OVER CHRISTMAS, A farming firm presented the Government with a petition calling for the potato to be made Ireland’s National Vegetable.

Some 3,000 people signed the document suggesting that the spud be given top billing. And while this may carry every sign of a well-thought-out PR stunt, the fact remains: they’re totally right.

Here is a comprehensive list of reasons why the potato should be accorded the honour of National Vegetable of Ireland. But feel free to add your own!

1. Curry cheese chips

These curry chips need some cheese (Abi Skipp/Flickr)

Let’s be honest: the concept of curry cheese chips is, objectively speaking, disgusting. But in Ireland, we hold the potato in such high regard that we eat it anyway. And love it, and esteem it highly, and tweet about it:

2. They’re part of our history

Best explained by Father Ted:

Image: quotegeek.com

3. Other people already think they’re our national vegetable

Flickr/basrawii

Step forward the Ireland’s Potato fast food restaurant in Singapore, which quotes a traditional Irish proverb:

There are two things in the world that can’t be joked: 1. marriage 2. potato

Remember when your auld gran used to say that?

4. You can eat them so many ways. Including just raw, like an apple:

YouTube/ThatsCrizzay

As this expert food critic observes, “It tastes like dirt.” But whatever. You can still do it.

5. You can also use them in other ethnic cuisines

Flickr/mararie

Step forward the POTATO PIZZA. Huh? Huh?

See also: potato tikka masala, potato fajitas, potato fried rice.

6. Potatoes have a fine Irish complexion in all and anyways

(Flickr/richard_north)

7. We already have an entire theme park named after them

Flickr/D464-Darren Hall

So that would save us literally thousands on designing the Potato Theme Park that would be the inevitable consequence of them becoming our national vegetable. Come on everyone – it’s the Gathering!

8. Taco fries

Flickr/paul-ford

Yet another example of the Irish taking an international cuisine, and applying our trademark process: Potatification™.

9. Potatoes can even express emotion

Yes. They can be happy:

Flickr/Jude Doyland

Or sad:

Flickr/banger1977

10. They have their own fish too

Flickr/Tim Sheerman-Chase

Thus potentially saving us the troublesome effort of finding a separate national fish.

It’s called a Potato Grouper, and like many Irish people it lives in Australia.

11. Spot the difference

(a) Irish weather

Flickr/cooper.gary

(b) Potato

Flickr/andrewmalone

12. Potatoes even WANT to be our national vegetable

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Flickr/KateMonkey

13. Humankind knows no better food than Mammy's roasties

Flickr/fifikins

Poll: How often do you eat potatoes?>