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BY AOIFE BARRY AND PAUL HOSFORD
EARLY THIS WEEK, legendary Irish musician Christy Moore announced the release of his new single – an anti-Arthur’s Day song, no less.
With lyrics that pull no punches, it’s an unflinching look at the holiday that the folks behind Guinness – Diageo – created back in 2009 to be celebrated worldwide.
Arthur’s Day 2013 will be held on 26 September and will see over 1,000 musicians perform at 500 free indoor music events in all 32 counties.
Ostensibly the event was begun to celebrate the 25oth anniversary of Guinness, and Moore’s main issues with it are the fact it is advertising for a globally-famous company, and that it is focused on alcohol.
(ChristyMooreOfficial/YouTube)
The lyrics to his song leave us in no doubt about what he thinks, as he refers to the day as a “happy, clappy advertising scheme”. Moore’s isn’t a lone voice in the wilderness – Mike Scott from the Waterboys has also lent his vocals to the choir singing about their dislike of the day.
A Song for Arthur’s Day features on an EP to be released by the Waterboys on Arthur’s Day itself.
The song ends with this line: “Down with Arthur’s Day”.
Not altruistic or philanthropic
But what are others saying about the day?
Suzanne Costello is the CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland, the national charity for alcohol-related issues. She says that the day is a “well-resourced marketing campaign”.
“Arthur’s Day is neither an altruistic nor philanthropic initiative. It’s a very well-resourced marketing campaign to increase the sales of Diageo products,” says Costello.
“The reality is that alcohol, and not music, takes centre stage on Arthur’s Day, which is an alcohol marketing event that serves exactly the same function as the alcohol industry’s sponsorship of sports and arts events, which is to increase awareness of an alcohol brand, sell more of that alcohol and, ultimately, increase shareholder profit.
Costello also hit out at the encouragement of revelers to “drink responsibly”.
“There has clearly been nothing ‘responsible’ about drinking behaviour on Arthur’s Day in recent years, with a reported 30 per cent increase in ambulance call-outs in Dublin city centre alone following the event last year, and much like any weekend night in Ireland this is now another opportunity to see our excessive drinking habits laid bare.”
No matter what the attempted positive spin put on alcohol consumption by those who sell it, the fact remains that people will die of alcohol-related illnesses in Ireland on Arthur’s Day – just as they do on every other day.
They will be some of the 88 who die because of their drinking every month. 2,000 hospital beds will be filled in our hospitals on Arthur’s Day by people with alcohol-related illnesses, many of them the young men and women among whom rates of alcohol-related liver disease are rising at an alarming rate.
Creative advertising
The issues with Arthur’s Day have also been brought up in years past. At a Dublin City Council meeting in November 2010, a motion on Arthur’s Day was referred to the Strategic Policy Committee on Arts.
However, the council has confirmed to TheJournal.ie that there had been no change to cleaning schedules in the wake of last year’s event.
“There was no significant littering issue at last years Arthur’s Day event. Any clean ups were conducted within existing resources,” said a council spokesperson.
Cllr Professor Bill Tormey described Arthur’s Day as a “brilliant example of creative advertising which I admire”, but said “societal damage comes first”.
In 2010, Dublin City Council said it would no longer be associated with the day through the use of its logo on advertising and marketing material.
Columnist Eamon McCann wrote in the Belfast Telegraph about his opinion on Arthur’s Day this year, describing it as a “scam” that “targets” young people because of the music it features.
In September 2012, comedian Colm Regan also wrote about Arthur’s Day, calling it a “trick” pulled by Diageo “convincing Ireland to care that Arthur Guinness existed”.
Tourist attraction
Niall Byrne of Nialler9.com, the prominent Irish music blogger, told TheJournal.ie that he thinks the Irish “don’t need a festival to celebrate Guinness”.
“A festival centred around a drink is hardly what we needed,” he said.
Arthur’s Day is a marketing campaign first and an obviously hugely successful one at that. The Irish don’t need a festival to celebrate Guinness – we do that every week anyway.
Byrne believes “we get the things we deserve and as a nation, we don the Leprechaun hats all too easily for the day without coercion”.
The big draw to the day – besides the alcohol – is the music, with national and international bands playing in a range of venues around the country.
Byrne points out that there are some quality musical acts, such as Bobby Womack and Janelle Monaé this year, which gets a positive reaction from people involved in the music industry.
“But then you remember previous years: the jammed pubs not used to hosting acts of this calibre, the early drinking that leads to early evening displays normally seen late on a weekend night,” he pointed out.
“Arthur’s Day has never really been a pleasant experience for me personally so I try to avoid it. But maybe it’s not for me anyway. I’ve gone for the music while trying to avoid the marketing which is pretty impossible really.”
He wonders about the reliance of foreign acts to pull in the crowd and whether the Irish acts chosen get paid much. “I do wonder whether the majority of people care about the music on the day,” concluded Byrne.
A Facebook site and Twitter site have been set up to promote Anti Arthur’s Day – but despite the negative feelings around the day, people will be celebrating it in their droves.
What the vintners say
Padraig Cribben of the Vintners Federation of Ireland said this week that, generally, publicans are on the fence about the day, saying that it doesn’t give the boon at the tills that one might expect.
“I think it is becoming more of a celebration of some of the cultural activities, it was perceived as otherwise than that but it looks like Diageo is changing the emphasis on it,” he said.
“It’s something that I suppose is welcomed by some publicans and not welcomed by others who would see it as someone else’s party and they’re expected to pay for it.
“Overall, in the context of drinking in a given week, I don’t think you’d see a significant spike because of Arthur’s Day, maybe a spike on that particular day but then a corresponding dip on Friday and Saturday,” he concluded.
What Diageo says
A statement from Diageo said that Arthur’s Day “has always supported and promoted emerging Irish music and brought them together with the best of Irish and International artists on the day”.
It said that Diageo “takes its corporate and social responsibilities very seriously and implements a strong responsible drinking awareness campaign around Arthur’s Day”, providing advice to pubs.
It also co-operates with local authorities and other public authorities, including An Garda Siochána, “to ensure everyone has safe and enjoyable day”.
We also promote responsible drinking and discourage alcohol misuse year-round through our support of drinkaware.ie and other resources for consumers.
Since the foundation of the state, State run children’s homes, or those run by religious organisations, have been used as handy take away by the pedophiles in both church and state.
And Enda Kenny buried the reports into the abuse for 75 years.
I wonder why.
The report was sealed for 75 years yes. Some wanted the documents destroyed v some saying they should be kept. Over 16000 applications for compensation have been received, with over €944 million rightly paid as some small compensation. Abuse support groups were very divided on the reports/ documents being “buried”. I think a shorter time frame would have sufficed – but you grossly oversimplify and ignore the very sensitive nature of the situation.
@Charlie Wrex: When you’re lived it Charlie,and know people close to you whose lives, those still living, that is, have been blighted by what they have suffered at the hands of those put in charge of them, then talk about sensitive.
Keep your lectures to yourself.
Did you ignore, or just miss the point, i made Dave? Its precisely because peoples lives have been blighted by their horrendous treatment at the hands of these monsters, that the issue of how to deal with the evidence gathered arose. Im sorry you feel lectured to. Lastly, youre assuming i dont have aged relatives that were subject to abuse. Never do that Dave.
@Charlie Wrex: The reports should never have been buried Charlie. They are ultra- sensitive to those who carried out the abuse. Those abused had huge problems getting anyone to believe them at the time. The issue of how to deal with the reports is down to PCism and the offence industry.
You did lecture me. And i’ll comment how i like, do not tell me what i can and can not do.
When youve calmed down Dave, youll appreciate that not everyone agrees with you. A number of advocacy groups have diametrically opposite views on what should have been done. Your comment about “PCism” and “the offence industry” is genuinely beneath contempt. I told you to never make assumptions – which you did. Im glad you still havent grasped the point i originally made.
@Charlie Wrex: What is beneath contempt Charlie is the secrecy that always surrounds this abuse, and keeps the abuse going, safely for the abusers. That’s why reports are buried.Your original point? I ignored it. I’ll make all the assumptions i want. I really don’t know what to say about advocacy groups. Some are useful, while some are making a good living out of the misery of others.
I wouldn’t let them pull my trousers down Charlie. So i got beaten black and blue instead. And when my mother went to the school to ask about why i was always getting bruised and hurt, they had witnesses to say i was always causing fights.
You really shouldn’t make assumptions Dave particularly in light of what youve shared here. I appreciate your honesty. Unfortunately my elderly relation was unable to stop her abusers so she was continually sexually assaulted and beaten if she made a sound. I completely agree with you regarding secrecy and the silence surrounding and protecting abusers. We will agree to disagree regarding the reason behind the “burial” of the report though. I take your point and can understand why you have that view. The lid is off and we have seen people like yourself and my relation be able to express their pain anger and despair. The restitution is something but can sadly never undo what has happened. We can only hope that anyone being abused physically sexually or emotionally can find the strength to come forward. I wish you well Dave.
@Charlie Wrex: Fair enough Charlie.It’s one of those things that can raise different emotions in people. It make me very angry and i shoot from the mouth at times.
@Dave Doyle:well the untouchables no matter what wrong is done
Enda buried the reports for 75 years? Enda is in his 60s so your comment is nonsense. Truth be told, Enda wept in the Dáil for the Magdalen slaves and he now invites the leader of the Church that perpetrated their incarceration to visit a cash-strapped Ireland while the Magdalen slaves still await redress. Time to fire Enda and to refuse to fund Francis’s junket! Where stands the Independent Alliance? Will rent-a-crowd Paul Murphy stand up and be counted? Will Claire Daly and Mick Wallace?
No commenting on the DOB article, has anyone seen the “Clinton cash” documentary?
Hillary Clinton is an icon to the Irish left and most who comment here.
@Keith Mitchell: You just don’t have a clue, do you.
Dave Doyle admirer of brutal tyrannical dictator Fidel Castro you do not have a clue or any form of moral compass.
@Keith Mitchell: A supporter of a government that will see 2,500 children homeless this Christmas talks about a “moral compass”.
Hypocrisy coupled with ignorance.
No comments pussies
Reference to DOB article. Sorry
We obviously can’t be allowed to comment on the true ruler of Ireland. What a joke that he can effectively gag a government. What a joke that the country has evidence of his corrupt dealings and won’t take any action against him.
Why can ya never comment on that clown and all his bogey dealings ..#DOBISACLOWN
… and here we go again.
Will anyone loose their jobs. NO
No but they will be sorry and “take full responsibility”. Isn’t that enough?
Have faith… they have “… started implementing a number of measures designed to protect children”.
I would have thought having a few measures in place to protect children would be pretty important in a children care home alright.
Oh and “no new admissions are accepted until it is satisfied it can deliver the care needed.”
So presumably, beforehand, they were just taking anyone in, regardless of whether they could provide the services they needed…
Thats great, really top notch people doing these jobs.
And the Church organisations do not fully comply yet, and they get away with it! Their leader Francis is coming here at our expense, at Enda’s invitation, while homelessness increases, the sick go unaided and victims await redress!
They are only ever sorry when they are caught.
Every week or so there is another horror story from Tusla, every week I comment, nothing changes.
Only this is not exactly a “Horror Story” because we are not being told anything, so let me guess;
- As a child in Irish State “Care” is 6 times more likely to die than had they been left with their parents, I’m guessing a child died in “Care”?
- As a child in Irish State “Care” is 10 times more likely to commit suicide, I’m guess some unfortunate child committed suicide?
- Also possible that a child was raped because children in Irish State “Care” are 6 times more likely to be sexually assaulted.
- Maybe a child went “missing” from “Care” and was later found working in a brothel? Not a stretch given that 500 went “Missing” from Irish State “Care” and were later found in brothels around Europe.
It’s amazing the hatred that some people reserve for the Church, when in fact children were FAR safer in those institutions than they are today in Tusla “Care”. The HSE wanted rid of Child Protection as it was giving them a bad name, so Fanny Fitz stepped in and took the same 4,000 incompetent staff and gave them a new name. She went further, she increased the staff and the budget and even made it easier to take children and forcibly adopt them.
The idiotic Irish Public were duped by the Child Abuse Industry into giving away their parental rights to an incompetent Tusla. They didn’t pull a magical set of Children’s Rights out of thin air, they gave the rights to Tusla which they removed from parents under Art 42. They even removed children’s rights which will now be determined by Tusla, yes the same people mentioned in the HIQA report.
It has only been a recent development that HIQA can inspect these facilities, but their powers are very limited. It would therefore take a very serious incident to come to light before HIQA found out about it. HIQA do not have the power to delve into why a child came into “Care” or be allowed to determine whether the child would be better off at home. In fact the Minister for Children is equally clueless as she is not allowed by law to know what is happening in any case. No TD or Senator is allowed to know by law and none of them with the exception of Mattie McGrath TD have ever set foot in a secret family court. In fact if a child is raped in Irish State “Care”, Gardai are not allowed to investigate. No government body should be allowed to operate with a level of secrecy that the KGB, Stasi and Mafia would be envious of, but this is how Tusla operates. Tusla also investigate themselves and never find that they have done anything wrong or illegal.
I have some faith in HIQA, but they are gagged by law from saying “anything to anybody” about what failings they witnessed here. If a child died in this horrible place, the parents of the unfortunate child are also gagged. This came to light when the family of Daniel McAnaspie were refused Daniels files by Tusla. Tusla claimed in court that the In Camera Rule still applied in his case, but he family argued; “How do you protect a dead child?”
Well that’s all from me folks, see you next week when another child dies in State “Care”. I’ll rant and rave as I usually do and you’ll forget all about the unfortunate child until the next child dies and we’ll keep this up until a child is dying every day in Irish State “Care”. The system has doubled in a decade and eventually Journal.ie will have to appoint 1 journalist to cover these horror stories on a daily basis. Until of course Ryan Report Two is convened and then we can all pretend we never knew what was happening.
@Joe Burns: Thank you Joe.
Hear hear
Usually HIQA pull no punches on their reports, that doesnt seem to be the case here with scant details on this care centre. Why is that, has HIQA been turned too.
“A significant period of crisis” – How long was this period?
“The failings led to children at the centre coming to significant harm ” – Specifically, what was the harm caused by the negligence?
If this was detected early on how many staff would be on their third and final written warning and ousted from this CARE home thus ending the period of crisis and the threat of significant harm?
@Lazlo Saint Pierre: The soldiers don’t take kindly to taking the blame for the chiefs any more. Therefore no one gets fired, or all get fired.
If this was you or I we would be rightly up in court – why do Tusla get away with so much again and again and again??!!
@Kimurphy:@Kimurphy:because they seem to be imume from taking responsibility
Well well this does not surprise me nothing has changed in the last decade and a half this is shocking and nobody is ever held responsible also nobody was over what happened in the house of horror Newtown house Co Wicklow in 2001 .http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=175 And it’s still going on. What’s needs to happen is who ever is in charge need to be prosecuted then it might stop otherwise it’s going to go on and on .
Nothing new in Ireland.
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