Designer Fergus O’Neill of Grand Grand writes:
Introducing THE MAN BOX – FOR MEN (I was going to do a LADY BOX – FOR THE LADIES but the only image I could find of a woman smoking a pipe was Peig in full beard, by the fire, and I felt it didn’t connect with today’s young, clean shaven (probably fireless) ladies.) Anyways… The MAN BOX – FOR MEN It’s the MUST HAVE gift of the season for your MAN… be that your dad, brother, husband, boyfriend, grandfather, uncle, aunt or indeed uncle.
The Man Box – For Men €25 (Grand Grand)
Irish Made stocking fillers to broadsheet@broadsheet.ie marked ‘Irish Made Stocking Fillers’. No fees, just a manly handshake.
Sponsored Link
I hate everything about this. The tired 1920s “man” design. The grating irishisms to hide the lack of any real content or ideas.
#notalad
the disconnect is between the 1920s pipesmoking, whiskey drinking, wife cheating rapscallion on the box cover and the teatowel, insurance disc holder, sticker and selection of greetings cards inside. Unless you got a present of this with a bottle of whiskey and a pipe then you’re going to be very disappointed. Its like opening a lego box and finding a homework notebook inside.
i have the grand grand insurance disc holder, i like some of Fergus designs, I just dont think this works as a package at all at all.
“…wife cheating rapscallion…”
More like wife beating rapscallion. They beat their wives in the 1920s.
Yes, this social transgression thankfully ceased on the 31st December 1929. And thank God for that.
I have a product just for you Jock – http://www.grandgrand.ie/product/geebag-mug
a bit steep for an oul mug, no? you’d be better off writing the insult of your choice on a mug nicked from the work canteen.
Agree. This recent commercialisation of Irishisms is all a bit desperate. There are some elements of a colloquial language and slang that don’t sit comfortably or confidently on a Tee-shirt, mug, key-ring, fridge magnet….etc.
You sound like a complete w-anker.
Don’t mind Owen there, he’s just a rude person. I agree with you 100% – BS showcases endless examples of people trying to make a few quid out of exploiting Irish culture with crass, twee, cringeworthy and unimaginative bottom-drawer sh*te like this.
“A few quick quid by cynically commercialising any remotely nostalgic or vaguely unique aspect of Irish life for dull-witted and easily entertained morons? Ah yeah, go on: gimme a book of Irish slang and a t-shirt printer, then a 90-day trial of photoshop while you’re at it, write down whatever your ma says today, and put ‘Ireland’ into Google Image”
Tea towel and sticker: crap
Cards and car thingy: decent (although I suspect there should be a comma after ‘well’)
Overall: meh/not worth €25
Question: Do you think you or your significant other is ‘great craic’?
A: Yes
Question: Do you regularly use the word ‘banter’?
A: Yes
Then this is the product for you!
Well Jock, I’m sure your obvious and impressive grasp of the original and innovative novelty will grace our screens in the coming days for us all to purchase…
What a mindless argument.
No it’s not
A ten year old would say
You’ve been served
“You thought the latest transformers film was rubbish? Maybe shut up and show us all your 300 million blockbuster. Thought so.”
Try 20 year olds there, Grandma.
She better have been in uniform, washed her hands and used a clean silver platter !
Another apostrophe catastrophe gone to print. C’mon, lads!
I think it’s a nice gift. It’s something I’d send to an Irish friend abroad.
As far as novelty items go… it’s a bit whatever… it’ll probably do well
It’s just a notch above buying someone a car air freshener in a petrol station on Christmas Eve.
That’s slightly harsh. This gift says that you planned well ahead to shop for cheap twaddle for the recipient/victim. And it will look nicer in the wrapping than the air freshener.
I like the package and would happily buy it for a fiver in the post christmas sales (because I believe in planning well, well ahead).
I’ll let Mum know! You’re sorted !
It’ll compliment the tattoo she got below her navel saying ‘Mani’s Box’ with an arrow pointing down.
A Gift.!!!…For culchies.
They also could have gone with: “Good Garda, evening!”.
Ha.
Or “Check my pulse, Guard”
I love this so much it is tempting me to break my ‘no xmas pressies’ rule
Fair play, i say..
I really wanted to write in to say that “Guard” was spelled wrong, until I typed in “Gaurd” and realised that that was really really wrong, so actually… yeah…
Well, it would more properly be “Garda”, I think.