Letter: Last laugh
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.HOW STRANGE that Ireland, land of such famous wits as Oscar Wilde and Oliver St John Gogarty, should be accused of stupidity ('Punch lines that kept the Irish in their place', 12 June). The truth is that Irish humour is too subtle for duller races to comprehend.
For instance, if anyone is being laughed at in the joke quoted it is the tourist with his condescending, 'And how do I find the crops is it?' To which the despised peasant replies with a wit too disconcerting for the upper-class twit to understand, 'Sure, your honour, 'tis by diggin' for 'em, any way.' This is exactly like the girl in the Dublin tourist office who, when asked what was the cheapest way to get to New York, replied, 'By swimming'. Or like the man in the Dublin pub who, asked if there wasn't a smell of gas, replied, 'That'll be the gas. It does smell.' Real Irish humour relies on the statement of something so glaringly obvious that it has been overlooked. Its intention is comic and subversive.
Graham Dunstan Martin
Edinburgh
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments