Monday, February 27, 2012

Anger at how the Irish are portrayed on hats

Would you wear a baseball hat with an image of a man being sick on the pavement? That is what the funky fashion and household store Urban Outfitters has put on a baseball cap it has launched in America for St Patrick's day. The green and white hat has a man on the front, on his hands and knees being sick.



The slogan below reads, ''Irish Yoga'' and ''downward facing upchuck''. SDLP MLA Karen McKevitt has called on the chief executive of the international clothing firm to remove the hat from his stores and online shop.

"I think it was reckless for Urban Outfitters to use this offensive image," she said. "A lot of businesses rely on St Patrick's Day to generate some revenue but when we see big companies trying to make money like this we should not be standing for it.



"The chief executive of Urban Outfitters must apologise for this and remove this insulting product from the company's stores and online shop." Ms McKevitt also encouraged the company to make a donation to Down, and Newry and Mourne Councils to help them organise St Patrick's Day events.

5 comments:

Gareth said...

It's interesting that a lot of US citizens have a view of the Irish as drunken hell raisers. In the European league of alcohol consumption the Irish come way down. Take a trip to Dublin (or Cork or Galway) of a saturday night and you will see a lot of drunken behaviour. There's a pretty good chance that the excessive behaviour will come from British stag parties or just British tourists.

Sure the Irish like a drink, but as part of a social occasion. They drink steadilly to get merry, not to get blind drunk.

Ratz said...

Hailing from NI I can say the hat's fairly accurate. According to the police, last year St. Patrick's day passed off uneventfully with only 8 people being arrested in the Holyland (which is effectively only a few streets). 2009 involved the riot police.

Anonymous said...

Awww... Did widdle tater head get him widdle feewins hurted?

xoxoxoBruce said...

Gareth, it comes from many of the Irish coming to the US, working hard for low wage, with the bar as their only social life. The US Irish have perpetuated this myth with tongue in cheek.

Gareth said...

Anonymous if you hadn't guessed by my name I'm not Irish.