And they’ve been a revival stories of Covid… but where is Ireland on this jigsaw?
You see it’s something that gets us out of ourselves and travel.
All when our leaders have us all shut down.
Only some manufacturers (let’s call them Gibsons) still seem to have a British empirical view of the world.
Despite Ireland having broken from the British yoke 100 years next year.
Although the new state of Northern Ireland remained (and still remains) loyal.
Jiggery-pokery
I was stopped in my tracks this week when browsing the shelves in the retail park.
And I discovered that we we were back in 1921.
With the two words United Kingdom spanning these two islands.
For some, unfortunately too many, it’ll be pedantry on my part.
But it’s lazy, dismissive, erroneous and outdated.
And to project a hypothetical would it be as easily brushed over were there to be a jigsaw on sale with the UK still in Europe?
To be fair I’d probably buy that!
Where in the world?
Loose geography has long been a bone of contention.
Probably since my primary school days.
When we would be given a borderless map and tested on where countries and capitals should be.
Growing up in the UK’s northern country, Scotland, was a challenge too.
And not just because of the weather, religious regression and our misfiring football team.
No, because Britain, that’s Scotland,England and Wales, being abbreviated in conversation on TV to England.
The UK you ask? Well, that’s when Northern Ireland gets included.
Also while we’re here, can somebody look at scrapping the British Isles topographical misnomer?
A new world
Because we have caught up with post-colonial name changes around the world.
Although we do appreciate that it is a constant updating exercise.
With my old favourite Port Elizabeth in South Africa now needing to be changed to Gqberha.
It wasn’t all bad on my shopping expedition though for a helium canister for balloons (party at ours!).
The great erections
Next to the world and a jigsaw of Britain was a collection of great 3-D erections (steady!) from Revell.
There was Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria.
And those of a certain age will remember it from the credits of Wonderful World of Disney.
Me, it was running up its hill to clear my boozy Oktoberfest head.
La Sagrada Familia I visited during the height of a European heatwave a couple of years ago.
And the joke would be that you would never be able to finish it!
The Tower of London sits alongside it on the shelf.
Although I can’t confirm whether they had intended to give us London Bridge but it kept falling down.
Last but not least is the Colosseum.
And yes, you’ll want to check that there are no missing pieces.
When Ireland was my world
And so after collecting the photographic evidence and brazening it out as the stern-eyed shop assistant restocked…
In time-honoured fashion I made my excuses and left.
And on my return home I rummaged through the garage for an old jigsaw with a fond memory.
Where is Ireland on this jigsaw?
It was in fact our whole world then.
