Comments on: Happy Maewyn Succat’s day http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/03/17/happy-maewyn-succats-day/ Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:38:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: john Kelly http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/03/17/happy-maewyn-succats-day/#comment-4021 john Kelly Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:50:57 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/03/17/happy-maewyn-succats-day/#comment-4021 It has always been acceptable in England to be racist about the Irish and still is. Such is life. More importantly, it's my father's birthday today. Joseph Patrick Kelly, one of the best greyhound trainers and fearless (if not successful) professional gamblers of all time, hard man, good judge of horses and boxers, excellent tenor, hater of plastic paddies, liars and amateur drinkers, was born on St Patrick's Day in Kilrush, County Clare, 79 years ago. He taught me to question everything and get my retaliation in first: good advice at Irish weddings and funerals, where we traditionally engage in fist fights, but not so great when meeting HRH the Prince of Wales. My father grafted to give me a better start than he had. He took no prisoners and made no excuses. I wish the same for my English son, Ned Kelly. It has always been acceptable in England to be racist about the Irish and still is. Such is life. More importantly, it’s my father’s birthday today. Joseph Patrick Kelly, one of the best greyhound trainers and fearless (if not successful) professional gamblers of all time, hard man, good judge of horses and boxers, excellent tenor, hater of plastic paddies, liars and amateur drinkers, was born on St Patrick’s Day in Kilrush, County Clare, 79 years ago. He taught me to question everything and get my retaliation in first: good advice at Irish weddings and funerals, where we traditionally engage in fist fights, but not so great when meeting HRH the Prince of Wales.

My father grafted to give me a better start than he had. He took no prisoners and made no excuses. I wish the same for my English son, Ned Kelly.

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