[Academy RP] Saint Boyle's Day in the Commonwealth

[Pretanic Isles]

In a pub within the capital of Pretannia, there’d be a gathering of people with shamrocks pinned on their clothing. Some of them were old; Some of them were young; Some of them were women; Some of them were soldiers; But all of them were Geltic. This was the grouping that Colin Harper, a young Pretannic sailor in the Commonwealth navy, wished to join - And was greeted happily by the group in its entirety. He’d buy a round for the pub, with a celebratory, “Happy St. Boyle’s Day!” The man then began to converse with the group, asking them each about their days, and sharing stories. It had been months since they had last communicated, owing to the fact half of them were off to sea most of the time - And the other half had families and work that took them away. This created holidays and various other occasions to be the only times that they could actively enjoy each other’s presence without worries. After all, Saint Boyle’s Day was a day for remembrance - And who wouldn’t want to remember the good times with their friends.

Saint Boyle’s Day was, on paper, a celebration of a missionary who came to the Geltic homeland, long ago. A man who converted, mythologically speaking, large parts of their people to the Catholic faith, a key part of the Pretannic identity. Colin noted that, since birth, Catholicism was such a key part of the Pretannic identity that it was a well-known saying that, “To be Pretannic is to be Catholic.”. Such was the nature of religion in the Commonwealth - However, the holiday was not just a religious one. It had taken on a socio-political identity through the trials and tribulations of the Pretannic people. This could be noted, recalled Colin, by the numerous parades and small ceremonies he had seen on this day growing up, where stories of rebellion against the tyrannical Anglian government were retold in various iterations - And heroes of the Pretannic people were recalled. Of course, the Great Diaspora of the Gelts were retold time and time again on this day.

But that no longer mattered to Colin. He’d raise his glass and begin to retell his own story from being out at sea to the amusement of his friends and companions. The man smiled slightly at this amusement, feeling a sense of belonging among his fellows who had, like him, their families exiled from their homeland. This was a gracious day that allowed them to recall that, despite being all exiles, this home was where they truly belonged. The man then went to chug his drink at finishing that thought, to the delight of his companions who began to chug their own drinks.

After a hour or two of chattering, Colin would be asked by one of his older friends, a former political individual who helped run candidacies by the name of Connor O'Hara, if "he could turn on the telly so that they could watch the Boyles' Address today." Of course, Colin acceded, turning on with a, "Of course, Con." They'd then begin to shift away from the overall group so they could spectate the speech, with Connor offering, "I wonder if they'll commentate on the Anglia situation. We've been rather lucky to not deal with those twats - Like the rest of the world." Colin would take a sip from his Guinness, shaking his head in response, "We shouldn't turn away from those gobshites. We should be out there giving what for to the Empire! " He'd emphasize this last point, before watching the House of Commons' politicians take to their respective positions, taking another sip from his drink.

Connor would then remark coolly, "We were out there once, now we're here. Anglia kicked us right out, you remember? You really think they wouldn't do it a second bloody time to us? The sons of Collins' Revolution?" Colin grimaced at this turn of phrase, before muttering, "We oughta be bringing that Revolution home; We've nurtured the damn thing for too long to not bring it where it belongs." He'd then be countered, "It belongs with the Revolutionaries - An' we are revolutionaries to them, Colin. We don't have a monarch; We're a Republic. We don't have a government beholden to God; We have a government beholden to Her people. Not only that, what can we do that no one else can? We are a small, young nation that relies on trade for her income and her resources. We aren't exactly the Imperium in the East, are we?"

Colin grumbled, raising his glass, before adding simply, "I still think we oughta retaliate for what happened." Connor replied as he watched the Lord Protector rise to a podium in front of the, "That is vengeance. Cold 'nd simple - 'Nd never a wise course for foreign policy lad. Now pipe down so I can listen to Harley - I want to see what the old fart gotta say today." And with that, the both of them would remain quiet, offering a few ditters here and there on what the Lord Protector said on today.

Edited December 28, 2022 by Pretanic Isles (see edit history)