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Should St Patrick’s Day stick to celebrating one culture?

“St Patrick’s Day is Ireland’s national day. It marks the feast of our patron saint and cel...

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16.25 11 Mar 2026


Should St Patrick’s Day stick to celebrating one culture?


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16.25 11 Mar 2026


“St Patrick’s Day is Ireland’s national day. It marks the feast of our patron saint and celebrates Irish history, Irish music and Irish culture. Everyone is welcome to celebrate with us. Ireland has always been welcoming.

But the day should remain about Ireland. Turning St Patrick’s Day into a global ‘celebrate every culture’ festival misses the point. Every nation deserves one day each year that honours its own heritage. Ireland deserves the same.”

That was a tweet by Ken O’Flynn, Independent Ireland TD for Cork North-Central. He joins Ciara to discuss.


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The Hard Shoulder

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