You may not remember this, but when the Queen of England visited Ireland, she went to the market in Cork.
She chatted to one of the fishmongers and he has made it his business to keep this in the forefront of people’s minds, inter alia, by hanging a large picture of himself and herself over his stall (“Rebel county, indeed” as Mr. Waffle remarked sardonically at the time). This drives my brother insane and my sister and I have had hours of harmless entertainment pointing to the marketing abilities of Mr. O’Connell.
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, he published a book. This is from the blurb:
In this heart-warming story, Pat O’Connell recalls the historic visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the English Market, which left a lasting impact not only on the market itself but also on his own life.
This is from my brother when he heard the news.
Why are they doing this to me………………I’ve had enough..this guy makes me want to buy frozen fish from an industrial fish farm in the south Pacific, with 3 gizillion food miles, online from a faceless global retailer that pays no tax, headquartered in the Caymen Islands (or maybe Ireland)….
And look, only look, at the cover of today’s Examiner: Pat getting fitted out for his trip to Buckingham Palace.
Hours of harmless entertainment for all the family.
I’d avoid the bus tour of St Andrews I did last year, then. Commentary along the lines: ‘Here’s the café where Kate and Wills would meet after lectures! [One can only imagine the scintillating conversation.] Here’s the hovel where Wills’s bodyguards were holed up for the duration! Here’s the links where Wills taught Kate to perfect her wrist action!’ OK, perhaps I’m making that last one up. It seems there’s always someone willing to doff their cap wherever you go, especially if there’s money in it. The great mystery to me is why there would be money in it.
Eeek. That sounds alarming. Here’ more on the fishmonger’s outing: http://www.broadsheet.ie/2014/03/25/was-it-for-fish/
My brother’s agony will never end. I suspect the St. Andrews bus tour felt that way.