(no subject)

[owl]

Even after all these years, even knowing perfectly well that it's 31 October, my split-second reaction to a single low-pitched bang is not 'firework' but 'bomb!'. After about three hours of semi-constant banging and crackling, however, I'm more or less used to it—it sounds like a quiet night in the Blitz out there.

elerrina_amanya is making brownies in the kitchen.....NOM NOM NOM.

Comments

[owl]

It seems to be just Ireland that has the bonfires/fireworks at Hallowe'en. I think it was to scare away the spirits/dead by making lots of flash and bang. Anyway, when I was small anything larger than a sparkler was banned in Northern Ireland unless you had special permission, because there was quite enough explosive around already, so I never really got used to it.

[leeflower.livejournal.com]

oh, I always heard the whole Ireland=fireworks on Hallowe'en thing was to make up for not doing them Guy Fawkes' day. Does Guy Fawkes' Day get celebrated much in NI? If so, is it just a Protestant thing?

I mean, some parts of the US have started celebrating Guy Fawkes' Day recently, but it's actually more V for Vendetta day. It's all about celebrating governance as a social contract and not at all about the idea that terrorism is, uh, bad.

[owl]

No, it's pretty much a non-event, even for Unionists/Loyalists, and you'd think they'd be all behind the Triumph of Protestantism.

I think that bonfires and banging things were traditional before Guy Fawkes; I don't know, but I think the Irish really believed in the Samhain stuff a lot more recently than other people, so I get a different vibe off it than what the Americans or English I know seem to.

[leeflower.livejournal.com]

well, bonfires are pretty awesome, so really, why not? The druids really did know how to throw one heck of a party. I think it's cool the way modern Irish traditions sort of absorbed earlier ones-- I guess that happens all over the world, really, but I think I noticed it a bit more in NI than I do on this side of the pond (probably just because I'm from this side of the pond...)

Anyway. Happy All Saint's Day.

[owl]

It's like our traditions have more grown in place (although we are very good at importing American ones, lol).

[leeflower.livejournal.com]

ha, yes. Like the green beer in Dublin on St Patrick's day-- I'm almost positive there were more Americans there than Irish people. The poor Garda must have been so annoyed.

[owl]

Heh, we have no need to die the Liffey green, it already is :-P