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I've just been on a business trip to Northern Ireland. On the way back, the taxi driver told me the following joke:
Apparently, sometime in the 1960s, the Irish government decided to declare war on the USSR. So they set up an official diplomatic phone call to discuss this with the Soviet leaders.
The Russians asked, "How big an army do you have?"
The Irish replied, "We have a hundred thousand men."
The Russians pointed out that they had an army of two million soldiers, the largest in the world.
The Irish said, "We'll go away and think about that, and call you back shortly."
So they did. And they said, "We are the Fighting Irish. We're still going to declare war on you."
The Russians asked, "How big an airforce do you have?"
The Irish replied, "We have two bombers and a bunch of reconnaisance planes."
The Russians pointed out that they had several thousand aircraft and trained pilots, the most powerful airforce in the world.
The Irish said, "We'll go away and think about that, and call you back shortly."
So they did. And they said, "We are the Fighting Irish. We're still going to declare war on you."
The Russians asked, "How big is your navy? How many ships do you have?"
The Irish replied, "We have three frigates, and a big pile o' fishing boats."
The Russians pointed out that they had several aircraft carriers, several destroyers, a good number of submarines, and a multitude of other warships. They were manned by over a million hardened sailors.
The Irish said, "We'll go away and consult our War Council, and call you back shortly."
So they did. And they said, "We are the Fighting Irish. But on this occasion we have decided not to declare war on you."
The Russians asked why this might be.
The Irish replied, "We would have nowhere to put all yer prisoners!"
Apparently, sometime in the 1960s, the Irish government decided to declare war on the USSR. So they set up an official diplomatic phone call to discuss this with the Soviet leaders.
The Russians asked, "How big an army do you have?"
The Irish replied, "We have a hundred thousand men."
The Russians pointed out that they had an army of two million soldiers, the largest in the world.
The Irish said, "We'll go away and think about that, and call you back shortly."
So they did. And they said, "We are the Fighting Irish. We're still going to declare war on you."
The Russians asked, "How big an airforce do you have?"
The Irish replied, "We have two bombers and a bunch of reconnaisance planes."
The Russians pointed out that they had several thousand aircraft and trained pilots, the most powerful airforce in the world.
The Irish said, "We'll go away and think about that, and call you back shortly."
So they did. And they said, "We are the Fighting Irish. We're still going to declare war on you."
The Russians asked, "How big is your navy? How many ships do you have?"
The Irish replied, "We have three frigates, and a big pile o' fishing boats."
The Russians pointed out that they had several aircraft carriers, several destroyers, a good number of submarines, and a multitude of other warships. They were manned by over a million hardened sailors.
The Irish said, "We'll go away and consult our War Council, and call you back shortly."
So they did. And they said, "We are the Fighting Irish. But on this occasion we have decided not to declare war on you."
The Russians asked why this might be.
The Irish replied, "We would have nowhere to put all yer prisoners!"
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