I wasn’t meant to write this article. Nope. I was going to write a witty political satire entitled “Cummings: Return of the Messiah” but then a couple of things happened: firstly, I remembered that I’m not funny. I think binge-watching comedy stand ups during lockdown gave me some unearned confidence. Secondly, I found out on Friday (4 th May) that after weeks of applications, writing personal statements, completing exercises and what not, I had secured a place to study an MA in Journalism at university. Yippee! I felt like someone had plugged me into a mains and then attached that mains to some gargantuan Star Wars inspired electricity-producing monstrosity (can you tell I don’t do physics?). I felt more alive than I had for some time. You know the feeling, right? The sun seems to pulsate with more energy, more vibrancy than it usually does. The air around you feels lighter - you feel like if you allowed yourself to become any giddier you’d swell up like a balloo
Paganism and protest. These two things twirl around the recent bank holiday like ribbons on a maypole. On the one hand, the 1 st of May is associated with Beltane, an ancient Celtic festival which rejoiced at the arrival of summer. It was celebrated with bonfires, and is linked to fun, fertility and renewal. The early May bank holiday is also associated with the flame of political conflict. On 4 May 1886, a bomb detonated near Haymarket Square in Chicago, after police came to break up a rally held to support striking workers. Many citizens and police officers were killed or injured. The protests and strikes occurred from 1 - 4 May to advocate for an 8 hour work day. In 1889, the International Socialist Conference decided that, in commemoration of the Haymarket riot, the 1st of May would be a holiday known as “International Workers’ Day”. It was moved to the nearest Monday in 1978 by the Labour party. Both concepts, radical socialism and a spring pagan festival, seem to have littl