Oh dear, next you’ll be saying you wouldn’t go in a pub if there was a St George’s flag flying outside.

Pringles? Call me boring, but I’d just as soon have a bag of normal crisps.

Sorry for that moment of frivolity.

The brand has always been linked with golf in my mind, which immediately makes it less desirable for me. I feel that Pringle was probably once a really great brand but for many years has just been a label that is attached to indifferent products to make them seem better than they are.I once had a pair of Pringle underpants, well as you can guess they just weren’t up to the job.

AFS this is unfortunate, but you share a widely held self-denigrating attitude towards our own England, the main country of the United Kingdom that created the modern world and the fifth largest economy on the planet.  Fancy detesting your own flag, unbelievable. The English just love to sneer at themselves it seems, well the intelligentsia and anti-Brexit crowd do anyway. If more English people took a pride in their flag and heritage the cross of St George would not be associated with the few that some consider themselves to be so superior to.

Yet the Scottish and the Welsh don’t have a problem with celebrating their own identity.

Contrast this attitude of looking down your nose at anyone who is thick enough to revel in their Englishness with the USA, where the Stars and Stripes is flown everywhere and people are genuinely proud to be Americans.

Last word to the Syrian man who fitted our workshops. He told me, with tears in his eyes, of the day he arrived at Heathrow and when the immigration officer checked his passport and looked up and said ‘Welcome to the U.K.’. His other best day was his citizenship ceremony.

‘Ivy’ Morris Men :-

https://ewellmorris.co.uk/

On some of my WhatsApp friends and family sites we send each other St George's Day greetings messages. One friend flies the flag outside his house. None of his neighbours appear offended by this.
I have an Irish Friend who took it as an insult when I didn't wish him a happy St Patrick's Day. I pointed out he had never wished me a happy St George's Day. He thought the English flag racist.

I'm not offended by the rampant Lion symbol on the Pringle sweater but they do remind me of 1970s golf attire similar to the Slazenger brand. My brother, a golfer, used to wear them. If Pringle are still manufacturing in Scotland then good luck to them. I personally wouldn't buy them but I imagine they might turn up in the charity shops as the original owners die off.

‘I wouldn't look to anyone who flew any kind of flag outside their house for a decent cup of coffee and a chat about The Modern Jazz Quartet.’

It would be all round to Lady Nugee’s house for you. Don’t roll up in a white van though.

St Georgie's day used to be considered as the start of the asparagus season in England, at least with me. I like both white (German) and green (English) varieties. But prefer the green. This Saturday I will be in Helsinki eating white asparagus from Germany.

The best Morris dancing I've seen was at Leigh folk festival the day after the Brexit referendum. I don't think it would have been your 'cup of tea' AFS

The best Morris dancing I've seen was at Leigh folk festival the day after the Brexit referendum. I don't think it would have been your 'cup of tea' AFS

Mine would've been Frankie Howerd in "The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery".

‘ I remember feeling uncomfortable driving through County Armagh on seeing the number of tricolours on display, but it was a time when it made sense to feel uncomfortable in that area’

The Irish tricolour was banned in Northern Ireland for a long time. Paisley was always on about it. So it is understandable that it is flown as a mark of defiance.

Having been in Belfast during 12th Fortnight I have seen the other side of the coin. Stayed in Europa Hotel, the most bombed hotel in the world at one time. I did not realise that the marching season was so long. It’s not just the bank holiday on 12th July.

There were two plaques in reception. One celebrating Bill Clinton and the peace process.

The other stating ‘No flags, football shirts or band uniforms.’

The Crown Liquor Saloon was closed on the bank holiday and for a good while after. Most places shut on the 12th. A lot of the locals go away on holiday.

I went up the Garvaghy Road on one trip. Then stood in The Field at Drumcree. The Brethren were not congregating there at the time though.

Garvaghy Road itself was not too bad. Not one of those narrow terraces. Would be alright outside the marching season.