Calling 353: Why we should celebrate the Twelfth of July
This article explores the cultural significance of Irish identity and proposes a new bank holiday in July to honor President Douglas Hyde. It highlights the importance of recognizing diverse historical traditions in shaping modern Ireland.
Why it matters
The piece contributes to the ongoing discourse on national identity, historical reconciliation, and the role of public holidays in fostering social cohesion.
In Calling 353, a new series for The Journal, bestselling Motherfoclóir author and podcaster Darach Ó Séaghdha casts a linguistic eye on how we talk about what it means to be Irish, the signs we post to each other about Irishness – and what really lies beneath it all.
Dear reader, do you think that you deserve another bank holiday? I think you do. Maybe one that can fill the long, dragging weeks between the first Monday in June and the first Monday in August.
And if this day should also be an occasion where we can celebrate the range of backgrounds that have contributed to this country’s history, wouldn’t that be ever better? Something that acknowledges the importance of Protestant traditions in the forming of modern Irish identities, perhaps?
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