I spent the weekend after the British EU referendum at our house in Ireland, on the southern side of the border. I'd hoped to avoid discussing the vote entirely but it was all anyone wanted to talk about. Here's a snapshot of some of those conversations. You may notice a common theme emerging.

In The Post Office
S: You're welcome home, Brian.
Me: Thanks very much.
S: So what do you think of the referendum?
Me: I'm horrified.
S: Well I think yous have made an awful hames of it. I do, really.
Me: You're right there.
S: I'll tell you this much - any of them that has a few shillings in their pockets now will have a lot less to jangle next week. And aren't they the same eejits that voted for it?
Me: They are, indeed.
S: I'm not a conservative thinker, Brian, but I thought your man, Cameron, did a bully job. I can’t believe you turned him down. But what was wrong with the Labour fellow? Sure he was a total wash out.
Me: He was that.
S: Completely useless, so he was. I'd say he bears a big responsibility for the result.
Me: I'd say so, too.

In The Bar
T: Well, what do you make of this Brexit?
Me: It's a nightmare.
T: A nightmare is right. Will we have the border back again, do you think? All them customs posts and everyone smuggling butter and tea and the lord knows what?
Me: I hope not.
T: Have yous all gone mad or what?
Me: Looks like it.
T: I'll tell you what that man Corbyn was a dead loss.
Me: He was.
T: Sure he might as well have stayed in bed.

Outside The Church
M: What in God's name has got into you all?
Me: The referendum, you mean?
M: The referendum, of course.
Me: It's a disaster.
M: It's worse than that. I can tell you now, Brian, your father would have had something to say about this.
Me: He would have been disgusted.
M: Disgusted is right. What I want to know is this: what was the matter with the Labour party? Me: I couldn't tell you.
M: They disappeared off the map entirely.
Me: They did.
M: Well, yous are on your own now. And good luck to you.

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