It's barely even been mentioned, most people wouldn't know its happening. I barely did. There was a low-key do in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, I don't think this was mentioned on the local news here in London beforehand, I only found out by chance on the day when I saw a small poster in a Tube station. It wasn't a billboard, just one of those small posters the same level as your knees, next to a bench.
Now St Patrick's Day - thats a huge one. Major streets in the West End closed off and floats and performers and everything. Diwali and Eid are big too, large parks in west London taken over for the day, and of course lots of coverage on the "inclusive" BBC London evening news.
Someone I know who is Irish said to me (honestly true) at the weekend how he is amazed St Patrick's Day is bigger here in London than St Georges Day. I said I'm not amazed at all. Having a left-wing Mayor, Ken Livingstone, for all the years we did - he who wanted Europe's biggest mosque built here in London - is responsible for the fact immigrant community's national days are bigger here in London than the national day of England. Lefties - don't you just love 'em? Not!
Happy St.Georges Day 23 April
Re: Happy St.Georges Day 23 April
I suppose I would argue we don't need to celebrate because we know that being born English is to win first prize in the lottery of life.
Viscount Palmerston was talking to a French diplomat one day. The French diplomat said, "If I was not French I should wish to be English."
To which Palmerston replied "If I was not English, I should wish to be English."
Small insignificant countries like Ireland and Scotland have to bang the drum just so that they know who they are.
Viscount Palmerston was talking to a French diplomat one day. The French diplomat said, "If I was not French I should wish to be English."
To which Palmerston replied "If I was not English, I should wish to be English."
Small insignificant countries like Ireland and Scotland have to bang the drum just so that they know who they are.
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Max
"Someone I know who is Irish said to me (honestly true) at the weekend how he is amazed St Patrick's Day is bigger here in London than St Georges Day. I said I'm not amazed at all. Having a left-wing Mayor, Ken Livingstone, for all the years we did - he who wanted Europe's biggest mosque built here in London - is responsible for the fact immigrant community's national days are bigger here in London than the national day of England. Lefties - don't you just love 'em? Not!"
Quite right. I can remember in the early 1960's when Tory Prime Minister, Harold MacMillan was in control and in the 80's when the Blessed Margaret brought peace and happiness throughout the land, St George's Day was a fantastic event. Bit of Morris Dancing, bit of drinking scrumpy cider, roast beef dinner, tens of thousands marching on the streets. Fantastic!
Err, actually, I don't remember any of that. Must of been all down to those Communists in opposition.
Quite right. I can remember in the early 1960's when Tory Prime Minister, Harold MacMillan was in control and in the 80's when the Blessed Margaret brought peace and happiness throughout the land, St George's Day was a fantastic event. Bit of Morris Dancing, bit of drinking scrumpy cider, roast beef dinner, tens of thousands marching on the streets. Fantastic!
Err, actually, I don't remember any of that. Must of been all down to those Communists in opposition.
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Re: Happy St.Georges Day 23 April
Lots of other countries celebrate st Georges day. Croatia, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Georgia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Iraq, Bosnia Macedonia. Cities like Moscow, Genova Ljubljana, Beirut etc
I believe even Palestinians celebrate.
St George is known and respected by Muslims too. So I can see why the teachers would talk to kids about him.
I believe even Palestinians celebrate.
St George is known and respected by Muslims too. So I can see why the teachers would talk to kids about him.
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David
It is clear that the reason St George's Day is smaller than St Partricks Day, Eid and Diwali is a result of policy. Ken Livingstone ensured these other celebrations would be marked, and would be big, and their was no desire by that leftie to make St Georges Day a big event. So we have this token little thing, with hardly any pre-advertising or coverage, and we have much bigger events for those other things. I actually voted for Livingstone a couple of times, it can't be denied that he did a lot to improve public transport in London (especially the buses, which were awful before) but he did little else that was any good. His loony-left policies I think had a lot to do with him subsequently being voted out.
Regarding St Particks Day, someone else I know who is Irish (this guy is quite old) said to me it used to be a very small affair in Ireland, barely marked, when he was younger - and it is now huge. He said the reason for that is because Guinness thought they could make a lot of money out of it - and they did. Huge promotions, events, and advertising, and the millions and millions of Euro's and pounds roll into Guinness's bank account. So that is not really a festival marking something, more a commercial event, and with the culture in the Irish community of drinking it seemed an ideal way of Guinness making heaps of cash. I wouldn't mind if St Georges Day became bigger as a way of breweries making money, at least it would mean the event was bigger than it currently is.
Even without Livingstone making St Patricks Day the big event in London that it now is it was still a bigger affair than St Georges Day. Now it is much bigger. Guiness's commercialisation of it is only partly responsible for the huge affair it now is, much of it was down to Livingstone and his policies of "inclusiveness" (for "inclusiveness" read 'ignoring the native population'). Same with Eid and Diwali. I think it is very wrong that the London Eye, the worlds biggest ferris wheel, is lit up in green on St Patricks Day yet there is not a large horizontal and vertical red line shone across it - against the white colour of the wheel to make the England flag - on St Georges Day. Like I said earlier: lefties, don't you just love 'em...
Regarding St Particks Day, someone else I know who is Irish (this guy is quite old) said to me it used to be a very small affair in Ireland, barely marked, when he was younger - and it is now huge. He said the reason for that is because Guinness thought they could make a lot of money out of it - and they did. Huge promotions, events, and advertising, and the millions and millions of Euro's and pounds roll into Guinness's bank account. So that is not really a festival marking something, more a commercial event, and with the culture in the Irish community of drinking it seemed an ideal way of Guinness making heaps of cash. I wouldn't mind if St Georges Day became bigger as a way of breweries making money, at least it would mean the event was bigger than it currently is.
Even without Livingstone making St Patricks Day the big event in London that it now is it was still a bigger affair than St Georges Day. Now it is much bigger. Guiness's commercialisation of it is only partly responsible for the huge affair it now is, much of it was down to Livingstone and his policies of "inclusiveness" (for "inclusiveness" read 'ignoring the native population'). Same with Eid and Diwali. I think it is very wrong that the London Eye, the worlds biggest ferris wheel, is lit up in green on St Patricks Day yet there is not a large horizontal and vertical red line shone across it - against the white colour of the wheel to make the England flag - on St Georges Day. Like I said earlier: lefties, don't you just love 'em...
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Max
"It is clear that the reason St George's Day is smaller than St Partricks Day, Eid and Diwali is a result of policy."
Obviously not. Otherwise you could tell me how wonderful the St. Georges Day celebrations were decades ago, before the evil Ken Livingstone clamped down on them.
You can't so you are clearly talking nonsense.
Obviously not. Otherwise you could tell me how wonderful the St. Georges Day celebrations were decades ago, before the evil Ken Livingstone clamped down on them.
You can't so you are clearly talking nonsense.
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David
St Georges Day celebrations weren't big years ago and they aren't big now but the other festivals are now big which means St Georges Day, relatively speaking, is tiny. The fact the others are now big means that the smallness of St Georges Day has become particularly noticeable, and the unfairness of that stands out. Why did Livingstone enlarge all these other ones and not St Georges Day? Why is there no England flag projected onto the London Eye but they do light it up in green for St Patricks Day? It is all a result of policy these other festivals became big when St Georges Day did not (people would like it to be), and a result of policy regarding the London Eye that I've just described - unless you think these things just automatically happen. If there was a big do for St Georges Day on the nearest Saturday to the day, and it was publicised and built-up, loads would attend and it would be a great time that everyone would enjoy and look forward to in advance. Not much chance of that happening though.