A joke with a sting in its tail

For so many years the "Stupid Irishman" joke featured in the repertoire of just about every fifth rate stand up comedian. Not a few tv sitcoms would make use of a stereotypical "bog trotter" for cheap laughs. Mercifully this more PC age has seen the back of much of such rubbish but perhaps Britain is laughing on the other side of its face due to the rise of the "Celtic Tiger". which has seen the transformation of the Irish Republic over the last 20 years from a depressed exporter of people into a vibrant, self confident nation (more on this transformation at a later date).

There is still one Irishman joke I do enjoy because of the sting in its tail:

An Irishman was looking for work in London. He goes to a building site where the Foreman says to him that he can have a job if he can answer this one simple question:

"What is the difference between a girder and a joist"

The Irishman looks the foreman in the face and says:

"That's simple. Girder wrote Faust and Joist wrote Ulysses"

I know that this joke has little to do with the Celtic Tiger but any excuse to tell it!