For Armagh-born author, Aidan McEntee, wit and wisdom are not just something that the people of Northern Ireland possess; to him, it’s what we are made of.
Following the release of his debut book ‘The Wit & Wisdom of Northern Ireland’ Aidan sat down with Armagh I to delve a bit deeper into its context.
He describes the book as examining “the culture of humour through my lens”, taking readers on an analytical journey across the six counties where he expands upon the deep similarities and subtle nuances within the humour of each.
Yet, no matter whether it’s in light-hearted banter, slang or slagging – Aidan believes that the desire to ‘connect’ with one another is what lays at the heart of our quirky communication. For him, it’s how we say ‘I care about you’.
This connection is no better evidenced than through Aidan’s many years of ‘field research’ and finding out that no matter who he spoke to, everyone had a joke.
While he admits he is probably out of Armagh longer than he has been in it, Aidan grew up in Armagh City and has a deep appreciation for the county’s sense of humour, seeing “more strands of relatability” here than with other counties.
Aidan’s profound fondness of his country’s remarkable ability to ‘poke fun’ at just about anything is demarcated by the fact that he regards this book as the “poster” for Northern Irish tourism.
With the Christmas period coming up, Aidan believes that his new book could be “the perfect solution to the usual Christmas present dilemma” for anyone thinking about the perfect gifts for friends and family.
