A toast to Arthur, and everyone else

Whatever about the high-pitched hype against Arthur's Day this year, in most cases it is celebrated in a simple minor key, writes Brian Byrne, as it was earlier this evening in McTernans and other pubs around Kilcullen.

Our picture shows Mary Masterson and friends raising a glass of the black stuff to the man who developed Guinness.

Not to the man who invented alcohol, because that was done thousands of years before, and the Diary rather feels Arthur shouldn't particularly be getting all the blame about it.

I mean, what about all the monasteries which have for hundreds of years, and still do, produce well-considered beers and spirits all across Europe? And in other parts of the world and of other religions too. Are they also do be done down by some very dogmatic elements of our society of today?

All right, I know the publicity beef is with Diageo. For simply coming up with what has been a very successful marketing campaign for their Guinness product. Let's keep it in perspective. Diageo, or Guinness Ireland, don't hold us down and force the stuff down our throats. We who drink it make a choice. Mostly for a bit of simple enjoyment.

So, for the day that's in it, here's a toast to all of us, and to those others too, a simple 'slainte'.