‘We’re gone so woke’ - Carlow councillor unhappy with St. Patrick’s Day poster

A Carlow councillor has expressed his disapproval of a St. Patrick’s Day poster which went viral online.

The poster, which was spotted at a Luas stop in Dublin, contained large text which read ‘Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit’.

The surrounding artwork contained a number of four-leaf clovers instead of the traditional shamrock.

Independent councillor Charlie Murphy took issue with this, which he believes reflects more widely on Irish society.

Cllr Murphy said: “They’re starting to put out the four leaf clover instead of the shamrock, which I find very strange.

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“It sort of goes against the whole thing of St Patrick’s Day. The shamrock is a symbol of this country.

“We’re gone so woke in this country now that we’re trying to sell it as a four leaf clover instead of a shamrock.”

Meanwhile, Labour councillor Willie Quinn expressed his concern over the quality of St. Patrick’s Day parades in Carlow.

Cllr Quinn said: “I think some of the areas that are running parades, it seems to have lost the St. Patrick’s Day tradition that we have for generations.

“The music end of it seems to have just kind of gone away from it. A lot of the areas are going without bands and to me, it’s more so just a kind of machinery show then it is a St. Patrick’s Day parade.”

He noted the cost of insurance for the running of a parade, which he estimates is between €1500 or €2000.

He continued: “I think since Covid probably the lack of bands is a problem but maybe we should be bringing something in to kind of get more bands back on track again.

“I think it is starting to die away as regards the tradition of St. Patrick’s Day parades. It’s more of a machinery thing than anything else.”

However, Fianna Fáil councillor Fintan Phelan appeared to rebuke these comments and highlighted the quality of the parade in Carlow town.

Cllr Phelan: “I wouldn’t like the message to go out that we don’t have good quality St Patrick’s Day parades.

“Indeed, the parade here locally in the town over the last number of years has improved magnificently and huge credit to the chairman, the committee and group of volunteers that spend months trying to organise that and getting everything together.

“It’s a real festival, not just a parade. I would encourage people to come into Carlow town on St. Patrick’s Day because there is something for all the family to do.

“It’s well worthwhile [...] and I’m sure the plans that are there for this year will be excellent again.”

A number of other councillors also made remarks in which they encouraged people to come to the parades in their local areas.