Tomorrow is a very special day in the calendar, even more so for the diaspora that are spread around this planet. Some were forced away, but they were the unlucky ones. Today, it is mostly a choice to emigrate. The tide of tears has been stemmed from Camden, Boston, Sydney and New York.

Wannabe Irish clumsily demonstrate their knowledge of all things Irish and drink deep in stereotype. However, it's not their fault. How Ireland is portrayed by Fáilte Ireland is mostly laughable. They're finding it difficult to lure tourists without resorting to soft green colours in nicely rounded images of castles and some chaste cailín who looks a bit thick but has lovely rosey cheeks.

This isn't what the Irish abroad think of when they think of the motherland, so why is every Irish tourism company peddling cutesy imagery of simpletons who look jolly but could be just as liable to start a fight in a bar? I'd hope that we've moved on from that. Ná bach leis an Sprite ad; image is everything in this instance. And that image needs to change in order to correct the dated perception of Ireland and her indigenous folk.

Published by Colm.