Echoes of Henry V’s appeal at Agincourt – “Cry ‘God for Harry! England and St George!’” are heard anywhere from football terraces through Eurosceptic political gatherings to BNP rallies. Since George’s legend is at core so insubstantial, he is easily exploited. You can weave fairy stories around him for your kids, moral fables to placate the faithful or racist jibes.His lack of an authentic story is his best and his worst point. CELEBRATING GEORGE’S DAY Bernard Manning It doesn’t really mean anything to me. He was Welsh, this George, wasn’t he? I’m in full agreement of the celebrations in England though We will be having a show at the Embassy Club.
The pub pays for floats in the vicinity, and the money goes to charity Some people are very strong about St George’s Day It’s just a celebration for very staunch English people. This is the greatest country in the world; it’s so good, they all want to come here I don’t call myself British, I call myself English Just enjoy the day. Margaret Drabble What is St George’s Day? I think that it is Shakespeare’s birthday. He was a real person, a credit to himself, his country and to literature. I really don’t know who St George was, I suspect some sort of legend, I know there was a dragon .. or a maiden … but I don’t embrace the narrow patriotism which he represents St George’s Day has never been an event in my life In childhood, my school didn’t celebrate it.
As Dr Johnson said: ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel’ I believe in internationalism rather than patriotism. Lord Taylor of Warwick St George was born in Cappadocia in Turkey at the start of the 4th century. The legend of St George grew with dragons, but the reality of St George is that he was not an English man. The legend was brought to this country, as my ancestors were brought to this country. The BNP have captured the flag of St George, but they do not seem to know the history.I hope that tomorrow the schools will celebrate with poetry and plays.
People should have pride in their country, as long as it is not racist. Joan Bakewell I never bothered as a child, and was almost unaware of it I don’t think we were so self-conscious in those days There were no roses or anything of that kind. Then again, these were war times, austere times, when ‘Englishness’ was synonomous with ’survival’. It was maybe mentioned in school assembly but I really do not remember it featuring much. I only became aware of it when it became a part of the ‘tourist diary’.