire as he staggered
along Bourke St.

For a united socialist Ireland,

Tony Hartin


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