To tie or not to tie

Michael O’Leary may well be the greatest non-violent (just by a whisker!) Irishman since Daniel O’Connell, ‘The Liberator’. In fact, the word ‘Liberator’ rests just as easily on the Westmeath man’s shoulders, as it does on those of the great Kerryman. Mind you, despite what both those greats have done for the ordinary citizens of our country, you only have to dig a little deeper to find a couple of profound differences, even if the differences didn’t affect their service to their countrymen.

Daniel, Liberator 1, was known for being reckless with his money and with no savvy whatsoever when it came to managing finances. Liberator 2… well, to once again quote Bill O’Herlihy, ‘we’ll leave it there for now!’. But there is a greater contrast in the two men, and that is the one we started out to pen here because it troubles me.

Daniel was a snazzy dresser. Just look at any of those old pictures of him, impeccably dressed from head to toe. It is said that he wouldn’t go out for a morning walk around Derrynane or Cahersiveen until he was dressed like the gentleman he was. On the other hand, Liberator 2, Michael, has single-handedly done away with the dress code in Ireland.

Up until the Ryanair boss became the country’s pin-up boy, no self-respecting man would attend any sort of formal occasion, go to the office… never mind appear on TV without appearing elegant in a suit and tie – or at least, a nice Jacket and tie. That all changed… changed utterly, with the arrival of Liberator 2, with his open-neck shirt and rakish appearance.

While the men of early 19th century Ireland copied the first Liberator by dressing up and mobilising in peaceful rallies, the second Liberator inspired the masses to follow him in droves across the continent. But, alas, the men of early 21st century Ireland also copied our second Liberator by throwing away their neck ties.

It pains me to cast responsibility for this unclubbable act on one of our own, not only a Liberator of Ireland, but liberator of Europe. Endeavouring to be balanced, I can’t forget that he kept my then pubs full in Spain and that I remember when it took a month’s wages to fly to London and back, but the national appearance is more important than personal gain… and there was no need to do away with the tie.

Is it any wonder we live in a confused world? My generation was brought up believing that you ‘dressed for the job’ and that ‘clothes maketh the man’. Now you stand to be ridiculed for arriving to a ‘do’ and being the only one there girdled by a Windsor knot.

The late Tony Gregory, TD, started the bad example of going tieless. Tony’s defiance didn’t catch on with ordinary men, but no more than Jesse Jackson doing the groundwork for Barack Obama, Gregory had opened the door for a greater tieless man to follow and ‘we are now where we are’.

Here is one multiple tie owner who refuses to give up entirely. I shall remain a jacket and tie man for that special event. I don’t care, Michael – there has to be room left for a guy who had nightmares as a kid of forgetting to put on his trousers before going to school.

There are times now when I can get that same sinking feeling for not wearing a tie. I find myself using a scarf to hide my shame. I know… and before the Lads get to say it… that back in the day when all the Lads wore a suit to the dances, my rebellious streak had me doing a jive in a woolly jumper – blame the drink – but I grew out of it.

Weddings, a wedding is not a real wedding without the suit and tie. And more importantly, a tie at a funeral worn by family and close friends is a mark of respect for the dearly departed.

Once upon a time the collar and tie were symbols of a man’s status in society. My grandfather was a stonemason and wore a tie to work every day. A farmer, above certain acreage, wouldn’t be seen in the yard without his waistcoat and tie. Even as a bottom of the pile barman, I had to wear a white shirt and tie every day.

I’m not saying we should go back to that stringent code, but please don’t do away with the tie altogether… please!

There is even a worse twist to the tie thing. At recent Christmas parties there were loads of tie wearing revellers, but, wait for it… the ties were on the Gorls while the Lads showed off a bit of hair with shirts open to, well, open a bit. You were warned, Lads, but of course you wouldn’t listen.

We always try to leave you with a bit of hope in YCBS. Good news is that the tie is making a comeback in New York. Could it be because you-know-who isn’t flying there yet…?

Don’t Forget

The hardest thing to give is in.