Celebrating Flann's 117th Birthday

Yesterday, October 4th, was the 82nd anniversary of his first 'An crúiscín lán' column in The Irish Times.

Today Mr Nolan does celebrate his 117th birthday. I should not tell which pseudonym he does currently prefer, but I may say those few people still taking for granted he died April 1st 1966, can look back on a remarkable long career as April fools.

Happy birthday then, alter Knabe!

Fact is, furthermore, that tonight Flanny, Sergeant Pluck, Tetrapilotomos and I as well as a certain chap who asked to remain incognito met in, at and around Seanhenge, having some pints of plain and at one stage of our vivid conversation Flann would raise his voice and not only enjoy our ears, hearts and grey cells but animate the rami zygomatici and rami buccales of nervus facialis to massively innervate our musculi risorii by once again declaiming following legendary dialogue:

The Plain People of Ireland: Isn't the German very like the Irish? Very guttural and so on?

Myself: Yes.

The Plain People of Ireland: People say that the German language and the Irish language is very guttural tongues.

Myself: Yes.

The Plain People of Ireland: The sounds is all guttural do you understand.

Myself. Yes.

The Plain People of Ireland: Very guttural languages the pair of them the Gaelic and the German.

* * *

But now, before the five of us go on celebrating, and although it ought to be most unlikely they exist - to all those who happen to not being in possession of the birthday boy's complete work: Saddle your ponies, folks, and hurry up. The friendly, most well-educated and -sorted bookseller just round the corner will be happy to fill the gaps of your education and in your bookshelves.

Sláinte!