by Sarah Turner (Northeastern State University of Oklahoma)
EATING AT BURGER KING was, despite its American origins, a uniquely Irish experience. I could say that most notably I was the only foreigner in the restaurant, with the eyes of several women and children fixed on me as I ate my Whopper with cheese in the corner. But, it was the subtle ways in which my classically American meal was turned into something Irish that stand out most to me.
First, the selection of burgers and side orders was vastly limited from what I remembered of the BK at home. In addition to this, there was no clear indication of where customers should start a line. Groups of hungry patrons simply milled about until an employee asked them for their order. But the most notable difference here was the lack of pretense often found in American fast food chains. There was no façade attempting to class up the joint, something American restaurants do in an effort to attract a wealthier clientele. Here within the grunge of the establishment, things are exactly as they seem. I and the 15 other odd people knew exactly what we wanted and what we were getting; we had it our way with none of the shame or guilt attached to unhealthy food or corporate greed.
Much of Armagh has proven to be this way, in that people seem to know what they want and take it without the usual guilt that accompanies Americans. In today’s political climate, the Irish seem freer in their religious beliefs, political actions, sexual discourse and indulgence in vices than Americans who overanalyze every minute detail. Here, analysis is saved for the classroom or psychiatrist’s office (of which I have seen none).
While the Irish are direct in what they want, at the same time they tend to talk circles around what they mean to say. In a country stereotypically known for the anger its citizens often display, Margaret’s calm recollection of the murder of her grandfather surprised the entire class. Her almost casual reflection at the loss her family suffered in recent years both shocked and sobered me. There was no vengeance in her voice, no desire to exact revenge on the militant extremists who riddled her family house with bullets; she only noted how “interesting” it was to meet an accomplice in the event.
Listening to this story could not have made it more apparent to me of my visitor’s status; women and children’s eyes glued to me meant nothing compared to the gut certainty of my inadequate understanding of this part of the Irish culture. The readiness and ease of calling up tragic events in recent years is both a part of the land and the people who inhabit it. As a visitor to the town, it seems that much is hidden from the average eye of the tourist. On the surface level, Armagh is active in the arts, thriving with local businesses, full of friendly people and seemingly trouble free. Yet, a bomb threat like the one Monday reminds us of the close proximity Armagh has to the Troubles this country has worked so hard to move on from.
When I first came to Armagh, I saw a city not unlike my own. Once I scratched the surface, broke through the glossy image those who fly through town may see, the unfamiliar culture and history of the city of the seven hills came flooding out. Much like my visit, I went in seeing something American but came out with a wholly Irish experience.
A Wholly Irish Experience
