Forget The Shamrock And The Harp, Think Queenies And Roosters For Our Country’s New Emblem

Possibly the most versatile vegetable in the whole of Ireland.

Roasties, chips, crisps or mash, the potato has it all.

And that’s why the people of Ireland are now campaigning for it to join the ranks of the shamrock and the harp, and receive official recognition as a symbol of Ireland.

The Government was yesterday handed a petition demanding recognition for the humble vegetable and explaining how we munched through 40,000 tonnes of the tuber for the festive season, The Sun reports today.

As a country, we gobbled through 175,000 tonnes of potatoes last year.

Spud farmer Tom Keogh is calling on Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to give the potato equal billing to the shamrock and the harp.

He said: “For generations our family has been farming potatoes in North County Dublin, we eat, sleep and breathe potatoes.

“Now we want to get the people of Ireland to pledge their allegiance to the Irish potato and help ensure it is declared the official National Vegetable.

“Almost three thousand people across the country have signed the petition in support of the potato.

“We hope that it will make the government see just how valued and loved the humble spud is in Ireland.”

Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney signs his love for potatoes.