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Whatever happened to George?


Lauren

Lauren is on work experience at TheSite. She is studying journalism in Surrey and likes to pretend that she lives a cosmopolitan lifestyle by placing big open art books and copies of Vogue on her coffee table, which actually cost under a tenner. Realistically she lives the typical student life of lay-ins and lager.

What is it with English people who celebrate St Paddy's Day without so much as a nod of recognition to our very own George, sniffs Lauren.

Friday is Saint Patrick's Day and, like many capital cities, London will be celebrating in style. Guinness-guzzling, leprechaun-loving Londoners will be painting the town green. But for what? All I know is that paddy chased the snakes out of Ireland, probably pushing them somewhere north of Liverpool. So how is it that he has become much more of an icon than our very own Patron Saint George?

Firstly, we have to look at the facts. I don't want to discredit Patrick but George took on a whole lot more than a pack of slow worms. He fought off a bloody dragon who was hanging somewhere in the hills near Slough. Now, I'm no fighting expert, but I'd say that's a pretty mean feat. He is also said to have endured some of the worst torture that the Roman army had to offer because he refused to deny his faith in Christ. Again, I feel that shows a fair amount of balls.

Patrick also believed in Christ. In fact, while he wasn't playing 'it' with snakes he was converting warriors and princes by baptising them in wells. He bumped into some Druids, told them what for and then, it seems, he went to Glastonbury and didn't make it home (many people can relate to that).

"Even I shall be partaking in a jig or two with a cool pint of stout whilst clutching my four-leaf clover on Friday March 17."

So, all-in-all Patrick was a fairly nice guy. He brought faith to Ireland and got rid of the serpents. But I still can't quite understand how he has taken the spotlight from George. Ask any English person when Saint George's day is and I bet they can't tell you. I only know because it is the same day as my dead dog Archie's birthday. However, everyone knows when Saint Patrick's Day is. And, in a truly hypocritical way even I shall be partaking in a jig or two with a cool pint of stout whilst clutching my four-leaf clover on Friday March 17.

All I ask is people leave a little more space in their lives for George. April 23 is Saint George's Day. Buy a rose and raise a glass of truly English ale in memory of George, and for one day be proud to be English. 

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