Meathwoman's Diary: Ya can’t bate a bit of aul Paddywhackery

Ah, St Patrick's Day - when everyone is proud to be a stereotype.

There are not many national holidays that are celebrated in almost every country in the way that 17th March is around the world.

It's probably even truer to say that there is no day on the rest of this planet where a nation honours its patron saint whilst joining in at poking fun at its culture and perpetuating offensive stereotypes that utterly offend Irish tradition and culture.

Being the week before 'Paddy's Day’, expect to see images of shamrocks, rollicking leprechauns, Irish rebel songs in smoky old pubs, Claddagh rings and Guinness drinking freckle-faced party goers for good measure.

Watch Americans over for the Dublin parade buy ridiculously oversized hats emblazoned with "Kiss Me - I'm Irish " while trying to convince anyone who will listen how they are "half Irish" without being able to actually confirm where this Celtic heritage arose.

So mental we are portrayed to be that parade organisers in some cities even publish a “survival guide ” with instructions on how to drink responsibly!

Social media sensation Garron Noone put it into perspective in his recent tongue in cheek and hilarious post where he said that St Patrick's Day was: "A nice playful sort of racism where you get to choose a particularly jolly set of white people and emulate their substance abuse and get to dress up as a ginger as well!

"It's good clean fun and it's much better than having an India day where you dress up as an Indian and pick a set of Indian stereotypes.

"Instead of putting green dye in the water fountain outside the White House you'd have to fill it with curry powder, that would be racist and a complete waste of curry powder!"

These stereotypes were not born in culture, but in a complicated history. Ireland in the 19th century, then a British colony, was one of the poorest nations in Europe. Native Irish people lived hand-to-mouth on large agricultural estates owned by foreign landlords who exploited them. When the famine struck in 1845, one million died, and two million emigrated - it's safe to say we have issues.

Nowadays, of course, things are different. Ireland is a comparatively prosperous country (not without its challenges) and if we have to exchange a little Paddy Whackery to have the world's eyes on us to give the real narrative and showcase our island of saints and scholars, a resilient nation that has produced some of the greatest poets, writers, musicians and creatives. A people who have travelled and have a presence is almost every country in the world influencing all as we go.

Taoiseach Michael Martin, who finally made it to the White House this St Patrick's week, knows what I'm talking about.